JP2010079033A - Irradiation direction variable strobe apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An irradiation direction variable strobe device capable of accurately and automatically setting an irradiation direction of illumination light to a subject corresponding to a distance of the subject to a camera.
An illuminating direction variable strobe device (1) includes a light emitting section (6) having a structure in which a light emitting tube (7) and a reflecting mirror (8) are integrated so as to be rotatable so as to change the direction of a light beam emitted from a light emitting window (5). An object obtained by a drive unit 9 that rotates the light emitting unit 6, an angle detection unit 10 that outputs an actual rotation angle signal of the light emitting unit 6 by the drive unit 9, and a distance measuring sensor 33 mounted on the camera 31. The distance information is taken in, a rotation angle signal is generated using the preset distance / rotation angle information, and is sent to the drive unit 9 to change the rotation angle of the light emitting unit 6, and from the angle detection unit 10 A control unit that generates an adjustment angle signal using the rotation angle signal and sends the adjustment angle signal to the drive unit 9 to automatically adjust the rotation angle of the light-emitting unit 6.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an irradiation direction variable strobe device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a strobe device that is mounted at a fixed position with respect to a camera and irradiates the subject with illumination light when photographing the subject is often used.

  When such a strobe device is a fixed type that cannot change the illumination direction of illumination light on the subject, for example, a part of the illumination light that is emitted toward the subject during close-up shooting of the subject is an opaque material under the light emission window of the strobe body. As a result, it is often impossible to irradiate the subject with appropriate illumination light, resulting in deterioration of the quality of the captured image.

  For this reason, a strobe device that can change the irradiation state of the illumination light on the subject has been proposed and put into practical use.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, the light source is forcibly moved to one end within the movement range defined by the reflector, and the one end is caused to function as the origin position of the light source moving operation with respect to the reflector. Proposed a variable illumination angle strobe device that is configured to control the movement operation of the light source based on the above origin position by the control means, and to widen or narrow the irradiation range (area) of illumination light to the subject Has been. That is, the irradiation angle variable strobe device of Patent Document 1 is generally called a zoom strobe, and the irradiation range is variable according to the angle of view of the camera lens.

In the case of the strobe device disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is estimated that the irradiation direction of the light emitting unit itself is not variable, and that the configuration of the light source moving mechanism and the control element for moving the light source is considerably complicated. The
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-96982

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the irradiation direction is variable so that the irradiation direction of the illumination light to the subject can be accurately and automatically set corresponding to the distance of the subject to the camera, even though the configuration is simple. The strobe device does not exist.

  An irradiation direction variable strobe device according to the present invention is an irradiation direction variable strobe device that irradiates a subject with illumination light by combining a camera and a strobe body at a fixed position, facing a light emission window provided in the strobe body, and Rotating drive the light emitting part having a structure in which the arc tube and the reflecting mirror are integrated so as to be rotatable so that the direction of the light beam emitted from the light emitting window is changed, and the light emitting part provided in the strobe body. Information on the distance between the camera and the subject obtained by the driving unit and a distance measuring sensor mounted on the camera is captured, and the rotation angle corresponding to the distance between the camera and the subject using preset distance / rotation angle information And a control unit that generates a signal and sends the signal to the driving unit to automatically adjust the rotation angle of the light emitting unit.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an irradiation direction variable strobe device capable of appropriately irradiating illumination light based on light emission of the arc tube in accordance with the distance of a subject located in front of the camera.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately irradiate the illumination light based on the light emission of the arc tube according to the distance of the subject located in front of the camera, and the light emitting unit is set at a corresponding angle set in advance. It is possible to provide an irradiation direction variable strobe device that can accurately and automatically adjust and realize acquisition of a good quality photographed image.

  According to the third aspect of the invention, in addition to the same effects as the second aspect of the invention, the illumination light is provided with the light emission window having a shape in which the light emission surface is continuous from the front surface to a part of the bottom surface. It is possible to provide an irradiation direction variable strobe device that can prevent the displacement.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the same effects as the invention described in claim 2, since the light emitting window having a light emitting surface having a curved shape is provided, the irradiation direction that can prevent the illumination light from being scattered is also provided. A variable strobe device can be provided.

  The present invention provides an irradiation direction variable strobe device that has a simple configuration and can automatically set the irradiation direction of illumination light to the subject in a highly accurate and automatic manner corresponding to the distance of the subject to the camera. It has a purpose.

  An irradiation direction variable strobe device according to the present invention is an irradiation direction variable strobe device that irradiates a subject with illumination light by combining a camera and a strobe body at a fixed position, facing a light emission window provided in the strobe body, and Rotating drive the light emitting part having a structure in which the arc tube and the reflecting mirror are integrated so as to be rotatable so that the direction of the light beam emitted from the light emitting window is changed, and the light emitting part provided in the strobe body. The drive unit, the angle detection unit that outputs the actual rotation angle signal of the light emitting unit by the drive unit, and the distance information between the camera and the subject obtained by the distance measuring sensor mounted on the camera are captured, and a preset distance / Using the rotation angle information, a rotation angle signal corresponding to the distance between the camera and the subject is generated and sent to the drive unit to change the rotation angle of the light emitting unit, and from the angle detection unit A control unit that generates an adjustment angle signal using the rotation angle signal and sends the adjustment angle signal to the drive unit to automatically adjust the rotation angle of the light emitting unit to an angle corresponding to a predetermined distance between the camera and the subject; The above object is realized by the configuration having the above.

  Hereinafter, an irradiation direction variable strobe device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an irradiation direction variable strobe device (hereinafter also referred to as “strobe device”) 1 according to the present embodiment is mounted in a state of being fixed to an accessory shoe portion 32 of a camera 31 such as a digital camera. A subject P1 located in front of 31 and at a long distance L1 and a subject P2 located at a short distance L2 in different irradiation directions depending on the distance from the camera 31, that is, a subject located at a short distance L2 P2 is characterized in that it is configured to irradiate downward illumination light as compared to the case of the subject P1 located at a long distance L1.

  The strobe device 1 and the camera 31 will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the strobe device 1 includes, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped base portion 3 attached to the accessory shoe portion 32 of the camera 31 and the base portion 3. A strobe main body 2 including a light-emitting unit housing 4 having an integral rectangular parallelepiped shape is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, a light emitting window 5 having a Fresnel lens specification is provided on one end surface side of the light emitting unit housing 4 facing the subject P <b> 1.

  The light emitting window 5 has a shape that extends from the front surface (the surface on the subject P1 side) to a part of the bottom surface of the light emitting unit housing 4.

  Inside the light emitting section housing 4, the light emitting tube 7 and the reflecting mirror 8 face the light emitting window 5 and are rotatable so that the direction of the luminous flux of the illumination light emitted from the light emitting window 5 changes in the vertical direction. The light-emitting part 6 having a known configuration is integrated.

  Further, the strobe device 1 according to the present embodiment provides a driving unit 9 for rotating the light emitting unit 6 on the side surface of the light emitting unit housing 4 and an actual rotation angle signal of the light emitting unit 6 by the driving unit 9. For example, an angle detection unit 10 including a rotary encoder is provided.

  The drive unit 9 passes through the side wall of the light emitting unit housing 4 and has one end connected to the side wall of the light emitting unit 6 and the other end of the driven shaft 11 disposed on the rotating shaft 12 and the light emitting unit housing 4 on the side wall. For example, the attached drive motor 13 using a stepping motor, the angle detection unit 10 fitted to the drive shaft of the drive motor 13, and the projecting end of the drive shaft of the drive motor 13 are engaged with the driven gear 11. And a primed drive gear 14 that has been moved.

  The angle detection unit 10 is arranged coaxially with the rotation shaft 12 and is configured to output an actual rotation angle signal of the light emitting unit 6.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the strobe device 1 according to the present embodiment captures distance information between the camera 31 and the subject P1 or P2 obtained by the distance measuring sensor 33 mounted on the camera 31, and the driving unit 9 It has the control part 21 which controls.

  The control unit 21 captures the distance information and controls the entire strobe device 1 and a central processing unit (CPU) 22 and a distance / rotation angle information storage unit that stores preset distance / rotation angle information. 23 and a distance (subject P1) between the subject P1 or P2 that generates a rotation angle signal corresponding to the distance information and sends it to the drive unit 9 to change the rotation angle of the light emitting unit 6 under the control of the CPU 22 : Long distance L1), and rotation angle signal output unit 24 that changes according to (subject P2: short distance L2).

  The rotation angle signal output unit 24 generates an adjustment angle signal corresponding to a difference between the rotation angle signal obtained by the CPU 22 and an actual rotation angle signal from the angle detection unit 10, and the drive unit 9, the rotation angle of the light emitting unit 6 is automatically and accurately adjusted to an angle corresponding to a preset distance between the camera 31 and the subject P1 or P2.

  The distance / turning angle information storage unit 23 stores preset distance / turning angle information, for example, downward turning angle information 1 degree corresponding to the long distance L1, and downward pointing to the short distance L2. Information such as 5 degrees of rotation angle information is stored in advance.

  Examples of the distance measuring sensor 33 include an example in which the distance from the camera 31 to the subject P1 or P2 is measured using a triangulation method based on emission and reception of infrared light.

  Next, the operation of the strobe device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the cameraman attaches the strobe device 1 according to the present embodiment to the camera 31, and, for example, when performing shooting on the subject P1 at a long distance L1, the distance measuring sensor mounted on the camera 31. 33 obtains distance information (far distance L1) to the subject P1 and sends this distance information to the control unit 21 of the strobe device 1 via a known route.

  In the control unit 21 in the strobe device 1, the CPU 22 captures the distance information to the subject P <b> 1 and refers to the distance / rotation angle information storage unit 23, and the downward rotation angle information 1 corresponding to the distance information. The degree information is extracted and sent to the rotation angle signal output unit 24.

  The rotation angle signal output unit 24 generates a rotation angle signal corresponding to the distance information based on the information of the downward rotation angle information 1 degree, and sends it to the drive motor 13 of the drive unit 9.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the drive motor 13 rotates to rotate the light emitting unit 6 downward by one degree via the driving gear 14, the driven gear 11, and the rotating shaft 12. The illumination light based on the light emission of the arc tube 7 can be appropriately irradiated toward the subject P1 located at the long distance L1.

  In the strobe device 1 according to the present embodiment, the angle detection unit 10 sends an actual rotation angle signal of the light emitting unit 6 to the CPU 22 along with the downward rotation of the light emitting unit 6 described above.

  The rotation angle signal output unit 24 generates an adjustment angle signal corresponding to the difference between the rotation angle signal obtained by the CPU 22 and the actual rotation angle signal from the angle detection unit 10, and sends the adjustment angle signal to the drive unit 9. send.

  Accordingly, the drive motor 13 rotates by an amount corresponding to the adjustment angle signal, and the rotation angle of the light emitting unit 6 is set to an angle corresponding to the preset distance between the camera 31 and the subject P1 at the long distance L1 (for example, 1 degree). ) Can be accurately and automatically adjusted, and it is possible to obtain a high-quality captured image by irradiating the subject P1 with illumination light based on the light emission of the arc tube 7 of the strobe device 1.

  For example, when the photographer performs photographing of the subject P2 at a short distance L2, as shown in FIG. 4, the rotation angle of the light emitting unit 6 is set in advance based on the same operation as described above. It can be accurately and automatically adjusted to an angle (for example, 5 degrees) corresponding to the distance between the camera 31 and the subject P2 at the short distance L2. It is possible to achieve acquisition of a high quality photographed image by irradiating the subject P2 with illumination light based on the emission of.

  Further, according to the strobe device 1 according to the present embodiment, the light emitting window 5 has a continuous shape from the front surface of the light emitting unit housing 4 to a part of the bottom surface thereof. For example, as shown in FIG. Even when the rotation angle of the light emitting unit 6 is set to 5 degrees, a part of the luminous flux of the illumination light from the light emitting unit 6, particularly the lower luminous flux shown in FIG. Such inconveniences can be avoided, and shooting by irradiating the subject P2 at the short distance L2 with appropriate illumination light can be realized.

  FIG. 5 shows another example of the light emitting unit housing 4 in the strobe device 1, and this light emitting unit housing 4A has a Fresnel lens specification on one surface thereof and a semicircular shape when viewed from the side. The light emitting window 5 having a curved surface is provided.

  The strobe device 1 having such a light emitting unit housing 4A can also exhibit the same functions and effects as those of the strobe device 1 having the light emitting unit housing 4 described above, and Even when the rotation angle is set to 5 degrees, a situation in which a part of the light beam of the illumination light from the light emitting unit 6 is lost can be avoided by the existence of the light emitting window 5 having the curved surface shape, and the subject P2 at a short distance L2. It is possible to shoot with appropriate illumination light.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the driving unit 9 is attached to the outside of the light emitting unit housing 4 has been described. However, it is of course possible to have a configuration in which the driving unit 9 is incorporated in the light emitting unit housing 4.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the light emitting unit 6 is rotated in two steps corresponding to the long distance L1 and the short distance L2 is described as an example. Needless to say, it can be configured to rotate in multiple steps over a subject at a short distance.

  The strobe device of the present invention can be applied regardless of whether it is a clip-on type or a grip type strobe device, large or small, and can also be applied to a camera-equipped strobe.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the irradiation state of the illumination light with respect to a to-be-photographed object in the state which mounted | wore the camera with the strobe device which concerns on the Example of this invention. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a strobe device according to an embodiment. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the state which rotated the light emission part of the strobe device which concerns on a present Example once. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the state which rotated the light emission part of the strobe device which concerns on a present Example 5 degree | times. It is a general | schematic fragmentary sectional view which shows the other example of the light emission window in the strobe device which concerns on a present Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Irradiation direction variable strobe device 2 Strobe main body 3 Base part 4 Light emission part housing | casing 4A Light emission part housing | casing 5 Light emission window 6 Light emission part 7 Light emission tube 8 Reflecting mirror 9 Drive part 10 Angle detection part 11 Driven gear 12 Rotating shaft 13 Drive motor 14 Drive Gear 21 Control unit 22 CPU
23 Distance / Rotation Angle Information Storage Unit 24 Rotation Angle Signal Output Unit 31 Camera 32 Accessory Shoe Unit 33 Distance Sensor L1 Long Distance L2 Short Distance P1 Subject P2 Subject

Claims (4)

An irradiation direction variable strobe device that illuminates the subject with illumination light by combining the camera and the flash unit at a fixed position,
A light-emitting unit that is configured to integrate a light-emitting tube and a reflecting mirror that face a light-emitting window provided in the strobe body and that can be rotated so that the direction of the light beam emitted from the light-emitting window changes.
A drive unit that rotationally drives the light emitting unit provided in the strobe body;
Information on the distance between the camera and the subject obtained by the distance measuring sensor mounted on the camera is captured, and a rotation angle signal corresponding to the distance between the camera and the subject is generated using preset distance / rotation angle information. A control unit that automatically sends the rotation angle of the light emitting unit to the drive unit;
An irradiation direction variable strobe device characterized by comprising: An irradiation direction variable strobe device that illuminates the subject with illumination light by combining the camera and the flash unit at a fixed position,
A light-emitting unit that is integrated with a light-emitting tube and a reflecting mirror that are arranged so as to be able to rotate so that the direction of the light beam emitted from the light-emitting window changes, facing the light-emitting window provided in the strobe body,
A drive unit that rotationally drives the light emitting unit provided in the strobe body;
An angle detection unit for outputting an actual rotation angle signal of the light emitting unit by the driving unit;
Captures distance information between the camera and the subject obtained by the distance measuring sensor mounted on the camera, and generates a rotation angle signal corresponding to the distance between the camera and the subject using preset distance / rotation angle information. The rotation angle of the light emitting unit is changed by sending to the drive unit, and the adjustment angle signal is generated using the actual rotation angle signal from the angle detection unit and sent to the drive unit to rotate the light emitting unit. A control unit that automatically adjusts the angle to an angle corresponding to the distance between the camera and the subject set in advance;
An irradiation direction variable strobe device characterized by comprising: An irradiation direction variable strobe device that illuminates the subject with illumination light by combining the camera and the flash unit at a fixed position,
Built-in arrangement so that the light-emitting surface provided on the strobe body faces the light-emitting window that is continuous from the front to a part of the bottom, and the direction of the light beam emitted from the light-emitting window changes vertically. A light emitting part having a configuration in which the arc tube and the reflecting mirror are integrated,
A drive unit that rotationally drives the light emitting unit provided in the strobe body;
An angle detection unit for outputting an actual rotation angle signal of the light emitting unit by the driving unit;
Information on the distance between the camera and the subject obtained by the distance measuring sensor mounted on the camera is captured, and a rotation angle signal corresponding to the distance between the camera and the subject is generated using preset distance / rotation angle information. The rotation angle of the light emitting unit is changed by sending to the drive unit, and the adjustment angle signal is generated using the actual rotation angle signal from the angle detection unit and sent to the drive unit to rotate the light emitting unit. A control unit that automatically adjusts the angle to an angle corresponding to the distance between the camera and the subject set in advance;
An irradiation direction variable strobe device characterized by comprising: An irradiation direction variable strobe device that illuminates the subject with illumination light by combining the camera and the flash unit at a fixed position,
The luminous tube and reflector are built in so that the light emitting surface provided in the strobe body faces the light emitting window with a curved shape, and the light beam emitted from the light emitting window can be rotated so that the direction of the light beam is changed vertically. A light emitting part with a structured configuration;
A drive unit that rotationally drives the light emitting unit provided in the strobe body;
An angle detection unit for outputting an actual rotation angle signal of the light emitting unit by the driving unit;
Information on the distance between the camera and the subject obtained by the distance measuring sensor mounted on the camera is captured, and a rotation angle signal corresponding to the distance between the camera and the subject is generated using preset distance / rotation angle information. The rotation angle of the light emitting unit is changed by sending to the drive unit, and the adjustment angle signal is generated using the actual rotation angle signal from the angle detection unit and sent to the drive unit to rotate the light emitting unit. A control unit that automatically adjusts the angle to an angle corresponding to the distance between the camera and the subject set in advance;
An irradiation direction variable strobe device characterized by comprising:

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