JP2014006303A - Illumination device and illumination method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an illumination device which enables bounce photography and can pop up at a distant position from a photographic lens.SOLUTION: The illumination device includes an upper cover 15 that is long in a direction of a photographic optical axis, a light-emitting part 16 mounted on a front end 15a of the upper cover 15, and a linking mechanism 21. A rear end 15b of the upper cover 15 is rotatably mounted on a rotation shaft 17 provided in a camera body 11, and the upper cover rotates between a turn-down position where the cover is turned down around the rotation shaft 17 onto a head part 12 of the camera body 11 and a standing position where the cover stands up from the turn-down position. The upper cover 15 moves the light-emitting part 16 to a farther position from the photographic optical axis by rotating toward the standing position. The link mechanism 21 interlocks with the rotation of the upper cover 15 from the turn-down position toward the standing position to rotate the light-emitting part 16 between a normal illumination position where a light-emitting surface 22 faces the front and a bounce illumination position where the light emitting surface faces upward.

Description

  The present invention relates to an illumination device and an illumination method in which an illumination unit pops up.

  As a flash device built in a single-lens reflex camera, a retractable strobe device capable of changing the direction of a light emitting surface from the front to the top is known (Patent Document 1). Thereby, it is possible to perform bounce shooting in which illumination light is bounced to the ceiling or the like without using an external flash device, thereby preventing a red-eye phenomenon and taking a natural photograph.

  In the retractable strobe device described above, a helical bar is provided under the strobe cover that covers the strobe unit, and the helical bar is rotated using the drive of the motor, so that the strobe unit emits light according to the amount of rotation of the helical bar. The face changes steplessly from upward to forward.

JP-A-8-248488

  However, in the retractable strobe device described in Patent Document 1, the front lower portion of the strobe unit is connected to the head of the camera body so as to be rotatable in a side view, and the strobe unit is rotated around the connecting portion. Even if the cover is fully opened, the distance between the flash unit and the photographic lens is almost unchanged. If the distance between the strobe unit and the photographic lens is close as described above, there is a risk that the photograph will become a ghost. In addition, a driving means such as a motor is required, which complicates the configuration and increases the cost.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an illumination device and an illumination method capable of bounce photography and popping up at a position away from a photographing lens at a low cost.

  One aspect of the illumination device illustrating the present invention is an illumination unit for illuminating a subject, a moving unit that moves the illumination unit to a position away from the camera body, and the moving unit moves the illumination unit. And a variable means for varying the illumination unit so that the illumination direction changes between a normal illumination position facing the subject direction and a bounce illumination position facing upward.

  Further, according to one aspect of the illumination method of the present invention, the subject is illuminated in conjunction with the movement of the exterior body provided on the camera body between the lying position where the camera body falls on the camera body and the standing position where the camera body stands. And a bounce illumination position in which the illumination direction is directed to the subject direction and the bounce illumination position is directed upward by rotating the illumination unit in conjunction with the movement. It is made to be variable between.

  In the present invention, both normal illumination shooting and bounce shooting can be performed, and at the time of normal illumination shooting, the illumination unit moves to a position away from the camera body, so that it is possible to perform shooting with moderate lighting that is not fuzzy, and therefore You can get a natural feeling photo.

It is a perspective view which shows the head of the camera main body which incorporates the flash device which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a right view of the camera which shows the locus | trajectory of the pop-up of a flash apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the front end of the upper cover which comprises a flash apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the rear end of an upper cover. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship of the rotation position of an upper cover and a light emission part, (A) is the state which rotated the light emission part to the accommodation position when rotating the upper cover to the fall position, (B) is an upper cover. (C) shows a state in which the light emitting unit is rotated to the downward illumination position when rotated to the initial opening position, and (C) shows a state in which the light emitting unit is rotated to the normal illumination position when the upper cover is rotated to the normal photographing position. Shows the state in which the light emitting unit is rotated to the bounce illumination position when the upper cover is rotated to the standing position. It is explanatory drawing which shows other embodiment of a flash apparatus, (A) is the state which the light emission part rotated to the bounce illumination position when rotating an upper cover to a lying position, (B) is an initial opening position of an upper cover (C) shows a state where the light emitting unit is rotated to the normal illumination position when the upper cover is rotated to the normal photographing position, and (D) illustrates a state where the light emitting unit is rotated to the normal illumination position. The state in which the light emitting unit is rotated to the downward illumination position when is rotated to the standing position is shown.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an electronic camera 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a camera body 11 and a flash device 13 built in a head 12 of the camera body 11. The flash device 13 includes an upper cover 15 that is long in the direction of the photographing optical axis 14 and a light emitting unit 16 that is attached to the inside of the front end 15 a of the upper cover 15. The light emitting unit 16 illuminates the subject with a flash emitted from the discharge tube.

  The upper cover 15 has a rear end 15b rotatably attached to a first rotating shaft 17 provided on the camera body 11, and a lying position where the upper cover 15 falls on the head 12 of the camera body 11 around the first rotating shaft 17. It rotates between an upright position that stands up from the head 12 and is biased toward the upright position by biasing means (not shown). The light emitting unit 16 is housed in the recess 12a of the head 12 when the upper cover 15 is in the lying position. The upper cover 15 rotates toward the standing position to move the light emitting unit 16 to a position away from the photographing optical axis 14 in the height direction. The upper cover 15 is an example of an exterior body, and the light emitting unit 16 is an example of an illumination unit.

  The camera body 11 is provided with a hook-shaped locking member 18. The locking member 18 moves between the locked position and the unlocked position. At the locked position, the upper cover 15 is engaged with the locked portion 19 provided on the upper cover 15 to lock the upper cover 15 at the lying down position. At the unlocked position, the locking with the locked portion 19 is released. The locking member 18 is always biased toward the lock position by the biasing means. The head 12 is provided with a flash mode button 20. The locking member 18 moves to the unlocking position in conjunction with the pressing operation of the flash mode button 20. Note that the locking member 18 may be automatically moved to the unlock position when it is determined that the subject is a low-luminance subject as a result of photometry at the photometry unit.

  The flash device 13 includes a link mechanism 21 that changes the direction of the light emitting surface 22 of the light emitting unit 16 in conjunction with the movement of the upper cover 15. The link mechanism 21 rotates the upper cover 15 from the lying position (the position indicated by reference numeral 15A in FIG. 2) toward the standing position (the position indicated by reference numeral 15B in the same figure). The normal illumination position (position indicated by reference numeral 16A in the figure) facing the direction of illuminating the subject located within the subject distance range (position indicated by reference numeral 16A in the figure) and the bounce illumination position pointing substantially upward (indicated by reference numeral 16B in the figure). The light emitting unit 16 is rotated with respect to the position.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the upper cover 15 has one ends 23 provided on both sides of the front end 15 a rotatably attached to both sides of the light emitting unit 16. The one end 23 is an example of the front end of the exterior body of the present invention. Further, one end 26 of a pair of link plates 25 is rotatably attached to both sides of the light emitting unit 16. The pair of link plates 25 have the same shape. One end 23 of the upper cover 15 and one end 26 of the link plate 25 are attached to different positions on the side surface of the light emitting unit 16. Reference numeral 18 denotes a locking member, reference numeral 19 denotes a locked portion, reference numeral 27 denotes a stopper that holds the locking member in the locked position, reference numeral 28 denotes a spring that urges the locking member toward the locked position, and the like. It is a biasing means.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the other end 29 provided on both sides of the rear end 15 b is attached to the first rotating shaft 17 of the camera body 11. The other end 29 is an example of a rear end of the exterior body of the present invention. The other end 31 of the pair of link plates 25 is rotatably attached to a second rotating shaft 32 provided in the camera body 11. The first and second rotating shafts 17 and 32 are provided at different positions in the camera body 11.

  The flash device 13 includes a holding mechanism 34 that holds the upper cover 15 at a predetermined rotation position in a rotation range between the lying position and the standing position. The holding mechanism 34 includes a pin 35, an arc groove 36, and two ball plungers 37 and 38, and the upper cover 15 is, for example, a lying position A, an initial opening position B, a normal photographing position C, and a standing position. Hold at each rotational position of D. The pin 35 is erected at the tip of the arm portion 40 provided at the other end 29 of the upper cover 15, and moves in the arc groove 36 according to the rotation of the upper cover 15. The circular arc groove 36 is formed in the camera body 11 along the circumferential direction centered on the first rotation shaft 17. One edge 36 a is formed when the upper cover 15 is in the lying position, and the other edge is formed when the standing position is set. Edge 36b abuts on pin 35 to prevent further rotation of upper cover 15.

  As is well known, the ball plungers 37 and 38 include a main body 46 that holds the ball 45 between a tip position and a sink position, and a spring 47 that biases the ball 45 toward the tip position inside the main body 46. The upper cover 15 is held at each rotational position by bringing a part of the ball 45 into contact with the pin 35 in the circular arc groove 36, and the ball 45 is moved to the depressed position against the bias of the spring 47. By being pushed in, the upper cover 15 is allowed to rotate to the next rotation position. Reference numeral 50 denotes a biasing means such as a spring that biases the upper cover 15 toward the standing position.

  When the electronic camera 10 is not used, the upper cover 15 is locked at the lying down position against the urging force of the urging means 28 by the locking member 18 being locked to the locked portion 19. When the upper cover 15 is in the lying position A, as shown in FIG. 5, the light emitting portion 16 is accommodated in the recess 12 a with the posture of the accommodating position with the light emitting surface 22 facing substantially downward by the action of the link plate 25. .

  When flash photography is performed, the flash mode button 20 is pressed. In conjunction with this operation, the locking member 18 moves to the unlocked position, and the upper cover 15 rotates toward the standing position D by the biasing means 50. Thereafter, the pin 35 comes into contact with the ball 45 of the ball plunger 37 provided in the arc groove 36 and the upper cover 15 is held at the initial opening position B.

  At the initial opening position B, the light emitting unit 16 rotates to the downward illumination position where the light emitting surface 22 is substantially downward from the position where the light emitting surface 22 illuminates the subject by the action of the link plate 25. Further, when the upper cover 15 is rotated toward the standing position, the ball plunger 37 allows the ball 45 to be pushed into the sinking position by the pin 35 and allows the upper cover 15 to rotate to the normal photographing position C. Thereafter, the pin 35 comes into contact with the ball 45 of the next ball plunger 38 and the upper cover 15 is held at the normal photographing position C. At the normal photographing position C, the light emitting unit 16 is rotated to the normal illumination position for illuminating a subject whose light emitting surface 22 is located within a predetermined distance from the camera body 11 by the action of the link plate 25.

  When the upper cover 15 is further rotated toward the standing position, the ball plunger 38 is pushed into the sinking position by the pin 35 as described above, and the rotation of the upper cover 15 to the standing position D is performed. Is acceptable. Thereafter, the pin 35 comes into contact with the other edge 36b of the arc groove 36, and the upper cover 15 is held in the standing position D. In the standing position D, the light emitting unit 16 is rotated to the bounce illumination position where the light emitting surface 22 faces substantially upward by the action of the link plate 25.

  Here, the driving node 55 is between the one end 23 of the upper cover 15 and the first rotating shaft 17, and the driven node 56 is between the one end 26 of the link plate 25 and the second rotating shaft 32, and the first and second rotating shafts. 17 and 32, the fixed joint 57, and the connecting cover 58 between the one end 23 of the upper cover 15 and one end 26 of the link plate, the link mechanism 21 is driven by the four joints 55 to 58. This is an example of a lever mechanism that rotates the light-emitting portion 16 so that the link plate 25 that is the follower node 56 is swung by rotating the upper cover 15 that is, and the direction of the light-emitting surface 22 is changed.

  The driving node 55 rotates about the first rotation shaft 17, and the driven node 56 rotates about the second rotation shaft 32. The 1st and 2nd rotating shafts 17 and 32 are provided in the position which shifted | deviated. For this reason, the locus | trajectory which the driving | running | working node 55 and the driven node 56 draw does not become the same or concentric circle shape, but draws a different locus | trajectory. The misalignment of the locus causes the locus drawn by the connecting node 58 connecting the one end 23 of the driving node 55 and the one end 26 of the driven node 56 to be angled, whereby the light emitting unit 16 rotates so that the angle of the light emitting surface 22 changes. I will do it.

  In the above embodiment, when the upper cover 15 is rotated from the lying position toward the standing position, the driving node 55 and the driven node are rotated in the rotation range of the upper cover 15 so that the upper cover 15 can be changed from the downward direction to the upward direction through the front surface. The link mechanism 21 is configured so as to intersect (overlap) 56, but the present invention is not limited to this, for example, as in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. The link mechanism 59 may be configured so that the driving link 55 and the driven link 56 do not intersect (overlap) in the rotation range of the upper cover 60 so as to be variable in this order.

  In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a notch part that is notched is provided at a part of the tip of the upper cover 60 so that the light emitting surface 22 is exposed to the outside when the upper cover 60 is in the lying position, or The length of the upper cover 60 is shorter than the upper cover 15 described above. Then, the upper cover 60 is erected from the lying position (FIG. (A)) to the initial rotation position (FIG. (B)) and the normal photographing position (FIG. (C)) in order. ), The light emitting unit 16 is directed downward from the bounce illumination position (FIG. 6A) through the upward illumination position (FIG. 6B) and the normal illumination position (FIG. 6C) in this order. Rotating to the illumination position (FIG. 6D) The downward illumination position (FIG. 4D) is in a substantially downward orientation relative to the position where the light emitting unit 16 illuminates the subject. In the described embodiment, the light emitting unit 16 rotates from the bounce illumination position toward the normal illumination position in accordance with the rotation of the upper cover 60 from the lying position to the standing position.

  In the link mechanisms 21 and 59 described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, in order to rotate the light emitting unit 16 in accordance with the rotation of the upper covers 15 and 60, the length of the driving node 55 is “a” and the length of the driven node 56 is When the length is “b”, the length of the connecting joint 58 is “c”, and the length of the fixed joint 57 is “d”, the configuration is such that the expression “ac−d <b <a + c + d” is satisfied. do it.

  The link mechanisms 21 and 59 described in the above embodiments are not limited to the four-node link mechanism, and may be a link mechanism having four or more nodes. In the flash device 13 described in each of the above embodiments, the light emitting unit 16 that illuminates the subject with the discharge tube is described as the illuminating unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the illuminating unit that illuminates with the light emission of the LED is used. It is good also as an illuminating device provided with.

  The position where the holding mechanism described in each of the above embodiments holds the upper cover 15 in the rotation range is not limited to the two positions such as the initial opening position and the normal photographing position described above, and can be held at any position. You may comprise so that it can do. For example, the initial opening position may be omitted.

  In each of the above embodiments, the holding mechanism is constituted by the pin 35 provided on the upper cover 17 side and the plurality of ball plungers provided in the arc groove 36, but the present invention is not limited to this, for example, Alternatively, a ball plunger may be provided on the upper cover 15 side, a notch may be provided in the arc groove 36, and the upper cover 15 may be held at each rotational position by the ball plunger entering the notch.

  In each of the above embodiments, the upper cover 15 is moved manually or by urging of the urging means 50. However, the present invention is not limited to this and is configured to automatically move by providing a drive unit such as a motor. May be. In each of the above embodiments, the built-in flash device 13 is described. However, an external flash device externally attached to the electronic camera 10 may be used.

  In the above-described embodiment, the electronic camera 10 is described. However, the present invention can be applied to a camera for a photographic film, a mobile phone with a camera, and an electronic device with a camera such as a smartphone.

  Although the present invention has been specifically described above based on the preferred embodiments, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-described ones, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electronic camera 13 Flash apparatus 15 Upper cover 16 Light emission part 21, 59 Link mechanism 22 Light emission surface

Claims (7)

An illumination unit for illuminating the subject;
Moving means for moving the illumination unit to a position away from the camera body;
In conjunction with the movement of the illuminating unit by the moving unit, variable means for varying the illuminating unit so that the illumination direction changes between a normal illumination position facing the subject direction and a bounce illumination position facing upward. ,
An illumination device comprising: The lighting device according to claim 1,
The moving means has a front end that rotatably supports the illumination unit, and a rear end that is rotatably attached to the camera body, and the front end is attached to the camera body by rotating around the rear end. An illuminating device comprising: an exterior body that moves between a lying position where the body falls and a standing position that stands up from the camera body. The lighting device according to claim 2,
The illuminating device, wherein the variable means includes a link mechanism having four or more nodes having a driven node driven by rotating the exterior body as a driving node. The lighting device according to claim 3.
The follower has one end attached to the illumination unit and the other end attached to the camera body. The follower is driven by rotating the exterior body as a drive node and rotates the illumination unit around the front end. An illuminating device comprising a link plate. The lighting device according to claim 3 or 4,
The link mechanism rotates the illumination unit in a direction from the bounce illumination position to the normal illumination position by rotating the exterior body in a direction from the lying position to the standing position. apparatus. The lighting device according to claim 4 or 5,
The length between the front end and the rear end of the exterior body is “a”, the length between one end and the other end of the link plate is “b”, and the length between the front end and one end of the link plate is When the length is “c” and the length between the rear end and the other end is “d”,
a−c−d <b <a + c + d
An illumination device characterized by satisfying the formula:   The illumination unit for illuminating the subject is directed away from the camera body in conjunction with the movement of the exterior body provided on the camera body between the lying position where the camera body falls on the camera body and the standing position where the camera body stands. The illumination unit is rotated in conjunction with the movement so that the illumination direction is variable between a normal illumination position facing the subject direction and a bounce illumination position facing upward. Lighting method.

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