JPH01257828A - Electronic flash-built-in camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the automatic selective use of electronic flash devices by using the external electronic flash device when the charging of both the device is completed at the time of releasing and by using the electronic flash device with which the charging is completed earlier in case of using only one electronic flash device. CONSTITUTION:A microcomputer 1 which selects the electronic flash device of the side completed with the charging of the electronic flash devices 2, 3 as the device for flash photographing upon releasing of the camera constituted to allow the selective use of the external electronic flash device and the internal electronic flash device and selects the external electronic flash device 2 as the device for flash photographing in case of the charging already completed with both the electronic flash devices 2, 3 is provided. The automatic selective use of the internal electronic flash device and the external electronic flash device is thereby enabled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Application of the Invention) The present invention relates to an improvement in a camera with a built-in strobe that can be connected to an external strobe device.

(Background of the Invention) In conventional single-lens reflex cameras, it has been customary to use a strobe device by attaching it to an accessory shoe. However, in recent years, even the two-eye reflex cameras with a built-in strobe device have appeared.

With this type of camera, it is possible to use both the internal strobe device and the external strobe device to fire at the same time, or to fire only one of them, depending on the subject conditions, lighting effects, etc., making it easy to use. It is of good quality.

However, an external strobe device usually has a larger guide number and a different charging time than an internal strobe device. Therefore, the question is how to use these effectively.

(Object of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to provide a camera with a built-in strobe that can automatically selectively use an internal strobe device and an external strobe device.

(Features of the Invention) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides that when a camera is released with an external strobe device and an internal strobe device in a usable state, charging of the strobe device is completed. A selection means is provided for selecting the external strobe device for flash photography, and if both strobe devices are already fully charged, selecting an external strobe device for flash photography. If both are fully charged at the time of release, use an external strobe device with a higher guide number and greater lighting effect.
If this is not the case, the strobe device that has been fully charged first is used so that flash photography can be performed immediately.

(Embodiments of the Invention) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a microcomputer placed inside the camera and controls various circuits, and is connected to input/output boats P1 to P1.
It has P8. The output port P1 sends a trigger signal a to an externally connected strobe device 2, the output port P3 sends an operation start or inactivation signal C to an oscillation circuit 4 of an internally arranged strobe device 3, and an output port P5. outputs a trigger signal e to the light emitting circuit 5, respectively. In addition, the output port P7 sends a display instruction signal 1 to the display 7 that displays the completion of charging of the strobe device 2 (hereinafter referred to as an external strobe in the embodiment), and the output port P8 sends a display instruction signal 1 to the strobe device 3 (hereinafter referred to as a strobe in the embodiment). A display instruction signal j is sent to the display 8 which displays the completion of charging of the built-in strobe).
Output each. In addition, the input port P2 receives a charge completion signal from an external strobe, but the human capo-1-P4 receives a charge completion signal d from the built-in strobe.
Then, one of the selection signals f, g, and h for simultaneous light emission mode, normal light emission mode, and light emission prohibition mode is manually inputted from the switch circuit 6, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the state of the display device 7.8 arranged in the viewfinder (display inside the viewfinder), and here it shows that both the external strobe and the built-in strobe are fully charged. There is.

Next, the operation will be explained using FIG.

In step 1, the light emission mode selected by the switch 6 is detected. If it is determined that the flash mode is the simultaneous flash mode, the process proceeds to step 2, where the operation start signal C is output to the oscillation circuit 4 provided in the built-in strobe, and the oscillation circuit 4 is activated. Next, the process proceeds to step 3, where it is checked whether or not a charging completion signal is manually generated from the externally connected strobe device 2, and the external device determines whether or not charging of the strobe is completed. If charging is not completed, the process proceeds to step 7, where the output of both trigger signals a and e is prohibited, and the process further proceeds to step 8, where both the displays 7 and 8 are turned off.

If the external strobe has been fully charged, the process proceeds to step 4, where it is checked whether a charge completion signal d has been input, and it is determined whether the built-in strobe has been fully charged. As a result, if charging of the built-in strobe is not completed, the process proceeds to step 7.8, and the same control as described above is performed. - If the built-in strobe has been fully charged, proceed to step 5 and enable the output of trigger signals a and e. In other words, as soon as the camera's release operation is detected, the external strobe and Trigger signals a and e are output to the strobe to enable them to emit light. Next, the process proceeds to step 6, where the display instruction signals i and j are outputted to the display devices 7.8 to turn them on, thereby informing the photographer that charging has been completed. FIG. 2 shows this situation. Figure 4 shows a timing chart when the built-in strobe and external strobe are used for flash photography at the same time when the release operation is performed after the built-in strobe and external strobe are fully charged, with the simultaneous flash mode selected. It is something.

Next, a case where the normal light emission mode is selected by the switch 6 will be described.

In this case, the process proceeds from step 1 to step 9, in which it is checked whether a charge completion signal is input, and it is determined whether the external strobe has been completely charged. If charging is not completed, the process proceeds to step 10, where an operation start signal C is output to the oscillation circuit 4, and the oscillation circuit 4 is activated. Next, the process proceeds to step 11, where the display on the display 7 is turned off, and the process further proceeds to step 12, where the output of the trigger signal a is prohibited, and the process proceeds to step 13. In step 13, it is checked whether the charge completion signal d has been input, and it is determined whether the built-in strobe has been completely charged. As a result, if the charging of the built-in strobe is not completed, the process proceeds to step 16 to enable output of the trigger signal e, and then proceeds to step 17 to turn off the display on the display 8. In this case, since neither of the displays 7 and 8 is lit, the photographer knows that both the external strobe and the built-in strobe are still unusable. - Step 13
If the built-in flash is fully charged,
Proceed to step 14 to prohibit the output of the trigger signal e, then proceed to step 17 to output the display instruction signal j to the display 8 and turn it on, informing the photographer that charging of the built-in flash is complete. Inform. Therefore, in this case, when a release operation is performed, flash photography is performed using only the built-in strobe.

Further, if the charging of the external strobe is completed, the process proceeds from step 9 to step 18, where a deactivation start signal C is output to the oscillation circuit 4, and the oscillation circuit 4 is placed in the deactivation state. Next, the process proceeds to step 19 to enable the output of the trigger signal a, and then proceeds to step 20 to prohibit the output of the trigger signal e, and proceeds to step 21. In step 21, a display instruction signal j is output to the display 7 and it is turned on to notify the photographer that charging of the external strobe has been completed, and the process further proceeds to step 22 to prohibit display on the display 8. . Therefore, in this case, when the release operation is performed, flash photography is performed using only the external strobe.

As can be seen from the above, in this normal flash mode, the fully charged strobe at the time of release operation is used for flash photography, and if both are fully charged, the flash with the larger guide number, As for external devices, strobes will be used preferentially. FIG. 5 shows this situation. Note that FIG. 5 is a time chart assuming that two frames are continuously photographed in a state where the normal light emission mode is selected.

Next, a case where the light emission prohibition mode is selected by the switch 6 will be described.

In this case, the process proceeds from step 1 to step 23, in which a deactivation start signal C is output to the oscillation circuit 4 to put the oscillation circuit 4 into a deactivated state. Next, the process proceeds to step 24, where the output of both trigger signals a and e is prohibited, and further step 2
Proceed to step 5 to turn off the displays 7 and 8.

According to this embodiment, in the normal flash mode, when the release operation is performed, the fully charged strobe device is automatically used for flash photography, so there is no chance of missing a photo opportunity. This makes it possible to prevent things like being put away. In addition, if the release operation is performed when both devices are fully charged, the external flash with a higher guide number is given priority, allowing for more effective flash photography. It can be carried out. Furthermore, in this case, since the oscillation circuit 4 provided in the built-in strobe is inactive, there is no need to waste energy.

In addition, since the display device 7 is also placed inside the viewfinder,
This eliminates the hassle of having to take your eyes off the viewfinder and check the charging status of an external flash, allowing you to concentrate on composition and eliminating the inconvenience of missing a photo opportunity.

(Correspondence between Invention and Embodiments) In this embodiment, the microcomputer 1 corresponds to the selection means of the present invention, the strobe device 2 corresponds to an external strobe device, and the strobe device 3 corresponds to an internal strobe device.

(Modified Example) In this embodiment, indicators 8 and 9 for displaying charging completion of each of the strobe device 2 and the strobe device 3 are arranged.
It is also possible to provide two indicators and to display the completion of each charge by changing the display format such as color or lighting/blinking.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, if both devices are fully charged at the time of release, the external strobe device with a larger guide number and greater illumination effect is used. If this is not the case, the fully charged strobe device is used first so that flash photography can be performed immediately, making it possible to automatically switch between external and internal strobe devices. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view showing the viewfinder display, FIG. 3 is a flowchart, and FIG. 4 is a time chart in simultaneous flash mode.
FIG. 5 is a time chart in the normal light emission mode. 1...Microcomputer, 2.3...
... Strobe 0 device, I... Switch, 7.8.
·····display. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a camera with a built-in strobe that can be connected to an external strobe device and is equipped with an internal strobe device, when the camera is released while both the external strobe device and the internal strobe device are usable, the Select the fully charged strobe device for flash photography, and if both strobe devices are already fully charged, select the external strobe device for flash photography. A camera with a built-in strobe, characterized by having a selection means for selection.