JPH0799598A - Video camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set the video camera to the image pickup standby state with a simple operation by bringing an eyepiece section into the operating state so as to energize a power supply of the video camera thereby opening a lens barrier and setting the image pickup standby state. CONSTITUTION:When power supply is energized by a switch (SW) A14, the reproduction mode is set. When a command of power-on by the SW-A14 is not given, the power is energized by awaiting an EVF(electronic view finder) operating state and the power operating state and the image pickup mode is set. A lens barrier is closed by awaiting the EVF containing state and the power supply is deenergized. When the EVF containing state is not made, the lens barrier is closed by awaiting a mode changeover command by the SW-A14 and the reproduction mode is set. The lens barrier open state is restored by awaiting the mode changeover command by the SW-A14. When the mode changeover command by the SW-A14 is not made, the power is deenergized by awaiting the EVF containing state.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a lens barrier and an EVF.
(Electronic viewfinder) The present invention relates to a video camera having a mechanism for switching between a use state and a stored state of an eyepiece.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A power supply (switch) is used when an eyepiece portion of a video camera is changed from a housed state to an actual photographing mode.
ON, lens barrier (cap) OPEN, EVF
It is usual that the operation of the eyepiece and the three operations are independently performed manually.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional video camera, the lens barrier (cap) is opened / closed and the power switch is turned on / off depending on the stored state and the photographing mode.
It is necessary to manually switch between the stored state and the used state of the F and EVF eyepieces.

Further, the switching between the stored state and the reproduction mode is performed by turning on / off the power SW and the mode SW (S depending on the model.
It is necessary to turn ON TOPSW) and perform two operations.

[0005]

The video camera according to the present invention is characterized in that the opening / closing of the lens barrier and the ON / OFF of the power source SW are automatically performed in conjunction with each other according to the stored / used state of the EVF eyepiece. And

By adopting the above configuration, the storage state and the photographing mode can be switched by one operation.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of an embodiment of the present invention, which is incorporated as a part of a camera-integrated video tape recorder. 10 is an EVF eyepiece, 1
1 is a use / storage state of the EVF, a detection switch, 12 is a drive motor for opening and closing the lens barrier, 13 is a lens barrier, 14 is a switch for turning on / off the power source in the storage state and the reproduction mode (EVF storage state), Further, it is a switch for switching between the photographing mode and the reproduction mode during the photographing mode and the reproduction (EVF use state). Reference numeral 15 is a control circuit for controlling the whole and is composed of a microcomputer.

FIG. 2 shows an operation flowchart of this embodiment. Start from the housed state of the eyepiece, wait for the Power ON instruction from SWA 14 (S2), then Power
When turned on (S3), the playback mode is set. (S4), SWA
Wait for PowerOFF command from 14 (S5) P
powerOFF (S1). Po by SWA14
When there is no instruction of werOFF (S5), it waits for the EVF to be used (S6) and returns to S9.

If there is no PowerON instruction from the SWA 14 (S2), it waits for the EVF to be used (S7), turns on the PowerON (S9), and enters the photographing mode (S10). Wait for the EVF to be stored (S
11), CLOSE the lens barrier (S12), Po
It becomes werOFF (S1). If the EVF storage state is not set (S11), the mode switching instruction from the SWA 14 is waited (S13), the lens barrier is closed (S14), and the reproduction mode is set (S15). SWA14
Waiting for a mode switching instruction by (S16), the process returns to S9. If there is no instruction to switch the mode by the SWA 14 (S16), wait for the EVF storage state (1
7), Power OFF (S1).

FIG. 3 shows a front view, a side view, and a top view of the video camera of this embodiment in a state where the EVF is housed. 1
Reference numeral 0 is the eyepiece of the electronic viewfinder. Reference numeral 11 denotes a switch for detecting the used / housed state of the eyepiece 10 of the electronic viewfinder. 12 is a drive motor for opening and closing the lens barrier 13, 13 is a lens barrier, and has a rack corresponding to the gear portion of the motor 12. Reference numeral 14 denotes a switch for turning on / off the power supply when the eyepiece is stored and in the reproduction mode (EVF stored state), and for switching between the shooting mode and the reproduction mode (EVF used state). Reference numeral 15 is a control circuit for controlling the whole and is composed of a microcomputer. Reference numeral 16 is a zoom lens, 17 is an exterior that encloses the whole, and 19 is an LE that lights up in the reproduction mode.
D and 20 are LEDs that are turned on in the shooting mode. Detection switch 11, motor 12, switch 14LED, 1
The microcomputers 9 and 20 are controlled.

Now, the eyepiece unit 10 is in the housed state, and the detection switch 11 detects that it is in the housed state. The lens barrier 13 is set at a position (closed) that covers the front surface of the lens 16. When the switch 14 is operated, the power is turned on, the reproduction mode LED 19 is turned on, and the reproduction mode is set.

FIG. 4 is a front view in the photographing mode of this embodiment,
It is a side view and a top view. By manually moving the eyepiece 10 to the use state, the detection switch 11 detects the use state, the power is turned on, and the photographing mode LED
20 is turned on, the motor 12 moves the lens barrier 13 from the front surface of the lens 16 to a position (open) not covering the lens, and the photographing mode is set. If the switch 14 is operated here, the lens barrier 13 is closed, and the shooting mode L
The ED 20 is turned off, the reproduction mode LED 19 is turned on, and the reproduction mode is set. With the above means, the storage state and the photographing mode can be switched by one operation.

(Other Embodiments) This embodiment relates to a video tape recorder with a built-in camera capable of recording and reproducing, but in a video tape recorder with a built-in camera dedicated to recording or a video camera alone without a video recorder unit, The fact that the switch 14 and the LED 19 are unnecessary is also effective for the camera.

It is conceivable that the motor 12 can also be used as a zoom motor included in the lens 16 or an autofocus motor. In addition, in this embodiment, E
The housed state / used state is detected by the position of the VF eyepiece with respect to the EVF body, but it is effective to detect the housed state / used state by the position of the entire EVF with respect to the camera body.

[0016]

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, the storage state and the photographing mode can be switched by one operation, so that the simple operation can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a stored state of the video camera.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a shooting mode state of the video camera.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Electronic Viewfinder Eyepiece 11 Electronic Viewfinder Use / Stored State Detection Switch 12 Lens Barrier Opening / Closing Drive Motor 13 Lens Barrier (Has Rack Corresponding to Motor Gear of 12) 14 Switch A 15 Control Circuit 16 Lens 17 Exterior 18 Electronic viewfinder body 19 LED for displaying power ON during playback 20 LED for displaying power ON during shooting

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The eyepiece portion of the electronic viewfinder,
In a video camera that can be moved between a stored state and a used state, and has a lens barrier for protecting a taking lens, the power of the video camera is turned on by setting the eyepiece portion to the used state, and the lens barrier A video camera that is opened and enters a shooting waiting state.