JPH09222649A - Manipulating device for camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the cost of a focusing button by providing first and second shutter buttons for command-executing the operations of preparing for photographing and exposing, in accordance with the degrees of depression of the first and second shutter buttons, a command means for commanding only the preparing operation for photographing and a permission means for permitting only the preparing operation for photographing by the first shutter button. SOLUTION: The operations of preparing for photographing and exposing are command-executed by the first and second shutter buttons 4 and 9, according to their depression degrees. Further, the permission means 7 for permitting only the preparing operation for photographing by the first shutter button 4 is provided. In the second shutter button 9, an exclusive command means is not provided but automatic focusing and the exposing operation are controlled only by the depression degree of the second shutter button 9. Thus, space and cost required for the focusing button provided in the vicinity of a shutter button used exclusively for vertical-position photographing can be reduced, while the property of photographing as in the conventional manner is secured.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operating device for a camera, which is optimal as an operating device for operating an autofocus device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the autofocus operation of most cameras is performed as follows. First, when the shutter button is pressed shallowly (hereinafter referred to as half-press), the power is turned on, and subsequently, photometry and distance measurement of the subject or focus error detection is performed. Then, the lens is driven based on the distance measurement or the focus error detection result. The lens drive is executed only while the shutter button is half pressed. When the half-press operation is stopped, operations such as photometry, distance measurement, and focus error detection are continuously executed during a predetermined power supply timer period, but the lens driving itself is immediately stopped. When the shutter button is further deeply pressed after half-pressing (hereinafter referred to as full-pressing), the exposure operation is executed. Such a camera has an advantage that the autofocus and the exposure operation can be controlled only by pressing the shutter button.

In some cameras, the lens drive is not interlocked with the half-press of the shutter button, but only while the operation button (hereinafter referred to as the focus button) provided on the camera body or the lens is pressed. In some cases, the lens drive is executed. The method of interlocking with the shutter button described above requires delicate half-press control, but the focus button is an effective method for a photographer who is not good at such an operation, or when shooting while moving violently. . In other words, it is possible to perform rough shooting by pressing the focus button to focus on the subject, releasing the finger when an arbitrary focus state is achieved, and then pressing the shutter button to perform exposure.

By the way, in a certain type of camera, in addition to a shutter button for normal photographing (hereinafter abbreviated as H shutter button), a dedicated shutter button for facilitating vertical photographing (hereinafter abbreviated as V shutter button). To have). The focus button is provided not only in the vicinity of the H shutter button but also in the vicinity of the V shutter button so as to be convenient when using any of the shutter buttons.

[0005]

Originally, the vertical position shooting is
It is generally said that the V shutter button has to be used very often because it can be easily performed by rotating the camera 90 degrees to the left or right with the grip of putting the finger on the H shutter button. Providing a dedicated focus button for such a V-shutter button that is not frequently used poses a large problem in terms of space and cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the space and cost required for the focus button provided in the vicinity of the shutter button dedicated to the vertical position shooting are reduced.
The objective is to reduce the number of shots while maintaining the conventional shooting performance.

[0007]

In order to achieve this object, a first apparatus according to the present invention is a first apparatus for commanding a photographing preparation operation and an exposure operation according to the amount of pressing.
Shutter button (4) and second shutter button (9)
And a commanding means (5) for commanding only the shooting preparation operation and a permitting means (7) for allowing only the shooting preparation operation by the first shutter button.

The second apparatus according to the present invention includes only the first shutter button (4) and the second shutter button (9) for commanding the photographing preparation operation and the exposure operation according to the pressing amount, and only the photographing preparation operation. A command means (5) for instructing the operation, a permitting means (7) for permitting only the shooting preparation operation by the first shutter button, and a receiving means (16, 17) for instructing the shooting preparation operation and / or the exposure operation. I chose

[0009]

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a camera operating device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the subject image that has passed through the mounted lens 2 is visually recognized by the finder 3, and the selected mode and automatically determined exposure conditions are shown on the LCD 6. The power-on operation as a basic operation is performed by pressing the H shutter shutter button 4 that can be operated at the normal shooting position or the V shutter button 9 that can be operated at the vertical shooting position.
It is performed by pressing halfway shallowly, and the exposure operation is performed by pressing them all the way deeper. The operation of the V shutter button 9 can be permitted or prohibited depending on the setting state of the lock switch 10 provided around the V shutter button 9. In order to prevent malfunction, it is preferable to set the lock switch 10 to the prohibited position except when the camera 1 shoots in the vertical position.

The focus button 5 is provided at a position where the right hand thumb can be just pressed when the camera 1 is held in the normal position. Focus button 5
The detailed operation of will be described later. The V-shutter button 9 does not have an operation member corresponding to the focus button 5.

Next, the AF operation according to the present invention is performed as follows.

Operation (1)

When the focus button 5 is pressed regardless of the setting of the selector 7 for switching between enabling and disabling the driving of the lens (shooting preparation operation) by the H shutter button 4, the distance of the lens 2 is in between. The ring is focus-driven by a predetermined amount commensurate with the measured out-of-focus amount.

Operation (2)

When the selector 7 is set to the normal position, the distance ring is actuated by pressing the H shutter button 4 halfway. If further exposure operation is desired, the H shutter button 4 may be fully pressed as it is. This can be performed independently of the operation of the focus button 5. That is, even if the focus button 5 is pressed in advance for focusing, the focus operation is performed again when the H shutter button 4 is pressed shallowly. This method is suitable for a photographer who is accustomed to the operation of half-pressing the H shutter button 4 to track an object.

Operation (3)

When the selector 7 is set to the prohibited position, the distance ring operation of the lens 2 by half-pressing the H shutter button 4 is switched to an operation that is not performed. In this case, a focusing operation is performed in advance by the focus button 5 to focus on a desired portion, and then the H shutter button 4 is fully pressed to perform exposure. Unlike the above-described operation (2), this method is suitable for a photographer who is unfamiliar with the operation of pressing the H shutter button 4 shallowly.

Operation (4)

The operation of the V shutter button 9 is performed when the lens 2 is pressed halfway, regardless of the setting conditions of the selector 7.
The operation of the distance ring of is executed. The exposure operation may be further fully pressed. This operation is similar to the operation (2) described above.

FIG. 2 is an example of an electric circuit diagram of the camera 1.
The battery and its power supply circuit necessary for the operation of the circuit are omitted.

The control of the camera 1 is executed mainly by the CPU 27. The CPU 27 includes a subject brightness signal from the photometry circuit 20, a distance measurement or a focus error detection circuit 2
2, a focus state signal from the film sensitivity detection circuit 23, a film sensitivity signal from the film sensitivity detection circuit 23, a status signal from the state detection circuit 25 of various switches representing the sequence, the H shutter button 4
Half-press switch 4H, full-press switch 4
The operation states of the half-push switch 9H, full-push switch 9R, lock switch 10, and selector switch 7 provided on the R, focus button 5, and V shutter button 9 are input via the interface circuit 26. The distance measurement or focus error detection circuit 22 measures the focus state of the subject, and in the present embodiment, it is assumed that distance measurement is made at five discrete points in the center, top and bottom, and left and right.

Based on the above input information, the CPU 27 rotates the motor 24 via the interface circuit 26,
Move the focusing lens 21 to focus the subject,
The LCD 6 displays the exposure conditions and the like via the interface circuit 28, the shutter 11 is opened and closed to perform exposure for a predetermined time, the aperture diameter of the diaphragm 30 is varied to control the amount of transmitted light, and the motor 31 is rotated. To wind and rewind the film. FIG. 3 is a block connection diagram illustrating in detail the portion related to the present invention in the circuit diagram described above.

The above-mentioned switches 4H, 4R, 5, 9H,
9R, 10, and 7 are reverse current prevention diodes 38A to 38A.
A control network 40H generates a control signal 40, 41, or 42 for each of the power supply control circuit 35, the lens control circuit 36, and the exposure control circuit 37.

The control signal 40 to the power supply control circuit 35 is generated by operating any of the half-push switch 4H, the focus button 5, and the half-push switch 9H connected in series with the lock switch 10. The control signal 41 to the lens drive circuit 36 is generated by operating any one of the half-press switch 4H connected in series with the selector switch 7, the focus button 5, and the half-press switch 9H connected in series with the lock switch 10. To do. The control signal 42 to the exposure control circuit 37 is the full-press switch 4R, the lock switch 10
Is generated by any operation of the full-push switch 9R connected in series with. The configuration of the lock switch 10 may be a method of electrically disabling the signal from the V shutter button 9 as in this embodiment, or a method of mechanically not pressing the V shutter button 9.

If it is desired to drive the lens by pressing the H shutter button 4 halfway, the selector switch 7 should be closed. If it is desired to drive the lens only with the focus button 5, open the selector switch 7. You can leave it. Further, in any case, when the V shutter button 9 is operated, the lens is driven by pressing the V shutter button 9 halfway.

FIG. 4 is a CPU in the camera 1 shown in FIG.
29 is a flowchart showing a processing routine by 27.
This routine is repeatedly executed while power is being supplied to the CPU 27 from a power source (not shown).

In step S1, the half-push switch 4
It is determined whether or not any one of H, the focus button 5, and the half-push switch 9H connected in series with the lock switch 10 is operated to generate the control signal 40 to the power supply control circuit 35. If it has not occurred, this judgment is repeated.

In step S2, the power is turned on because any of the above switches is pressed. In step S3, the brightness signal of the subject is taken in from the photometric means 20 and the sensitivity signal is taken in from the sensitivity detecting means 23. In step S4, both of the above are calculated and, for example, in the shutter priority mode, the aperture value to be controlled to obtain proper exposure is calculated. In step S5, the LCD 6 displays various conditions and various modes relating to the exposure determined above.
In step S6, the distance measurement or focus error signal is read from the distance measurement or focus error detection circuit 22. In step S7, the distance measurement or focus error signal is calculated,
The drive amount of the lens 21 required for focusing is calculated.

In step S8, the lens drive circuit 36 is operated by operating any one of the half-press switch 4H connected in series with the selector switch 7, the focus button 5, and the half-press switch 9H connected in series with the lock switch 10. It is determined whether or not the control signal 41 to the is generated. If it has not occurred, the process jumps to step S10. In step S9, the motor 24 is rotated to drive the lens 21 to focus on a desired subject.

At step S10, the full-press switch 4R or the full-press switch 9R connected in series with the lock switch 10 is operated to operate the exposure control circuit 37.
It is determined whether or not the control signal 42 to the is generated. If not generated, the process returns to step S1. Step S11
At, the reflecting mirror (not shown) is raised and retracted from the photographing optical path. In step S12, the diaphragm 30 is controlled to have a predetermined diaphragm opening. In step S13, the shutter 11 (not shown) is opened and the film is exposed for the predetermined time determined in step S4. In step S14, since all the operations have been completed, the motor 31 is rotated in the normal direction to feed the film and urge the mechanism. After that, the process returns to step S1 and the above process is repeated.

FIG. 5 is an external view of a camera 50 which is a second embodiment of the present invention. Components having the same functions as those of the camera 1 in FIG.

The difference from the camera 1 is that a remote terminal 15 is provided. Originally, the remote terminal 15 is connected to the remote switch 17 to enable the control of the camera 50 by half-pressing or full-pressing from a distant point, but by mounting the focus switch 16, the V-shutter button 9 Can be given the same function as the focus button 5. FIG. 6 shows a detailed circuit for the second embodiment of FIG.

Either the remote switch 17 or the focus switch 16 can be attached to the remote terminal 15. Switches 17H and 17R are provided inside the remote switch 17. A switch 16H is provided inside the focus switch 16.

Switches 4H, 4R, 5, 9H, 9R, 1
0, 7A, and 7B, and terminals 15H and 15R
Control signals 40, 4 to the power supply control circuit 35, the lens control circuit 36, and the exposure control circuit 37, respectively, by the circuit network of the backflow prevention diodes 38A to 38K.
1 and 42. Selector switch 7A
And 7B are two switches that are turned on or off at the same time in conjunction with the operation.

The control signal 40 to the power supply control circuit 35 operates either the half-push switch 4H, the focus button 5, the half-push switch 9H connected in series with the lock switch 10, or the switch connected to the terminal 15H. Is generated. The control signal 41 to the lens drive circuit 36 is
Either the half-press switch 4H connected in series with the selector switch 7, the focus button 5, the lock switch 10 and the half-press switch 9H connected in series with the selector switch 7B, or the switch connected to the terminal 15H is operated. Occurs. The control signal 42 to the exposure control circuit 37 is the full-press switch 4R, the lock switch 10
Full-press switch 9R or terminal 1 connected in series with
It occurs when any of the switches connected to 5R is operated.

When it is desired to drive the lens by half-pressing the H shutter button 4 or the V shutter button 9, the selector switch 7A (7B) may be closed. If it is desired to drive the lens only with the focus button 5, the selector switch 7 (7B) may be opened.
At this time, if the focus switch 16 is attached to the remote terminal 15, the focus button 5 can be used even in vertical shooting.
The same lens driving operation as in becomes possible. Further, when the remote switch 17 is connected, the lens can be always driven by pressing the switch halfway, so that the remote operation can be performed without worrying about the setting state of the selector 7.

Since the processing program of the second embodiment is almost the same as that of FIG. 4 of the first embodiment, its description is omitted. Further, in the present embodiment, the mechanical selector 7 is used for selection, but the selection state is not limited to this, and the selected state is C.
The electrical setting method of storing in the memory inside or outside the PU 27 may be used.

In this embodiment, the lens driving is mentioned as the shooting preparation operation, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a diaphragm narrowing operation (preview operation) before shooting.

[0041]

As described above, according to the first device of the present invention, the first shutter button (4) and the second shutter button () for commanding the photographing preparation operation and the exposure operation according to the pressing amount thereof. 9), a command means (5) for instructing only the shooting preparation operation, and a permitting means (7) for permitting only the shooting preparation operation by the first shutter button.
With respect to the shutter button (9), the dedicated command means is not provided, and the autofocus and the exposure operation are controlled only by the pressing degree of the second shutter button (9), so that the conventional photographic performance is ensured. It is possible to reduce space and cost.

Further, according to the second apparatus of the present invention, the first shutter button (4) and the second shutter button (9) for commanding the photographing preparation operation and the exposure operation according to the pressing amount, and the photographing preparation. An instruction means (5) for instructing only the operation and a permitting means (7) for permitting only the shooting preparation operation by the first shutter button are provided, and no dedicated instruction means is provided for the second shutter button (9). , The autofocus and the exposure operation are controlled only by the pressing degree of the second shutter button (9).
Since the receiving means (16, 17) for instructing the shooting preparation operation and / or the exposure operation is provided, the operability similar to that of the first shutter button (4) can be secured for the second shutter button (9). .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a camera operating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block connection diagram showing a first embodiment of the camera operating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block connection diagram showing a first embodiment of the camera operating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of the camera operating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the camera operating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block connection diagram showing a second embodiment of the camera operating device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 50 Camera 4 (4H, 4R) H Shutter button 5 Focus button 6 LCD 9 (9H, 9R) V Shutter button 10 Lock switch 15 Terminal 16 Focus switch 22 Distance measuring or focus error detection circuit 27 CPU 41 Lens drive circuit control signal

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A first shutter button and a second shutter button for commanding a shooting preparation operation and an exposure operation according to the pressing amount thereof, command means for commanding only the shooting preparation operation, and the first shutter button. An operating device for a camera, comprising: a permitting unit for permitting only the photographing preparation operation. 2. The camera operating device according to claim 1, wherein the command means is provided in the vicinity of the first shutter button. 3. A first shutter button and a second shutter button for commanding a shooting preparation operation and an exposure operation according to a pressing amount thereof, command means for commanding only the shooting preparation operation, and the first shutter button. An operating device for a camera, comprising: a permitting unit that permits only the shooting preparation operation; and a receiving unit that receives the shooting preparation operation command and / or the exposure operation command from outside the camera. 4. The camera operation according to claim 3, wherein the command means is provided near the first shutter button, and the receiving means is provided near the second shutter button. apparatus. 5. The photographing preparation operation is a photometry operation and a distance measurement operation or a focus detection operation, an aperture control based on the photometry operation, and a lens drive based on the distance measurement operation or the focus detection operation. The operating device for a camera according to claim 1 or 3.