Camera

Details Camera Camera

1999-09-10

2001-01-30

Perkey, W. B. (Department: 2851)

Photography

Single lens reflex camera

With mirror support or drive

C396S402000, C396S443000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06179493

ABSTRACT:

This application is based on application No. H10-258326 filed in Japan on Sep. 11, 1998, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having a continuous photographing capability.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, high-speed continuous photographing is achieved by speeding up the individual operations, such as charging and film feeding, performed inside a camera and thereby speeding up the operation of the camera as a whole. However, in a conventional camera design, in which a new releasing operation can be started only after completion of charging and film feeding, it is impossible to achieve an operation speed above a certain limit. For this reason, various attempts have been made to achieve a higher operation speed by improving the flow of control over an entire photographing sequence.
For example, according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,925, in continuous photographing, exposure preparation operations are started before completion of film feeding, provided that charging necessary to drive the mirror, the aperture diaphragm, the shutter, and the taking lens has already been completed.
However, in this arrangement, exposure preparation operations are started only after completion of all kinds of charging including those which are not necessary from the viewpoint of a photographing sequence, and this causes an unnecessary delay in starting exposure control operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a camera capable of performing continuous photographing at higher speed.
To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a camera is provided with: a first charge mechanism for charging a mirror; a second charge mechanism for charging an aperture diaphragm; a third charge mechanism for charging a shutter; an exposure preparation mechanism for performing an exposure preparation operation in response to a releasing operation; a selector for distinguishing between single-shot photographing and continuous photographing; a first detector for detecting completion of charging of the mirror; a second detector for detecting completion of charging of the aperture diaphragm; a third detector for detecting completion of charging of the shutter; and a controller for executing a flow of control such that, when the selector detects continuous photographing being performed and in addition the first and second detectors detect completion of charging of the mirror and the aperture diaphragm, the exposure preparation operation is started irrespective of the result of detection by the third detector.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4182557 (1980-01-01), Date et al.
patent: 4350421 (1982-09-01), Ueda et al.
patent: 4679925 (1987-07-01), Kawamura et al.
patent: 5025276 (1991-06-01), Kitazawa et al.

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