Camera

Details Camera Camera

1999-04-16

2001-04-24

Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)

Photography

Having operator controlled data entry into camera

Manual manipulators on camera body unit

C396S535000, C396S543000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06223000

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cameras, and, more particularly, to a camera having a plurality of operating members such as a release button and zoom button.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a release button, which is an imaging operating member in a camera, is typically arranged on the top surface of the camera body. Cameras of a type having a zoom lens in an imaging optical system, have on the top surface of the camera body, an operating button, specifically a zoom button, for turning on and off a switch that drives the zoom lens to change the focal length of an imaging lens.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-133955 discloses a camera in which a release button and a zoom button are juxtaposed on the top surface of the camera body. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-302234 discloses a camera in which a release button and normally covered operating members are arranged on the top surface of the camera body.
In the camera of this type in which the release button and the zoom button are mounted on the same top surface of the camera body, both buttons are typically designed to be operated by the same finger of one hand. In such a camera, the zoom button is mounted in close proximity to the release button, for example, next to the release button.
A user who is not used to the picture-taking operation of the camera may erroneously press the zoom button instead of the release button or the release button instead of the zoom button while viewing through a view finder to observe the subject being photographed. The user may thus perform an unintended picture taking, fail to perform a quick shutter releasing, or fail to perform a smooth zooming operation. Further, when the camera has an auto-focus feature, the release button is typically operated with a two-step process which includes a first pressing step for photometering lay to focusing and a second pressing step for shutter releasing. As far as the above-identified disadvantages are concerned, the automatic focus feature thus presents an additional difficulty in a picture taking operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the present invention to prevent operating members arranged in proximity to each other on a camera from being erroneously operated.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a camera that frees a user from erroneously operating a zoom button instead of a release button or the release button instead of the zoom button.
The camera of the present invention includes a first surface at one face of the external housing of the camera, a second surface, formed as a step relative to the first surface, a first operating member arranged on the first surface, and a second operating member arranged on the second surface.
These objects and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed explanation.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5758214 (1998-05-01), Saito et al.
patent: 5956533 (1999-09-01), Endo et al.
patent: 6052538 (2000-04-01), Goto et al.
patent: 1-302234 (1989-12-01), None
patent: 9-133955 (1997-05-01), None

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