Photography – Exposure control system responsive to distance – Electric distance signal
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-31
2002-07-16
Perkey, W. B. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Exposure control system responsive to distance
Electric distance signal
C396S159000, C396S187000, C396S374000, C396S429000, C348S064000, C348S371000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06421504
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a hybrid camera, and more particularly to a hybrid camera in which a first optical system that forms a subject image on a photographic film and a second optical system that forms a subject image on a receiving surface of an imaging device are incorporated as one.
2. Description of Related Art
A camera for both silver halide and electronic still photographs has already been proposed (Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 9-269545, and Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 9-311378). The camera has a first optical system that forms a subject image on a silver halide film through a taking lens and a second optical system that images the subject with an imaging device such as a CCD and captures the optical image by converting it into electronic image data. The camera is able to display a still image, equal to the subject image formed on the film, on a liquid crystal display (LCD) by recording image signals, transmitted from the CCD at the shutter release, in a memory.
In such a hybrid camera, to record the same images in a silver halide film recording part and an electronic image (digital image) recording part with a flashing device, it is necessary to perform both recordings at one light-emission of the flashing device. Since the sensitivity of the photographic film is different from that of the CCD, it is necessary to determine the amount of the light of the flashing device while considering the characteristics of both recording devices.
Japanese Patent No. 2590333 discloses controlling technics of an electronic flash when an electronic still camera and a large format camera (master camera) are used at one time. A shooting controlling device controls the light-emission timing of the electronic flash, but the difference in sensitivity between a film and an imaging device is not referenced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hybrid camera in which a film recording system and an electronic image recording system can easily record fine images.
To achieve the above-described object, the present invention is directed to a hybrid camera comprising: an optical image recording device that records an optical image on a photographic film; an imaging device that converts an optical image into electric signals; an electronic image recording device that records image data, obtained by processing said electric signals outputted from said imaging device, in a recording medium; a flashing device that radiate auxiliary light to a subject; a flash controlling device that controls said flashing device, said flash controlling device controlling at least one of the light-emission timing and an amount of said auxiliary light according to setting of said optical image recording device so that said photographic film of said optical image recording device obtains an appropriate exposure when said optical image recording device and said electronic image recording device record images at one time; a first controlling device that controls image-recording of said optical image recording device and outputs exposure controlling information needed for image-recording of said electronic image recording device; and a second controlling device that controls the image-recording of said electronic image recording device according to the exposure controlling information inputted from said first controlling device.
The hybrid camera may further comprise an electronic flash mode setting device that sets an operation mode of said flashing device, and the flash controlling device may control light-emission of said flashing device according to the setting of the electronic flash mode setting device.
To achieve the above-described object, the present invention is directed to a hybrid camera comprising: a first recording device that has an optical system that records a subject image on a photographic film; a second recording device that has an imaging device converting an optical image into electric signals and an optical system forming a subject image on a light-receiving surface of said imaging device, said second recording device recording image data, obtained by processing said electric signals outputted from said imaging device, in a recording medium; a flashing device that emits light to a subject; a flash controlling device that controls said flashing device, said flash controlling device controlling at least one of the light-emission timing and an amount of said auxiliary light according to setting of said first recording device so that said photographic film of said first recording device obtains an appropriate exposure when said first recording device and said second recording device record images at one time; a first controlling device that controls image-recording of said first recording device and outputs exposure controlling information needed for image-recording of said second recording device; and a second controlling device that controls the image-recording of said second recording device according to the exposure controlling information inputted from said first controlling device.
In the photo film recording, exposure conditions are the F-number of the taking lens, the shutter speed and the film speed. It is necessary to determine the amount of the light of the flashing device while considering the subject distance as well as the conditions. Meanwhile, in the electronic image recording, exposure conditions are the F-number of the lens of the imaging device, the shutter speed and the signal amplification. It is necessary to determine the amount of the light of the flashing device while considering the subject distance as well as the conditions.
The film speed is fixed for each film cartridge, whereas the amplification of the imaging signals can be adjusted. In the present invention, the light amount of the flashing device or the like is set so that the exposure of the photographic film is appropriate, and the F-number of the lens of the imaging device, the shutter speed and the signal amplification are set according to the setting to perform both shootings at one time. Thus, both recording devices can record fine images.
The subject is dark when it is far from the camera since the output of a flashing device is generally limited. The latitude of a silver halide film is wider than that of an imaging device with respect to an amount of light, and thus the silver halide film can make up the shortage of the light with its latitude, but it is difficult for the imaging device. Since the shortage of the light can be made up to some extent by adjusting the amplification of the signals in the case of digital image recording, the control of the imaging device may be corrected according to the distance information obtained from a focusing device when the flashing device is used. Thus, almost the same images can be recorded by the film recording device (first recording device) and the electronic image recording device (second recording device) at one time.
To achieve the above-described object, the present invention is directed to a hybrid camera comprising: a first recording device that has an optical system that records a subject image on a photographic film; a second recording device that has an imaging device converting an optical image into electric signals and an optical system forming a subject image on a light-receiving surface of said imaging device, said second recording device recording image data, obtained by processing said electric signals outputted from said imaging device, in a recording medium; a flashing device that emits light to a subject; a mode selecting device that selects an operation mode of said hybrid camera, said mode selecting device selectively setting one of a first mode for recording an image by only said first recording device, a second mode for recording images by said first recording device and said second recording device and a third mode for recording an image by only said second recording device; and a flash controlling
Nishitani Yasuhiro
Saito Tatsuo
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Perkey W. B.
Young & Thompson
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