JP3198639B2 - Camera controlling electronic flash device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera for controlling an electronic flash device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a camera system capable of setting a photographing mode, for example, a landscape mode for photographing a still life or a sports mode for photographing a person playing sports, according to the type of a subject and the purpose of photographing. I was

[0003]

As a photographing mode, a mode in which the light emission of the electronic flash device becomes meaningless, for example, when a light source such as the sun is behind a subject such as a person. In a camera capable of selecting a silhouette mode in which a silhouette of a subject is emphasized for photographing, if the silhouette mode is selected and the electronic flash device is set to emit light at the time of photographing due to the photographer's incomprehension or erroneous operation, appropriate photographing is performed. Can not do.

An object of the present invention is to provide a camera system capable of preventing light emission of an electronic flash device when a shooting mode in which light emission of the electronic flash device is inappropriate for shooting is selected. In this case, the type of the electronic flash device is not limited to the built-in electronic flash device and the detachable electronic flash device, but covers all the electronic flash devices that can be turned on / off by the photographer's will.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems,
According to the present invention, in a camera system, a flash unit capable of selecting permission or prohibition of light emission, a selection unit capable of selecting one from a plurality of shooting modes, and a selection of permission and prohibition of light emission of the flash unit, The selection means switch to silhouette mode
And a prohibiting means for prohibiting emission of the flash means when selected .

[0006]

According to the present invention, when the photographing mode in which the light emission of the flash means is inappropriate for photographing is selected, the light emission of the flash means is prohibited.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera system having a photographing assistance function according to the present invention. 1 is a camera body. 2
Denotes an electronic flash device, which is detachable from the camera body 1, but may be a built-in type of the camera body. Reference numeral 3 denotes an ON / OFF switch for permitting / prohibiting flash emission of the electronic flash device 2. Reference numeral 4 denotes a release button.
Reference numeral 5 denotes an exposure mode selection means. The selectable modes include program, aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual. Numeral 6 is a photographing mode selecting means. The photographing modes that can be selected include silhouette, landscape, sports, portrate, and so on.
There are commemorative photos and close-ups. 7 is a command dial,
Command dial 7 while pressing the exposure mode selection means 5
When the is turned, the exposure mode changes in the order of program → aperture priority → shutter priority → manual → program. Further, when the command dial 7 is turned while pressing the photographing mode selecting means 6, the photographing mode is changed in the order of silhouette → scenery → sports → port portrait → commemorative photograph → close-up → silhouette. Reference numeral 8 denotes an exposure mode display means, which displays P for the program mode, A for the aperture priority mode, S for the shutter priority mode, and M for the manual mode.
Is displayed. Reference numeral 9 denotes a shooting mode display unit, which displays a silhouette mode as SE, a landscape mode as LS,
The sport mode is displayed as SP, the portlet mode is displayed as PR, the commemorative photo mode is displayed as PF, and the close-up mode is displayed as CU.

The contents of the photographing mode set by the photographing mode setting means 6 will be described with reference to FIG. "Mo
The "mode name" is the name of the mode set by the photographing mode setting means 6, the "display" is the content displayed on the photographing mode display means 9, and the "steady light" is the electronic flash device. This is an algorithm for shooting that is not used, and will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. "Flash light emission" is an algorithm in the case of photographing using an electronic flash device, and will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
“Natural light” in the “program diagram” is a program diagram in the case of photographing without using the electronic flash device.
7 will be described. “Flash” in the “Program diagram” is a program diagram in the case of shooting using the electronic flash device,
Details will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a camera system having a photographing assisting function according to the present invention. 11 is a CPU.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a stationary light metering element, which divides light into eight areas 12a to 12h to perform light metering. Reference numeral 13 denotes a photometric circuit, which logarithmically compresses the output of the stationary photometric element 12 to convert the output into a luminance value as described below, and sends the result to the CPU 11. The brightness value of the photometry output of 12a is BV (1). The brightness value of the photometry output of 12b is BV (2). The brightness value of the photometry output of 12c is BV (3). The brightness value of the photometry output of 12d is BV ( 4) ・ The brightness value of the photometry output of 12e is BV (5) ・ The brightness value of the photometry output of 12f is BV (6) ・ The brightness value of the photometry output of 12g is BV (7) ・ The brightness value of the photometry output of 12h is BV (8) 14 is a flash photometric element, which divides light into five areas 14a to 14e for photometry. Reference numeral 15 denotes a dimming circuit, which integrates the output of the flash photometric element 14 and sends the result to the CPU 11. Reference numeral 16 denotes a focus detection element which detects a vertically extended region and a partially overlapped two region extending in the lateral direction (a region near the center of the screen is formed in a cross shape). A focus detection circuit 17 detects a focus state from an output of the focus detection element 16 and sends the result to the CPU 11. Reference numeral 18 denotes an exposure control unit that controls a shutter and an aperture (not shown) based on an output of the photometry circuit 13 in accordance with an appropriate exposure value obtained by processing by the CPU 11. 19 is a focus matching means, which is a focus detection circuit 1
The photographing lens is driven by a motor (not shown) in accordance with the shift amount and the shift direction of the focus obtained by the processing by the CPU 11 based on the output of 7.

FIG. 4 is a main algorithm of the operation of the present invention performed mainly by the CPU 11. In step S1, it is determined whether or not the exposure mode selecting means 5 has selected the program mode. If it has been selected, the process proceeds to step S2, and if not, the process returns to step S1. At step S2, a mark "P" of the program mode is displayed on the exposure mode display means 8. In step S3, the stationary light metering element 12
, And processed by the photometric circuit 13 to BV (1) to BV (8).
Get. In step S4, it is determined whether or not the switch 3 for permitting / prohibiting flash emission of the electronic flash device 2 is ON. If ON, the process proceeds to step S5, and if OFF, the process proceeds to step S9. In step S5, various conditions are determined by the flash light emission algorithm (details will be described with reference to FIG. 5). Step S
In step S6, it is determined whether or not FLG_S = 1 in step S5. FLG_S = 1 → the process proceeds to step S7, and FL
If G_S = 0, proceed to step S9. FLG_S is not set to 1 in the silhouette mode. In this mode, it is meaningless to perform flash photography, and the switch 3 for permitting / prohibiting flash emission of the electronic flash device 2 is turned on. , The light emission is prohibited and the steady light algorithm step S
Go to 9. In step S7, it is determined whether or not the release button 4 has been pressed. If the release button 4 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S8. If not, the process returns to step S1. In step S8, a photographing operation is performed, and the shadow condition follows the one selected in step S5 of the flash light emission algorithm. In step S9, as will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6, various conditions are determined by a stationary light algorithm. In step S10, the release button 4
It is determined whether or not is pressed, and if pressed, step S
The process proceeds to step S11, and if not, the process returns to step S1.
In step S11, the stationary light algorithm step S9
The shooting operation is performed under the shooting condition selected in.

FIG. 5 shows the flash light emission algorithm of step S5 in FIG. In step S21, it is determined whether or not the silhouette mode has been selected by the photographing mode selecting means 6. If the silhouette mode has been selected, the process proceeds to step S22. If not, the process proceeds to step S24. In step S22, the silhouette mode mark "S" is displayed on the shooting mode display means 9.
E "is displayed, the flash emission is prohibited, and the flow proceeds to step S23. In step S23, 0 is substituted for FLG_S.
In step S24, it is determined whether or not the landscape mode has been selected by the photographing mode selecting means 6. If the landscape mode has been selected, the process proceeds to step S25. If not, the process proceeds to step S29. In step S25, the landscape mode mark "LS" is displayed on the photographing mode display means 9. In step S26, SB-1 is selected as the flash light emission algorithm. SB-
Details of 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The execution of SB-1 is performed in step S8. In step S27, P-7 is selected as the program diagram. Details of the line P-7 will be described with reference to FIG. In step S28, 1 is substituted for FLG_S, and in step S29, the shooting mode
It is determined whether or not the mode is selected. If the mode is selected, the process proceeds to step S30. If not, the process proceeds to step S30.
Proceed to 31. In step S30, the photographing mode display means 9
Displays a sport mode mark "SP". Step S
At 31, it is determined whether or not the portray mode has been selected by the photographing mode selecting means 6, and if it has been selected, the process proceeds to step S32, and if not, the process proceeds to step S33. In step S32, the portray mode mark "PR" is displayed on the photographing mode display means 9. Step S3
At 3, it is determined whether or not the commemorative photo mode has been selected by the photographing mode selecting means 6, and if so, step S34.
If not, the process proceeds to step S35. In step S34, the commemorative photo mode mark "PF" is displayed on the photographing mode display means 9. In step S35, the shooting mode
It is determined whether or not the close-up mode has been selected by the mode selecting means 6. If the mode has been selected, the process proceeds to step S36. If not, the process proceeds to step S21. In step S36, the close-up mode mark "CU" is displayed on the photographing mode display means 9.

FIG. 6 shows the stationary light algorithm of step S9 in FIG. In step S41, the photographing mode selecting means 6 determines whether or not the silhouette mode has been selected. If the silhouette mode has been selected, the process proceeds to step S42, and if not, the process proceeds to step S46. In the step S42, the silhouette mode mark "S" is displayed on the photographing mode display means 9.
E ”is displayed. In step S43, AMP-1 is selected as the stationary light algorithm. Details of AMP-1 will be described with reference to FIG. AMP-1 is executed in step S11.
Made in. In step S44, P-1 is selected as a program diagram. Details of the P-line-1 will be described with reference to FIG. In step S45, 0 is substituted for FLG_S.

In step S46, the photographing mode selecting means 6
It is determined whether or not the landscape mode has been selected. If not, the flow proceeds to step S47, and if not, the flow proceeds to step S50. In step S47, the landscape mode mark "LS" is displayed on the photographing mode display means 9. Step S
At 48, AMP-2 is selected as the stationary light algorithm. Details of AMP-2 will be described with reference to FIG. In step S49, P-line-2 is selected as a program diagram. Details of the line P-2 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S50, the photographing mode selecting means 6
Then, it is determined whether or not the sports mode is selected. If the sports mode is selected, the process proceeds to step S51, and if not, the process proceeds to step S54. In S51, the photographing mode display means 9
To display the sport mode mark "SP". In step S52, AMP-3 is selected as the stationary light algorithm. Details of the AMP-3 will be described with reference to FIGS. In step S53, P-3 is selected as a program diagram. Details of the line P-3 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S54, a photographing mode selecting means 6
To determine whether or not the portlet mode has been selected.
If it is selected, the process proceeds to step S55. If it is not selected, the process proceeds to step S58. In step S55, the shooting mode
The port display mode mark "PR" is displayed on the mode display means 9. In step S56, A is used as the stationary light algorithm.
MP-3 is selected, and the details of AMP-3 will be described with reference to FIGS. In step S57, P
Select line-4. Details of the line P-4 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S58, the photographing mode selecting means 6
Then, it is determined whether or not the commemorative photo mode is selected. If it is selected, the process proceeds to step S59, and if not, the process proceeds to step S62. In step S59, the commemorative photo mode mark "PF" is displayed on the photographing mode display means 9. In step S60, AMP-3 is used as a stationary light algorithm.
Select Details of the AMP-3 will be described with reference to FIGS. In step S61, a P-5 line is used as a program diagram.
Select Details of the line P-5 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S62, the photographing mode selecting means 6
To determine whether or not the close-up mode has been selected. If so, the flow advances to step S63; if not, the flow returns to step S41. In step S63, the close-up mode mark "PF" is displayed on the photographing mode display means 9. In step S64, AMP-3 is selected as the stationary light algorithm. Details of the AMP-3 will be described with reference to FIGS. In step S65, P-6 is selected as the program diagram. Details of the line P-6 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7 shows the main algorithm of AMP-3. In step S71, shooting distance information X is read. In step S72, a subdivision photometric calculation is performed, and the calculation result is set as BVDTL, which will be described later with reference to FIG. Step S73
In this example, a rough division photometry calculation is performed, and the calculation result is set to BVRUH, which will be described later with reference to FIG. In step S74, the contribution ratio is calculated, and the calculation result is set to k. The details will be described later with reference to FIGS. In step S75, the final exposure value of the following equation is calculated, and the calculation result is set to BVANS.

BVANS = kBVDTL + (1-k) BVRUH FIG. 8 shows the subdivision photometry calculation in step S72. In step S81, the maximum luminance value of the eight luminance values is set to Bmax. In step S82, the minimum luminance value of the eight luminance values is set to B
min. In step S83, the average luminance value of the eight luminance values is set to Bmen. In step S84, the weight is set as follows.

WD1 = 0.12 WD2 = 0.63 WD3 = 0.25 In step S85, the subdivision exposure value is calculated according to the following equation, and the calculation result is set as BVDTL.

BVDTL = WD1 · Bmax + WD2 · Bmin + WD3 · Bmen FIG. 9 shows the coarse division photometry calculation in step S73. In step S91, the luminance values of the four regions BV (1) to BV (4) are combined into one luminance value. The combining is performed by the averaging of the luminance values, and the luminance value after the combination is defined as CV (1). Step S9
At 2, BV (5) is replaced with CV (2). Step S9
In 3, the BV (6) is replaced with the CV (3). Step S9
In step 4, BV (7) is replaced with CV (4). Step S9
In step 5, BV (8) is replaced with CV (5). Step S9
In 6, the maximum luminance value of the five luminance values (CV (1) to CV (5)) is defined as Cmax. In step S97, the minimum luminance value of the five luminance values (CV (1) to CV (5)) is set to Cmin.
In step S98, five luminance values (CV (1) to CV (5))
) Is assumed to be Cmen. In step S99, the average brightness value of the two brightness values (CV (2) to CV (3)) at the top of the screen is set to Cup. In step S100, the average brightness value of the two brightness values (CV (4) to CV (5)) at the bottom of the screen is set to C
dwn. In step S101, the weight is set as follows.

WR1 = 0.09 WR2 = 0.45 WR3 = 0.21 WR4 = 0.10 WR5 = 0.15 In step S102, the coarse division exposure value is calculated according to the following equation, and the calculation result is BVRUH.

BVRUH = WR1 · Cmax + WR2 · Cmin +
WR3 · Cmen + WR4 · Cup + WR5 · Cdwn FIG. 10 shows the contribution ratio calculation in step S74. In step S111, the shooting distance X is set to X again. In step S112, the luminance difference is calculated, and the luminance difference between the maximum luminance value and the minimum luminance value of the eight luminance values is set to ΔBV. Step S1
In step 13, the maximum luminance value of the eight luminance values is detected and set as Bmax. In step S114, the fitness kX is calculated from the shooting distance X based on FIG. In step S115, the fitness kΔBV is calculated from the brightness difference ΔBV based on FIG. In step S116, the fitness kBmax is calculated from the maximum luminance Bmax based on FIG. Step S1
In step 17, the minimum value of the fitness kX, kΔBV, and kBmax is set to k.

FIG. 11 shows a membership function in a fuzzy operation. As a parameter, the photographing distance X is plotted on the horizontal axis, and the fitness kX is plotted on the vertical axis. The fitness kX is
It becomes high when the shooting distance X is at the middle distance, and at that time, the subdivision classification calculation value is mainly contributed. FIG. 12 shows a membership function in a fuzzy operation. As a parameter, the luminance difference ΔBV is plotted on the horizontal axis, and the degree of conformity kΔBV is plotted on the vertical axis. The fitness kΔBV increases when the luminance difference ΔBV is large, and at that time, the subdivision classification calculation value mainly contributes.

FIG. 13 shows members in fuzzy operation.
Shows the ship function. As a parameter, the maximum luminance Bmax is plotted on the horizontal axis, and the fitness kΔBmax is plotted on the vertical axis. The fitness kΔBmax increases when the maximum brightness Bmax is large,
At that time, the subdivision classification calculation value is made to mainly contribute. FIG. 14 shows the main algorithm of AMP-1. In step S121, the calculation of AMP-3 is performed, and the calculation result is set to BVANS. The contents of AMP-3 are shown in Figs.
As described in FIG. In step S122, 1.5 is added to BVANS obtained in step S121,
Replace the addition result with BVANS. Since AMP-1 is selected in the silhouette mode, a predetermined value is added to the calculation result of step S121 to calculate an appropriate exposure value as a silhouette.

FIG. 15 shows the main algorithm of AMP-2. In step S131, the operation of AMP-3 is performed,
The calculation result is BVANS. The contents of AMP-3 are shown in FIG.
13 to 13. In step S132, 0.3 is added to BVANS obtained in step S131, and the added result is replaced with BVANS. Since AMP-2 is selected in the landscape mode, a predetermined value is added to the calculation result in step S131 to calculate an appropriate exposure value as a landscape.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of SB-1. In step S141, the shooting distance X is read. The photographing distance X is a value obtained by detecting, with an encoder, the position of a lens driven by an automatic focusing device, for example, when the release button is half-pressed. In step S142, steady light exposure, which is the background exposure during flash photography, is calculated, and the calculated value is calculated as BVans.
And As the calculation method, for example, a method disclosed in FIG. 7 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-285925 by the present applicant can be used.

In step S143, the main mirror is raised and the aperture is reduced. In step S144, preliminary light emission is performed. In step S145, the reflected light from the shutter curtain surface of the preliminary light emission is divided and measured. In step S146, a candidate for a cut area (a non-light control target area) is extracted based on the photometry result of the preliminary light emission. In step S147, the light control area is determined, and the light control correction amount ΔY is determined. Step S1
At 48, the shutter is fully opened to perform main light emission, and the light reflected from the film surface is divided and measured for light control operation. The above details are as described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-312487 filed by the present applicant.

FIG. 17 is a program diagram. The horizontal axis represents the shutter time and the vertical axis represents the aperture value. The bold line in the figure is the program diagram, and each model such as silhouette, landscape, sports, etc.
7 (P line -1 to P line -7) are described as the most suitable diagrams for the data.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the silhouette mode in which the light emission of the electronic flash device is unnecessary is selected , the light emission of the electronic flash device is prevented, and appropriate photographing is performed. Becomes possible. In this case, it goes without saying that the type of the electronic flash device is not limited to the built-in electronic flash device and the detachable electronic flash device, but covers all the electronic flash devices that can be turned on / off by the photographer's will.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera system having a shooting assistance function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the contents of a shooting mode set by a shooting mode setting means 6;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a camera system having a photographing assistance function according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a main algorithm of the operation of the present invention performed mainly by the CPU 11;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flash emission algorithm of step S5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a stationary light algorithm of step S9 in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a main algorithm of AMP-3.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the subdivision photometry calculation in step S72.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a coarse division photometry calculation in step S73.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a contribution rate calculation in step S74.

FIG. 11 shows a membership function in a fuzzy operation.

FIG. 12 shows a membership function in a fuzzy operation.

FIG. 13 shows a membership function in a fuzzy operation.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a main algorithm of AMP-1.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a main algorithm of AMP-2.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing SB-1.

FIG. 17 is a program diagram.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera body 2 Electronic flash device 3 Light emission permission / prohibition switch of electronic flash device 4 Release button 5 Exposure mode selection means 6 Shooting mode selection means 7 Command dial 8 Exposure mode display means 9 Shooting mode display means 11 CPU 12 Steady-state photometry element DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 Photometric circuit 14 Flash photometric element 15 Dimming circuit 16 Focus detecting element 17 Focus detecting circuit 18 Exposure control means 19 Focus matching means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03B ^7/ 00-7/28 G03B 15/04-15/05

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A camera capable of controlling a flash means capable of selecting permission or prohibition of light emission, a photographing mode selection means capable of selecting one of a plurality of photographing modes, and permission / prohibition of light emission of said flash means. A camera comprising: a prohibition unit that prohibits the flash unit from emitting light when the shooting mode selection unit selects the silhouette mode , regardless of the selection .