JP4563277B2 - Imaging apparatus having a plurality of optical systems - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus having a plurality of optical systems, and more particularly to size reduction.

  Currently, many digital cameras have a zoom lens and a single image sensor to shoot still images and moving images. The captured image is digitally processed to generate a digital image file, which is stored in a memory in the digital camera. The digital image file is then transferred to a computer for display or transferred to a printer for printing.

  Small size and large optical zoom range are required as desirable specifications for digital cameras. Users prefer a larger zoom range than a limited zoom range. However, if a large zoom range lens is provided without sacrificing the image quality of the captured image, the size of the digital camera increases. In an expensive camera such as an optical single lens reflex camera, for example, a plurality of interchangeable lenses such as a 28 mm-70 mm zoom lens and a 70 mm-210 mm zoom lens can be used. However, a compact digital camera is inconvenient for a user. is there.

  Some digital cameras use a single lens and multiple image sensors to generate a single color image. Light from a subject is separated into a plurality of colors by a prism beam splitter, and a plurality of monochrome image sensors are used to capture R, G, and B color images.

  Conventionally, a stereo film camera and a stereo digital camera are also known. These cameras have two lenses that have the same focal length and are spaced apart horizontally, forming a slightly different image of the scene on two frames of film, or two image sensors. The two images form a so-called stereo pair. The two lenses are designed to have the same magnification and are used simultaneously to form left eye and right eye images on the image sensor to obtain a stereo effect.

  In a compact digital camera, in order to obtain a large zoom range without taking the effort of exchanging lenses, it is preferable to mount multiple lenses with different focal lengths on the digital camera and use them according to the zoom position. is there. However, since a plurality of optical systems are installed, there is a problem that the size of the entire digital camera increases.

  In the patent document shown below, although it is a single optical system, in order to effectively use the dead space of the digital camera body, a part of the outer peripheral surface is formed on the back surface of the reflection surface of the optical axis folding type (bending optical system). A configuration is described in which the strobe capacitors are arranged in a state where they are close to each other.

JP 2002-350950 A

  As described above, since a dead space occurs on the back surface of the reflecting surface in the bending optical system, it is preferable to utilize this space. However, in a digital camera having a plurality of optical systems, a space utility is more limited, and thus a plurality of optical systems are used. There is a need for component arrangements utilizing the characteristics of each system, and in particular, skillful arrangement of capacitors (main capacitors) of strobe devices having large sizes.

  An object of the present invention is to reduce the size of an imaging apparatus having a plurality of optical systems by effectively utilizing the dead space of the plurality of optical systems.

  The present invention is an imaging apparatus having a plurality of optical systems including a first imaging optical system, a second imaging optical system having a longer focal length than the first imaging optical system, and a strobe device. The optical system and the second imaging optical system are arranged close to each other in parallel, and have a condenser for the strobe device that is arranged in a space generated by a difference in total length between the first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system. It is characterized by.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system are both bending optical systems and extend in the width direction of the apparatus, and the longitudinal direction of the condenser is the bending optical system. Matches the extending direction.

  In another embodiment of the present invention, the first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system are arranged close to each other so that the first imaging optical system is above, and the strobe device is the first imaging optical system. The condenser is disposed above one imaging optical system, and the condenser is a space generated by a difference in total length between the first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system, and is disposed below the strobe device.

  According to the present invention, the condenser for the strobe device is arranged in the space generated by the difference in the total length between the first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system, thereby effectively utilizing the dead space and reducing the size of the imaging device. it can. In addition, the first and second imaging optical systems are arranged close to each other so that the first imaging optical system is above, and the strobe device is arranged above the first imaging optical system. The distance from the second imaging optical system can be secured to suppress the so-called red-eye phenomenon, and the space generated by the difference in the total length between the first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system can be effectively utilized.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a front view of a digital camera 10A according to the present embodiment. The digital camera 10A includes two optical systems, a first imaging optical system unit 1a and a second imaging optical system unit 1b. The first imaging optical system unit 1 a has a fixed focal length lens 2, and the second imaging optical system unit 1 b has a zoom lens 3. The fixed focal length lens 2 is a wide-angle lens, for example, and has a focal length of 22 mm in terms of 35 mm film. The zoom lens 3 is, for example, 38 mm to 114 mm in terms of 35 mm film. Each of the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the second imaging optical system unit 1b is a bending optical system having a prism that bends incident light at a right angle, whereby the digital camera 10A can be thinned. The fixed focal length lens 2 of the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the zoom lens 3 of the second imaging optical system unit 1b are arranged vertically at the approximate center of the digital camera 10A, and the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the second imaging optical system. The bending optical system of the system unit 1b is arranged on one side (right side in FIG. 1) of the digital camera 10A. A battery 250 is arranged on the other side (left side in FIG. 1) of the digital camera 10A. The built-in strobe 48 is disposed on the extending side of the bending optical system, that is, on the right side of the digital camera 10A and above the first imaging optical system unit 1a.

  The optical axes of the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the second imaging optical system unit 1b are adjusted in the same direction so as to photograph the same subject. In the default state, that is, when the user turns on the power of the digital camera 10A, the first imaging optical system unit 1a operates, and the wide-angle image obtained by the first imaging optical system unit 1a is displayed on the color LCD on the back. Is displayed. When the user operates the zoom button to the “tele” side, an electronic zoom image of the image obtained by the first imaging optical system unit 1a is displayed on the color LCD. When the user continues to operate the zoom button further to the “tele” side and reaches the shortest focal length of the zoom lens 3, an optical system to be used by a control processor (not shown) of the digital camera 10A is changed from the first imaging optical system unit 1a. Switch to 2 imaging optical system unit 1b. Thereafter, when the user continues to operate the zoom button to the “tele” side, the optical zoom image of the zoom lens 3 of the second imaging optical system unit 1b is displayed on the color LCD. When the user operates the zoom button to the “wide” side, the reverse switching is executed. If the zoom lens 3 is operated to the “wide” side during the operation of the second imaging optical system unit 1b, an optical zoom image is displayed. When the zoom position reaches the wide end of the second imaging optical system unit 1b, the second imaging optical system unit 1b is switched to the first imaging optical system unit 1a.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the second imaging optical system unit 1b will be described. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first imaging optical system unit 1a. The first imaging optical system unit 1 a includes an opening 201, a mirror prism 202, a lens group, a shutter 204, and a first image sensor 203. The object field light incident from the opening 201 is bent at a right angle by the mirror prism 202 and is imaged on the first image sensor 203 by the lens groups arranged before and after the mirror prism 202. A shutter 204 provided in the middle of the lens group adjusts the exposure time for the first image sensor 203.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the second imaging optical system unit 1b. The second imaging optical system unit 1b includes an opening 301, a mirror prism 302, a lens group, a shutter 304, a zoom motor 305, an AF motor 306, and a second image sensor 303. The object field light incident from the opening 301 is bent in a right angle direction by the mirror prism 302 and is imaged on the second image sensor 303 by a lens group disposed before and after the mirror prism 302. A shutter 304 provided in the middle of the lens group adjusts the exposure time for the second image sensor 303. The zoom motor 305 changes the overall focal length by driving a focal length adjusting lens in the lens group. The AF motor 306 performs AF (autofocus) by driving a focus adjustment lens in the lens group. A feed screw is directly connected to the zoom motor 305 and the AF motor 306, and the focal length adjustment lens and the focus adjustment lens are moved along the guide by the rotation of the feed screw.

  As described above, the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the second imaging optical system unit 1b are both bending optical systems, but the second imaging optical system unit 1b has a longer focal length than the first imaging optical system unit 1a. Also, the optical path length of the bending optical system becomes longer. Therefore, when both optical system units are arranged close to each other in the vertical direction, a difference in the total length occurs between the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the second imaging optical system unit 1b, and the extending direction of the first imaging optical system unit 1a A space (dead space) is generated by the difference in the total length. In this embodiment, this space is effectively used.

  Returning to FIG. 1 again, the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the second imaging optical system unit 1b are arranged up and down so that the first imaging optical system unit 1a is arranged on the right side and the first imaging optical system unit 1a is arranged on the upper side. They are arranged close to each other, and a space is generated on the right side of the first imaging optical system unit 1a by the difference in the total length. The main capacitor 400 for the strobe 48 is disposed in this space. The device configuration of the strobe 48 is well known, and mainly includes a booster circuit, a charge control circuit, a main capacitor 400 and a discharge tube. The booster circuit boosts the terminal voltage of the battery 250 to charge the main capacitor 400. The charge control circuit controls charging of the main capacitor 400 by the booster circuit. In response to the light emission command from the control processor of the digital camera 10A, the electric charge accumulated in the main capacitor 400 is supplied to the discharge tube to emit strobe light. The main capacitor 400 is arranged such that the longitudinal direction thereof coincides with the extending direction of the first imaging optical system unit 1a or the second imaging optical system unit 1b, that is, the horizontal direction (width direction) of the digital camera 10A.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view seen from line 2-2 in FIG. A bending optical system of the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the second imaging optical system unit 1b is shown, and the main condenser 400 is placed in a space beside the first imaging optical system unit 1a and above the second imaging optical system unit 1b. Is placed. A detachable memory card 54 is arranged behind the battery 250, and its center coincides with the optical axis center of the fixed focal length lens 2 of the first imaging optical system unit 1a or the zoom lens 3 of the second imaging optical system unit 1b. Thus, the color LCD 70 is arranged on the back surface 200.

  FIG. 3 shows a side view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. As can be seen from the figure, the main capacitor 400 is disposed between the strobe 48 and the second imaging optical system unit 1b. Thus, by disposing the main capacitor 400 for the strobe 48 having a relatively large size in the dead space generated by the difference in the total length between the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the second imaging optical system unit 1b, the dead space is reduced. It is possible to effectively use and suppress an increase in the size of the digital camera 10A.

  The main condenser 400 for the strobe 48 is arranged so that the longitudinal direction thereof coincides with the extending direction of the first imaging optical system unit 1a. As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. The terminal surface is disposed on the opposite side to the first imaging optical system unit 1a and connected to the flexible printed board. Thereby, mixing of noise into the first image sensor 203 of the first imaging optical system unit 1a can be suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the first image pickup optical system unit 1a and the second image pickup optical system unit 1b are arranged close to each other so that the first image pickup optical system unit 1a is on the upper side, whereby a dead space is formed below the strobe 48. Is formed so that the main capacitor 400 can be disposed. Such a configuration also has a red-eye prevention function as described below.

  In general, a camera with a built-in strobe has a problem that a so-called red-eye phenomenon is likely to occur because the distance between the photographing lens and the strobe light emitting unit is short. This red-eye phenomenon is likely to occur particularly when photographing using a lens having a long focal length (telephoto lens).

  FIG. 6 shows the positional relationship between the strobe 102 and the photographing lens 104 mounted on the camera 100 and the human eye 106 as the subject. In the so-called red-eye phenomenon, the illumination light of the strobe 102 enters from the pupil of the person who is the subject, and the light reflected back from the retina is photographed through the photographing lens 104, and the color of the retinal capillaries changes. This is caused by shooting red. Accordingly, the red-eye phenomenon is more likely to occur as the apex angle θ of the triangle connecting the strobe 102, the photographing lens 104, and the subject 106 is smaller. When shooting with a telephoto lens, the distance to the subject is often relatively far, so the apex angle θ is small and red eyes are likely to occur. In addition, red eyes are likely to occur when the subject person is facing the camera, but a telephoto lens with a narrow field angle is more likely to have a line of sight toward the camera than a wide-angle lens. However, it can be said that red eyes are more likely to occur with a telephoto lens.

  Therefore, in order to suppress the occurrence of red eyes, it is effective to increase the apex angle θ by increasing the distance between the strobe 102 and the photographing lens 104, and the fixed focal length lens 2 is provided as in this embodiment. When the first imaging optical system unit 1 a and the second imaging optical system unit 1 b having the zoom lens 3 are mounted, the distance between the second imaging optical system unit 1 b having the zoom lens 3 that is a telephoto lens and the strobe 48. It is effective to take a large value, and an arrangement is obtained in which the first imaging optical system unit 1a is on the upper side and the second imaging optical system unit 1b is on the lower side.

  That is, in the digital camera 10A of the present embodiment, the second imaging optical system unit 1b including the zoom lens 3 is disposed below in order to suppress the occurrence of red-eye to ensure the distance from the strobe 48, and the first imaging optical system The unit 1a is arranged close to the second imaging optical system unit 1b to suppress the size of the digital camera 10A in the height direction, and the lower space of the strobe 48 that is inevitably generated by such arrangement, the first imaging optical system. The main condenser 400 for the strobe 48 is disposed in a space resulting from the difference in the overall length between the unit 1a and the second imaging optical system unit 1b.

  In the present embodiment, the first imaging optical system unit 1a includes the fixed focal length lens 2. However, the first imaging optical system unit 1a may include a zoom lens having a focal length range shorter than the focal length range of the second imaging optical system unit 1b. . Also in this case, a dead space resulting from the difference in the total length between the first imaging optical system unit 1a and the second imaging optical system unit 1b occurs, and the main capacitor 400 may be disposed in this space.

It is a front view of a digital camera. It is a top view of a digital camera. It is a side view of a digital camera. It is a perspective view of the 1st imaging optical system unit. It is a perspective view of the 2nd imaging optical system unit. It is a position arrangement | positioning figure for demonstrating a red-eye phenomenon.

Explanation of symbols

  1a 1st imaging optical system unit, 1b 2nd imaging optical system unit, 2 fixed focal length lens, 3 zoom lens, 10A digital camera, 48 strobe, 400 main condenser.

Claims (4)

A first imaging optical system;
A second imaging optical system having a longer focal length than the first imaging optical system;
A strobe device,
An imaging device having a plurality of optical systems,
The first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system are arranged close to each other in parallel, and are used for the strobe device arranged in a space generated by a difference in total length between the first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system. An imaging device having a plurality of optical systems, comprising a capacitor. The apparatus of claim 1.
The first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system are both bending optical systems and extend in the width direction of the device,
An imaging apparatus having a plurality of optical systems, wherein a longitudinal direction of the capacitor coincides with an extending direction of the bending optical system. The apparatus according to claim 1,
The first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system are arranged close to each other so that the first imaging optical system is above,
The strobe device is disposed above the first imaging optical system,
An imaging apparatus having a plurality of optical systems, wherein the capacitor is a space generated by a difference in total length between the first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system, and is disposed below the strobe device. In the apparatus in any one of Claims 1-3,
An imaging apparatus having a plurality of optical systems, wherein the capacitor is disposed such that a terminal surface thereof is opposite to the first imaging optical system.

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