Camera having focus detection device
First Claim
1. A camera comprising:
- objective lens means adjustable along an optical axis for focusing on an object;
focus detecting means for detecting the focusing condition of the lens means relative to the object and for providing an output representing the focusing condition of the lens means relative to the object;
supplementary means operable instead of said focus detection means for providing, when operated, an output representing an approximate focusing condition of the lens means relative to the object;
condition detecting means for detecting whether the condition for operation of the focus detection means can insure the proper operation of the focus detection means and providing a characteristic output when detecting that the condition cannot insure the proper operation of the focus detection means;
output control means for controlling the provision of the output of the focus detection means, said output control means being responsive to the characteristic output of the condition detecting means and for prohibiting the output of the focus detection means in response to said characteristic output of the condition detecting means;
manually operable control means adapted for setting said supplementary means to an operative state; and
exposure operation control means for controlling the exposure operation of the camera, said exposure operation control means being responsive to the outputs of said focusing detection means and said supplementary means and enabling the exposure operation of the camera only when said lens means is set to the focused position based on the output of said focus detection means or set to the approximately focused position based on the output of said supplementary means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In the disclosed camera, when the object of principal photographic interest becomes so dim as to prevent satisfactory operation of the focus detecting device, or when the actual voltage of a battery falls below a satisfactory operating level for the device, a supplementary device can be rendered operative to control setting of a photo-taking lens independently of the focus detecting device. The camera can then be focused at an appropriate distance depending upon the size of diaphragm aperture, namely, in a pan-focus position.
According to an embodiment of the invention, an exposure control apparatus in the camera is made associated with the aforesaid two devices to operate in response to the taking lens having been set. The supplementary system is disabled until needed.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A camera comprising:
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objective lens means adjustable along an optical axis for focusing on an object; focus detecting means for detecting the focusing condition of the lens means relative to the object and for providing an output representing the focusing condition of the lens means relative to the object; supplementary means operable instead of said focus detection means for providing, when operated, an output representing an approximate focusing condition of the lens means relative to the object; condition detecting means for detecting whether the condition for operation of the focus detection means can insure the proper operation of the focus detection means and providing a characteristic output when detecting that the condition cannot insure the proper operation of the focus detection means; output control means for controlling the provision of the output of the focus detection means, said output control means being responsive to the characteristic output of the condition detecting means and for prohibiting the output of the focus detection means in response to said characteristic output of the condition detecting means; manually operable control means adapted for setting said supplementary means to an operative state; and exposure operation control means for controlling the exposure operation of the camera, said exposure operation control means being responsive to the outputs of said focusing detection means and said supplementary means and enabling the exposure operation of the camera only when said lens means is set to the focused position based on the output of said focus detection means or set to the approximately focused position based on the output of said supplementary means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A camera comprising:
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objective lens means adjustable along an optical axis so as to focus onto an object; focus detection means for detecting the focusing condition of the lens means to the object and providing an output representing the focusing condition of the lens means to the object; supplementary means operable instead of said focus detecting means for providing, when operated, an output representing the approximate focusing condition of the lens means to the object; condition detecting means for detecting whether the condition for operation of the focus detection means can insure the proper operation of the focus detection means and providing a characteristic output when detecting that the condition cannot insure the proper operation of the focus detection means; first control means for controlling the provision of the output of the focus detection means, said first control means being responsive to the characteristic output of the condition detecting means and prohibiting the provision of the output of the focus detection means in response to said characteristic output of the condition detecting means; second control means for controlling said supplementary means, said second control means being responsive to said characteristic output of said condition detecting means and setting the supplementary means to an operative state in response to said characteristic output; and third control means for controlling the exposure operation of the camera, said third control means being responsive to the outputs of said focus detection means and said supplementary means for enabling the exposure operation of the camera only when said lens means is set to the focused position based on the output of said focus detection means or set to the approximately focused position based on the output of said supplementary means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A camera comprising:
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objective lens means adjustable along an optical axis so as to focus onto an object; focus detection means for detecting the focusing condition of the lens means to the object, said focus detection means providing an output representing the focusing condition of the lens means to the object; supplementary means for providing an output representing the approximate focusing condition of the lens means to the object; condition detecting means for detecting whether condition for operation of the focus detection means can insure the proper operation of the focus detection means and for providing a characteristic output when detecting that the condition cannot insure the proper operation of the focus detection means; selecting means for selecting the output between the output of said focus detection means and the output of said supplementary means, said selecting means being responsive to the characteristic output of said condition detecting means and normally selecting the output of the focus detecting means while selecting the output of the supplementary means in response to said characteristic output of the condition detecting means; and exposure operation control means for controlling the exposure operation of the camera, said exposure operation control means being responsive to the selected output selected by said selecting means and enabling the exposure operation of the camera only when said lens means is set to the focused position or the approximately focused position based on the selected output selected by the selecting means. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40. A camera comprising:
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objective lens means adjustable along an optical axis for focusing on an object; exposure means operable for exposing a film to light coming from the object and through said lens means; focus detecting means for detecting the focus of said lens means with respect to the object and for producing a first characteristic output indicative of a properly focused condition of the lens means relative to the object when the lens means is positioned at a properly focused position relative to the object; supplementary means operable for providing an approximate focus of the lens means to the object and for producing a second characteristic output indicative of an approximately focused condition of the lens means relative to the object when the lens means is positioned at an approximately focused position relative to the object; first control means for controlling the operation of said supplementary means, said first control means being arranged to render the supplementary means operative so as to provide the approximate focus of the lens means upon the object when the focus detecting means is incapable of accurate detection of the proper focus of the lens means to the object; and second control means for controlling the operation of said exposure means, said second control means being responsive to each of said first characteristic output of said focus detecting means and said second characteristic output of said supplementary means for prohibiting the operation of the exposure means till at least one of the first and second characteristic outputs is produced from one of the focus detection means and the supplementary means. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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43. A camera comprising:
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objective lens means adjustable along an optical axis for focusing on an object; exposure means operable for exposing a film to light coming through said lens means; power source circuit means for providing power; focus detecting means for detecting the focus of said lens means upon the object; supplementary means for providing an approximate focus of the lens means upon the object and for producing a characteristic output indicative of an approximately focused condition of the lens means relative to the object when the lens means is positioned at an approximately focused position relative to the object; voltage level detecting means for detecting whether the voltage level of power provided by said power source circuit means is over a predetermined level and for producing a characteristic output when detecting that the voltage level of the power is below said predetermined level; prohibiting means responsive to the characteristic output of said voltage level detecting means to prohibit the operation of said exposure means; and enabling means responsive to the characteristic output of said supplementary means to enable the operation of said exposure means during a condition when said voltage level detecting means produces the characteristic output that the voltage level of the power is below the predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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Specification