Indicating apparatus within finder of camera

• US 4,977,425 A
• Filed: 12/21/1988
• Issued: 12/11/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masato, Nakajima, Masahiro, Yamanaka, Toshimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell E.
• Application Number:
  US07/287,135
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 354/409, 354/465, 354/471, 354/473, 354/474, 354/475, 354/418, 354/127.11, 354/127.12, 354/195.13, 354/289.1
• US Class Current: 396/287
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder

Abstract

An indicating apparatus of photographing conditions within a finder of a camera, including at least one composite indicator symbol which has a plurality of indicating elements and which represents a single symbol or figure as a whole in the finder field of view, said composite indicator symbol indicating the associated photographing conditions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for indicating photographic conditions, said apparatus comprising at least one indicator symbol formed as a composite of a plurality of individually controllable indicating symbols, said indicator symbol representing a single symbol or figure as a whole in a field of view, said photographic conditions being indicated by said indicator symbol, wherein said indicator symbol has a substantially x-shaped configuration which is divided into a plurality of parts.

2. An apparatus for indicating photographing conditions, comprising an indicator having a plurality of indicating elements which can be independently activated, said indicator representing a single symbol or figure as a whole, said single symbol or figure as a whole indicating said photographing conditions, and wherein all said indicating elements are turned off when said photographic conditions are proper.

3. An apparatus for indicating photographing conditions, comprising an indicator having a plurality of indicating elements which can be independently activated, said indicator representing a single symbol or figure as a whole, said single symbol or figure as a whole indicating said photographing conditions, and wherein said indicating elements have two semicircular halves, one of said halves representing focus information and the other half representing exposure information.

4. An indicating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein one of said semicircular halves representing said focus information is illuminated when the focus is proper.

5. An indicating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said semicircular half which represents said exposure information is illuminated when the exposure is proper.

6. An indicating apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a strobe device, said the other semicircular half representing said exposure information indicating a state of charge of said strobe, so that said semicircular half representing said exposure information is illuminated when said charging of said strobe is completed.

7. An apparatus for indicating photographic conditions, comprising an indicator having a plurality of indicating elements which can be independently activated, said indicator representing a single symbol or figure as a whole, said single symbol or figure indicating said photographing conditions, and wherein said indicating elements have two generally V-shaped halves which are generally X-shaped as a whole, one V-shaped half representing the exposure information.

8. An indicating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said V-shaped half representing focus information is turned off when the focus is proper.

9. An indicating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said V-shaped half representing exposure information is turned off when the exposure is proper.

10. An apparatus for indicating photographing conditions, comprising an indicator having a plurality of indicating elements which can be independently activated, said indicator representing a single symbol or figure as a whole, said single symbol or figure as a whole indicating said photographing conditions, and further comprising an indicator which is illuminated when any of said photographing conditions are improper.

11. An indicating apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said indicator has a generally X-shaped configuration.