Electronic still camera with lessened power consumption

• US 5,122,880 A
• Filed: 05/24/1990
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nagano, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US07/528,167
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 358/909, 358/906, 358/209, 358/224, 358/225, 358/213.13, 358/213.16, 358/213.22, 358/229, 358/227, 354/219, 354/238.1, 354/266, 354/267.1
• US Class Current: 348/333.13
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/663 for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

In an electronic still camera of the kind having a detachably mounted photo-taking optical system, an image sensor which converts into an electrical video signal an object image formed by the photo-taking optical system, a recording circuit which records the video signal and an electronic viewfinder which displays an image represented by the video signal obtained by the image sensor when the camera is in a shootable state, a confirmation member is arranged to confirm a mounted or detached state of the photo-taking optical system, and a driving-suspending and displaying-off control circuit is arranged to suspend a driving action on the image sensor and to turn off the electronic viewfinder when the detachment of the photo-taking optical system from the camera body is confirmed by the confirming member.

Claims

1. An electronic still camera comprising:

a) a photo-taking optical system detachably mounted on a camera body of said camera;

b) image sensing means for converting into an electrical video signal an object image formed by said photo-taking optical system;

c) recording means for recording the video signal;

d) an electronic viewfinder attached to said camera body and arranged to display the image obtained by said image sensing means when photo-taking can be effected;

e) detecting means for detecting a detached or mounted state of said photo-taking optical system; and

f) control means arranged to turn off said electronic viewfinder when said detecting means detects the detached state of said optical system from the camera body.

2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said control means is arranged to cause said electronic view finder to be turned on again to display an image represented by the video signal obtained by said image sensing means when said photo-taking optical system is mounted on the camera body after said photo-taking optical system had been detached from said camera body.

3. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said control means is arranged to suspend a driving action on said image sensing means when the detached state of said photo-taking optical system from said camera is detected by said detecting means.

4. An electronic still camera comprising:

a) a photo-taking optical system;

b) image sensing means for converting into an electrical video signal an object image formed by said photo-taking optical system;

c) recording means for recording the video signal;

d) an electronic viewfinder for displaying an image represented by the video signal obtained by said image sensing means;

e) self-timer means arranged to perform a self-timer operation; and

f) control means for turning off said electronic viewfinder when the self-timer operation begins.

5. A camera according to claim 4, wherein said control means is arranged to cause said electronic viewfinder to be turned on again to display an image represented by the video signal obtained by said image sensing means after the completion of the self-timer operation.

6. An electronic still camera comprising:

a) a photo-taking optical system;

b) image sensing means for converting into an electrical video signal an object image formed by said photo-taking optical system;

c) recording means for recording the video signal;

d) an electronic viewfinder for displaying an image represented by the video signal obtained by said image sensing means;

e) interval shooting means for automatically performing an interval shooting action at intervals of a preset period of time and for a preset number of pictures; and

f) control means arranged to turn off said electronic viewfinder, except when shooting and recording actions are performed, after commencement of the interval shooting action in an interval shooting mode.

7. A camera according to claim 6, wherein said control means is arranged to suspend a driving action on said image sensing means concurrently when said electronic viewfinder is turned off.

8. An electronic still camera having a photo-taking optical system, image sensing means for converting into an electrical video signal an object image formed by said photo-taking optical system, recording means for recording the video signal, an electronic viewfinder for displaying an image represented by the video signal obtained by said image sensing means, and a remote-control shooting function, comprising:

a) remote-control mode setting means for setting said camera into a remote-control shooting mode; and

b) control means for turning off said electronic viewfinder when said camera is set in the remote-control shooting mode by said remote-control mode setting means.

9. A camera according to claim 8, wherein said remote-control mode setting means includes a remote-control operation member which can be engaged with a camera body, and engagement confirming means for confirming the engagement of said remote-control operation member with said camera body.

10. A camera according to claim 9, wherein said camera is set into the remote-control shooting mode when disengagement of said remote-control operation member from said camera body is confirmed by said engagement confirming means at the time of a shootable state of said camera.

11. A camera according to claim 8, wherein said remote-control mode setting means is arranged to set said camera into the remote-control shooting mode by using a remote-control shooting mode setting switch disposed on a camera body at the time of a shootable state of said camera, and wherein said camera is arranged to carry out a remote-control shooting operation by using a remote-control operation member which is arranged separately from said camera body.

12. A camera according to claim 8, wherein said control means is arranged to suspend a driving action on said image sensing means concurrently when said electronic viewfinder is turned off, except when a shooting operation is performed.