Single lens reflex camera having film and still video functions

• US 5,150,215 A
• Filed: 03/14/1991
• Issued: 09/22/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zhimin Shi
• Original Assignee: Zhimin Shi
• Inventors: Shi, Zhimin
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US07/669,875
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 358/209, 358/909, 358/224, 358/225, 358/906, 354/75, 354/76, 354/219, 359/363, 359/372, 359/374, 359/419
• US Class Current: 348/64
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/12 Reflex cameras with single objective and a movable reflector or a partly-transmitting mirror
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

A dual film and still video camera is provided for taking pictures in film and still video images either simultaneously or respectively. The camera comprises a casing, an objective lens, a film loading back, a view finder unit, at least one reflex mirror turntable upward and downward, a still video image capturing unit provided at the focusing screen of the view finder or at a mirror plane of the focusing screen in the lower portion of the casing, means for controlling camera operated in three modes of a video mode, a film mode and a dual mode; and a programmed releasing button for starting the image capturing unit and releasing an film exposure shutter in accordance with one of the three mode selected. The view finder unit can be an electronic view finder system. The reflex mirror can turn from a normally inclined facing up position to a declined facing down position and then turn further up to a horizontal facing down position and return the normal position afterwards. Moreover, an additional mirror can be used to take the declined facing down position.

Claims

1. A single lens reflex camera having film and still video functions, said camera comprising a camera casing;

an objective lens;

a film back for loading film;

a reflex mirror capable of taking a first position reflecting light through the lens to a focusing screen plane and a second position;

an electronic view finder unit mounted on the top of the casing; and

a still video image capturing unit mounted on the top of the casing; and

a still video image capturing unit provided at the focusing screen plane of the view finder, said image capturing unit picking up the light passing through the objective lens and reflected by the reflex mirror and converting the light into electric signals for the electronic view finder and for outputting still video images captured thereon;

means for controlling the camera operated in three modes including a still video mode with the reflex mirror remaining in the first position for capturing the still video images, a film mode with the reflex mirror taking the second position for exposing the film and then returning to the first position, and a dual mode with the reflex mirror being respectively in the first position and the second position for producing both the still video and film images; and

a releasing button programmed to selectively operate the camera in accordance with one of the three modes.

2. The camera of claim 1, wherein the reflex mirror turns up to the second position immediately after the focusing of the camera in the film mode and the reflex mirror remains in the first position for a desired period before turning to the second position in the dual mode.

3. The camera of claim 1, wherein in the dual mode the still video capturing unit outputs or produces the still video image after the reflex mirror returns in the first position.

11. The camera of claim 1, wherein said still video capturing unit further comprises a receptacle for accommodating means for recording the picked-up signals in the camera, said recording means being in a disc form and having a recording medium and a driving means therein and at least one electric connector on the cover of the disc for completing electric connection with an electric circuit in the capturing unit.

4. A single lens reflex camera having film and still video functions, comprising a camera casing, an objective lens;

a film back for loading films;

an optical view finder unit mounted on the top of the casing;

a still video image capturing unit provided in a position opposite to a focusing screen of the view finder for capturing and outputting still video images captured thereon; and

a reflex mirror capable of taking a first, a second and a third position;

whereby, in the first position, light through the objective lens is reflected to the focusing screen, in the second position, the light is reflected to the till video image capturing unit, and in the third position, the light is directed to the film back; and

means for controlling the operation of the reflex mirror thereby enabling the camera operated in three modes including a still video mode, a film mode and a dual mode; and

a releasing button being programmed to selectively operate the camera in accordance with one of the three modes.

5. The camera of claim 4, wherein the reflex mirror is made turnable along a pair of guide grooves at each side of the mirror in a first turning from the first position for camera focusing to the second position for capturing the still video image and a second turning from the second position to the third position adjacent to the focusing screen for exposing the film, and said mirror returns the first position upon completion of the film or still video image taking.

6. The camera of claim 5, wherein the reflex mirror completes only the first turning in the still video mode;

the reflex mirror continuously completes the second turning in the film mode; and

the reflex mirror completes sequentially the first turning and then the second turning in the dual mode.

7. The camera of claim 5, wherein in the dual mode the reflex camera completes continuously the second turning first and then remains in the second position for a desired period during returning to the first position.

8. A single lens reflex having film and still video functions, comprising a camera casing;

an objective lens;

a film back for loading films;

an optical view finder unit mounted on the top of the casing;

a still video image capturing unit provided in a position opposite to a focusing screen of the view finder;

a first reflex mirror capable of taking a first position for camera focusing and a second position for image taking; and

a second reflex mirror normally covering the still video image capturing unit in a first position and reflecting light through the objective lens to the still video image capturing unit in a second position;

means for controlling the operation of the first and second reflex mirrors to have the camera working in three modes including a still video mode for picking up still video image, a film mode for exposing the film and a dual mode for producing both the still video and the film images; and

a releasing button being programmed to selectively operate the reflex mirrors, and sequentially to actuate the capturing unit or to release a film exposure shutter in accordance with one of the three modes selected.

9. The camera of claim 8, wherein the second reflex mirror jumps up to the second position to reflect the light to the still video image capturing unit, while the first reflex mirror turns up in the still video mode;

the second mirror does not move, while the first mirror completes an up and down turning in the film mode; and

the second mirror turns up together with the first mirror but returns to its first position for a desired period before the first mirror returns to its first position for a desired period before the first mirror returns in the dual mode.

10. The camera of claim 8, wherein the first mirror turns up to its second position for a desired period before the second mirror turns to its second position, and the first and second mirrors return to their first positions together.