Camera system having an accessory and being operable to prohibit a photographic operator when the set number of frames have been photographed during bracket photography

• US 5,249,014 A
• Filed: 06/03/1992
• Issued: 09/28/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yoshida, Tadahiro, Nakai, Masaaki, Taniguchi, Nobuyuki, Omaki, Takanobu, Nakasa, Masayuki, Kikukawa, Yoshiiku, Kitaura, Mashio
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US07/892,662
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 354/217, 354/218, 354/412, 354/266, 354/267.1, 354/238.1, 354/105, 354/106, 358/289.12, 358/173.1, 358/173.11
• US Class Current: 396/213
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/08 Control effected solely on the basis of the response, to the intensity of the light received by the camera, of a built-in light-sensitive device
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/091 Digital circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/16 in accordance with both the intensity of the flash source and the distance of the flash source from the object, e.g. in accordance with the "guide number" of the flash bulb and the focusing of the camera

Abstract

A camera system including a camera body and a camera accessory attachable to the camera body, such as an interchangeable back lid, an interchangeable lens, a flash device and so on, is disclosed. In the system, a plurality of circuits provided in plurality of camera accessories are controlled by a microcomputer provided in the camera body. Data is transmitted between the microcomputer and the circuits using a serial data bus and synchronizing clock line connected therebetween. The circuit to receive the data sent from the microcomputer, or the circuit which should send the data to the microcomputer are selected by the microcomputer through chip select lines provided between the microcomputer and each circuit.

Claims

1. A camera system having a camera structure and an accessory attachable to the camera structure, comprising:

a shutter release switch provided in the camera structure for starting photographic operation;

means, provided in the camera structure, for carrying out the photographing operation and a preparation operation for the photographic operation, alternately;

means, provided in the camera structure, for outputting a first signal in response to the operation of said carrying out means;

means, provided in the accessory, for setting a frame number of frames to be photographed successively to produce a setting number signal indicating the set frame number;

means, provided in the accessory, for counting the number of said first signal outputted from said outputting means in the camera structure;

means, provided in the accessory, for calculating a remaining frame number of frames to be photographed successively in accordance with the setting number signal and the count signal;

means, provided in the accessory, for discriminating whether said release switch in the camera structure has been operated;

means, provided in the accessory, for producing an interrupting signal for interrupting the photographic operation of the camera structure when the remaining frame number reaches zero while the release switch is operated;

means, provided in the camera structure, for inputting said interrupting signal; and

means, provided in the camera structure, for controlling said carrying out means in response to the interrupting signal inputted by said inputting means to prohibit operation of said carrying out means while the release switch is operated.

2. A camera system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

means, provided in the accessory, for setting data for an exposure;

means, provided in the accessory, for providing said data to the camera structure;

means, provided in the camera structure, for receiving the data from the accessory; and

means, provided in the camera structure, for controlling the exposure in response to the data received by said receiving means.