A photo taking apparatus capable of making a photograph with flash by a flash device

• US 5,305,048 A
• Filed: 01/29/1992
• Issued: 04/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Shinichi, Sato, Toshihiro, Narisawa, Tsutomu, Yasukawa, Seiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W. B.
• Application Number:
  US07/827,719
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 354/416, 354/417, 354/429, 354/431, 354/432, 354/433
• US Class Current: 396/159
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/09979 Multi-zone light measuring
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/17 Selection of modes in flash units by exposure control arrangements

Abstract

A flash modulation control apparatus in a camera having a photo-taking lens and a flash device mounted thereon comprises a photographing mode setting device for setting a photographing mode in which optimal exposure is obtained in conformity with an object, a divisional photometry device for dividing the object field into a plurality of areas, metering through the photo-taking lens light emitted from the flash device and reflected by the object, and outputting photometric values, a weighting device for determining an amount of weighting for each of the photometry areas of the divisional photometry device in conformity with the photographing mode set by the photographing mode setting device, and weighting each of the photometric values on the basis of the amount of weighting, and a light modulation control device for stopping the light emission of the flash device when the sum total of the weighted photometric values reaches a predetermined level.

Claims

1. A photo-taking apparatus capable of making a photograph with flash by a flash device, comprising:

photographing mode setting means for selectively setting any one of a plurality of different photographing modes in which optimal exposure is obtained in conformity with an object;

divisional photometry means for dividing the object field into a plurality of areas, metering through said photo-taking lens light emitted from said flash device and reflected by the object, and outputting photometric values;

weighting means for determining an amount of weighting for each of said photometry areas of said divisional photometry means in conformity with the photographing mode set by said photographing mode setting means, and weighting each of said photometric values on the basis of said amount of weighting; and

light modulation control means for stopping the light emission of said flash device when the sum total of said weighted photometric values reaches a predetermined level.

2. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the set photographing mode is the fantasy mode, said weighting means determines a relatively high amount of weighting with regard to the central area of said plurality of photometry areas.

3. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the set photographing mode is the wedding mode, said weighting means determines the same amount of weighting with regard to all of said plurality of photometry areas.

4. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the set photographing mode is the balance synchro spot mode, said weighting means determines a high amount of weighting with regard to the central area of said plurality of photometry areas.