Photographic lighting system using incident light meter
First Claim
1. A photographic lighting apparatus for use with a camera, comprising:
- sensing means for generating an incident light signal representative of an incident light intensity on a subject to be photographed;
electric light means for directing fill light toward said subject;
means for generating a distance input representative of a distance between said electric light means and said subject;
means for generating a sensitivity input representative of a sensitivity of said camera to light;
means for attenuating light output from said electric light means while preserving a color temperature of said light output;
control means for controlling the fill light provided by said electric light means and activating said means for attenuating light output from said electric light meansin response to said incident light signal so that said fill light is controlled in accordance with a predetermined function such that said fill light is increased in intensity as the level of incident light intensity increases andin response to said distance input so that said fill light intensity at the subject is substantially independent of the distance between said light means and said subject andin response to said sensitivity input so that said fill light provided by said electric light means is compensated for the sensitivity of said camera to light.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A photographic lighting system for use with a camera provides fill light from the direction of the camera to alleviate shadows in a photographic image obtained by the camera. The photographic lighting system includes an incident light sensor for sensing the incident light intensity on a subject to be photographed, an electric light for directing fill light toward the subject, and a control circuit for controlling the intensity of the fill light provided by the electric light in response to the sensed incident light intensity. The fill light is increased in intensity as the incident light intensity increases. The control circuit can also receive a distance input representative of the distance between the electric light and the subject and controls the fill light in response to the distance input such that the fill light intensity at the subject is substantially independent of the distance. A sensitivity input to the control circuit permits the fill light intensity to be compensated for the sensitivity of the camera.
28 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A photographic lighting apparatus for use with a camera, comprising:
-
sensing means for generating an incident light signal representative of an incident light intensity on a subject to be photographed; electric light means for directing fill light toward said subject; means for generating a distance input representative of a distance between said electric light means and said subject; means for generating a sensitivity input representative of a sensitivity of said camera to light; means for attenuating light output from said electric light means while preserving a color temperature of said light output; control means for controlling the fill light provided by said electric light means and activating said means for attenuating light output from said electric light means in response to said incident light signal so that said fill light is controlled in accordance with a predetermined function such that said fill light is increased in intensity as the level of incident light intensity increases and in response to said distance input so that said fill light intensity at the subject is substantially independent of the distance between said light means and said subject and in response to said sensitivity input so that said fill light provided by said electric light means is compensated for the sensitivity of said camera to light. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
2. A method of photographic lighting apparatus for use with a camera, comprising the steps of:
-
generating an incident light signal representative of an incident light intensity on a subject to be photographed; directing fill light toward said subject; generating a distance input representative of a distance between said electric light means and said subject; generating a sensitivity input representative of a sensitivity of said camera to light; controlling said fill light and activating means for attenuating light output from said fill light while preserving a color temperature of said fill light in response to said incident light signal so that said fill light is controlled in accordance with a predetermined function such that said fill light is increased in intensity as the level of incident light intensity increases and in response to said distance input so that said fill light intensity at the subject is substantially independent of the distance between said light means and said subject and in response to said sensitivity input so that said fill light provided by said electric light means is compensated for the sensitivity of said camera to light from said subject.
-
Specification