Camera

• US 5,386,262 A
• Filed: 04/28/1994
• Issued: 01/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Maeda, Yasuo, Ishibashi, Kenji, Hara, Yoshihiro, Ohmori, Shigeto, Yukawa, Kazuhiko, Ootsuka, Hiroshi, Miyazawa, Masayuki, Ishito, Fumiaki, Fujino, Akihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US08/233,943
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 354/400, 354/402, 354/404-409, 354/195.1-195.12
• US Class Current: 396/79
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/12 to compensate for change of camera lens or size of picture
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/12 Reflex cameras with single objective and a movable reflector or a partly-transmitting mirror

Abstract

A single-lens reflex camera comprises a taking lens having a zooming optical system, a finder whose angle of view is determined according to a focal length of the taking lens, and an operation member which is manually operated. In the single-lens reflex camera, the focal length of the taking lens is changed by driving the zooming optical system, and the zooming operation is controlled in response to an operation of the operation member so that the focal length of the taking lens is changed in the wide-angle direction by a predetermined amount. An angle of view corresponding to that which is seen before the focal length is changed is displayed within the finder.

Claims

1. A single-lens reflex camera comprising:

a finder whose angle of view is determined according to a focal length of the taking lens;

a taking lens having a zooming optical system;

a zooming mechanism which changes the focal length of said taking lens by driving said zooming optical system;

an operation member which is operated to start an exposure;

a mode selecting mechanism which selects between a first mode where an exposure control is started at a focal length when said operation member is operated and a second mode where the exposure control is started after a zooming operation is performed in the telephoto direction from the focal length when said operation member is operated;

a focus detecting device which detects a focus condition of said taking lens with respect to an object situated in a plurality of focus detection areas on an image plane, wherein one of said plurality of focus detection areas is situated in the center; and

a focusing device which adjusts the focus of said taking lens based on a plurality of focus detection data with respect to said plurality of focus detection areas in said first mode and for adjusting the focus of said taking lens based on a focus detection data with respect to said focus detection area situated in the center of the image plane in said second mode.

2. A single-lens reflex camera as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a displaying device which displays within said finder a taking area after a zooming operation in the telephoto direction by said predetermined amount in said second mode.

3. A single-lens reflex camera comprising:

a finder whose angle of view is determined according to a focal length of the taking lens;

a taking lens having a zooming optical system;

a zooming mechanism which changes the focal length of said taking lens by driving said zooming optical system;

an operation member which is manually operated;

a mode selecting mechanism which selects a mode between a first mode where the zooming mechanism is operated in response to an operation of said operation member and a second mode where the zooming mechanism is not operated even if the operation member is operated;

a focus detecting device which detects a focus condition of said taking lens with respect to an object situated in a plurality of focus detection areas on an image plane, wherein one of said plurality of focus detection areas is situated in the center; and

a focusing device which adjusts the focus of said taking lens based on a plurality of focus detection data with respect to said plurality of focus detection areas in said second mode and for adjusting the focus of said taking lens based on a focus detection data with respect to said focus detection area situated in the center of the image plane in said first mode.

4. A single-lens reflex camera comprising:

a zooming mechanism having a zooming optical system,

a mode changeover mechanism capable of changeover between a first mode in which zooming is performed by a predetermined amount and a second mode in which a normal zooming is performed; and

a multipoint distance measuring apparatus having a distance measurement area including a center of an image plane and a plurality of distance measurement areas not including the center of the image plane, said multipoint distance measuring apparatus performing distance measurement with respect to the distance measurement area including the center of the image plane when the first mode is selected.