Photometry apparatus in a camera

• US 5,418,596 A
• Filed: 10/28/1993
• Issued: 05/23/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Goto, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US08/141,979
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 354/429, 354/413, 354/412, 354/402, 354/432, 354/410, 354/416, 354/415, 354/195.12, 354/403
• US Class Current: 396/106
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/09979 Multi-zone light measuring

Abstract

An apparatus for performing photometry on a photographic subject image divided into plural regions, which eliminates the negative effects on photometry caused by an illumination source which provides auxiliary lighting. The illumination source for providing auxiliary lighting illuminates a portion of the photographic subject. When it is detected that photometry is being performed, illumination by the illumination source may be inhibited such that the brightness of the subject does not suddenly change, thereby adversely effecting photometry. Conversely, when the commencement of the action of the illumination source is detected, photometry may be inhibited such that the change in brightness due to the illumination source has no effect on the photometry. When a portion of the photographic subject has been illuminated by the illumination source during photometry this situation is detected, and the photometric result is corrected to compensate for the effect of the illumination source on photometry.

Claims

1. A camera provided with a photometric device, comprising:

a light receiving sensor to perform photometric measurement in plural regions of a subject image;

an illumination source to illuminate a portion of the subject;

a detection device to detect whether the light receiving sensor is performing photometric measurement; and

a control unit to control the illumination source, based upon a detection made by the detection device, to eliminate influence of the illumination source on the photometric measurement.

2. A camera provided with a photometric device, comprising:

a light receiving sensor to perform photometric measurement in plural regions of a subject image;

an illumination source to illuminate a portion of the subject;

a detection device to detect whether the light receiving sensor is performing photometric measurement; and

a control unit to control the illumination source based upon a detection made by the detection device, wherein the control unit inhibits illumination by the illumination source when the detection device detects that the light receiving sensor is performing photometric measurement.

3. The photometric device, as recited in claim 2, wherein the light receiving sensor is divided into a plurality of segments.

4. A camera provided with a photometric device, comprising:

a light receiving sensor to perform photometric measurement in plural regions of a subject image;

an illumination source to illuminate a portion of a subject;

a detection device to detect whether the illumination source is illuminating a portion of the subject; and

a control unit to control the light receiving sensor, based upon a detection made by the detection device, to eliminate influence of the illumination source on the photometric measurement by the light receiving sensor.

5. A camera provided with a photometric device, comprising:

a light receiving sensor to perform photometric measurement in plural regions of a subject image;

an illumination source to illuminate a portion of a subject;

a detection device to detect whether the illumination source is illuminating a portion of the subject; and

a control unit to control the light receiving sensor based upon a detection made by the detection device, wherein the control unit inhibits the light receiving sensor from performing photometric measurement when the detection device detects that the illumination source is illuminating a portion of the subject.

6. The photometric device, as recited in claim 5, wherein the light receiving sensor is divided into a plurality of segments.

7. A camera provided with a photometric device, comprising:

a light receiving sensor to perform photometric measurement in plural regions of a subject image;

an illumination source to illuminate a portion of a subject;

a detection device to detect whether the illumination source is illuminating the subject while the photometric measurement is being performed; and

a correction unit to correct a photometric output of the light receiving sensor when the detection device has detected illumination of the subject during a photometric measurement.

8. The photometric device, as recited in claim 7, wherein the light receiving sensor is divided into a plurality of segments.

9. The photometric device, as recited in claim 7, wherein the illumination source is an auxiliary light generating source used to facilitate focus detection.

10. The photometric device, as recited in claim 7, wherein the illumination source is an auxiliary light generating source which generates light to prevent red-eye.

11. The photometric device, as recited in claim 7, wherein the correction unit performs correction according to the distance of the subject from the camera.

12. The photometric device, as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of a region in which correction is performed and an amount of correction change according to the distance of the subject to the camera.

13. The photometric device, as recited in claim 7, wherein the correction unit performs correction according to a zoom ratio of a photographic lens in the camera.

14. The photometric device, as recited in claim 13, wherein at least one of a region in which correction is performed and an amount of correction change according to the zoom ratio of the photographic lens in the camera.

15. A camera provided with a photometric device, comprising:

a light receiving sensor;

an illumination source;

a detection device to detect whether the light receiving sensor and the illumination source operate at the same time; and

a control unit to control the camera to prevent the illumination from the illumination source from affecting the photometric measurement by the light receiving sensor when the detection device detects that the light receiving sensor and the illumination source operate at the same time.