Image blur prevention device for camera

• US 5,708,863 A
• Filed: 11/12/1996
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Satoh, Tatsuya, Yaji, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): ADAMS JR, RUSSELL E
• Application Number:
  US08/745,818
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 396/52, 396/53, 396/54, 396/55
• US Class Current: 396/52
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/40 with delayed or timed action
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2207/005 involving control of motion blur
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/005 Blur detection

Abstract

In an image blur prevention device for a camera, the limit delay time for image blur reduction is set to be changeable so as to reduce the influences of camera shakes on photographing operations, so as to realize high operability. A shake determining section determines the image blur state on the current image plane on the basis of the camera shake state detected by a shake detecting section. As a result, information corresponding to the level of the current image blur state is sent to an exposure control section. On the basis of image blur state information from the shake determining section when an exposure start instruction signal is received, limit delay time information set in a limit delay time setting section, and the count result obtained by a timer section, the exposure control section determines whether to start an exposure operation in accordance with the state of a release operating section. If it is determined that exposure should be started, a shutter unit is driven by a shutter drive section to perform an exposure operation. If it is determined that exposure should not be started, the shutter drive section is stopped, and no exposure operation is performed.

Claims

1. An image blur prevention device for a camera, comprising:

means for detecting a camera shake state during an exposure sequence after a release operation, and outputting a shake signal;

means for outputting a first exposure start signal upon detecting that the shake signal is smaller than a predetermined value;

timer means for counting an elapsed time from an exposure sequence start, and generating a second exposure start signal when a predetermined timer time has elapsed; and

exposure start means for starting an exposure operation in response to one of the first and second exposure start signals which is output first.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said timer means changes the predetermined elapsed time in accordance with one of set states of a shutter speed, an exposure mode, a film feed mode, a flash operation mode, and a focal length of a photographing lens.

3. An image blur prevention device for a camera, comprising:

shake detecting means for detecting a camera shake state;

shake determining means for determining a camera shake state on the basis of an output from said shake detecting means;

release operating means for instructing a photographing operation of the camera;

exposure control means for controlling an exposure operation start timing of the camera in accordance with a determination result obtained by said shake determining means and an operation state of said release operating means;

delay time setting means for, when a photography start signal is input from said release operating means, setting a wait time for a photographing operation start and outputting the set time to said exposure control means; and

timer means for counting an elapsed time after the photography start signal from said release operating means is input,

wherein a count result obtained by said timer means is compared with the time set by said delay time setting means to determine whether to delay an exposure operation start timing of the camera.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the time set by said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with the time set by said delay time setting means.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the time set by said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with an exposure time of the camera, and a time set by said delay time setting means is longer than a normal time when the exposure time is longer than a first predetermined time.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the time set by said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with an exposure time of the camera, and a time set by said delay time setting means is longer than the normal time when the exposure time is shorter than a second predetermined time which is longer than the first predetermined time.

7. A device according to claim 3, wherein the time set by said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with a photographing focal length of the camera.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the time set by said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with an photographing forcal length of the camera, and a time set by said delay time setting means is longer than a normal time when the focal length is larger than a predetermined value.

9. A device according to claim 3, wherein the time set by said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with a flash mode of the camera.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the time set by said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with a flash mode of the camera, and a time set by said delay time setting means is shorter than a normal time when the flash mode is a mode including flash pre-emission processing before exposure.

11. A device according to claim 3, wherein the time set by said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with an exposure mode of the camera.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the time set by said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with an exposure mode of the camera, and a time set by said delay time setting means is shorter than a normal time when the exposure mode is none of a program mode, a portrait mode, and a landscape mode.

13. A device according to claim 3, wherein said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with a drive mode as an operation mode of the camera.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein the time set by said delay time setting means is determined in accordance with a drive mode as an operation mode of the camera, and a time set by said delay time setting means is shorter than a normal time when the drive mode is a continuous mode.

15. An image blur prevention device for a camera, which detects a camera shake state and prevents influences of a shake in an exposure operation, comprising:

setting means for setting a shutter speed of the camera;

detecting means for detecting a camera shake and outputting a shake state signal;

a manual operating member for instructing a shift from a preparatory photographing operation to an exposure operation;

timer means for counting an elapsed time after said manual operating member is operated; and

control means for starting an exposure operation in accordance with an operation of said manual operating member when said timer means finishes counting a predetermined time set in accordance with the shutter speed, or a level of the shake state signal becomes not higher than a predetermined level.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the predetermined time is set to an initial value when the set shutter speed of the camera falls outside a predetermined range, and is set to be longer than the initial value when the shutter time falls within the predetermined range.

17. An image blur prevention device for a camera, which can detect a camera shake state, comprising:

means for determining a shutter speed of the camera;

detecting means for detecting a camera shake state and outputting a shake state signal;

a manual operating member for instructing a shift from a preparatory photographing operation to an exposure operation;

timer means for counting an elapsed time after said manual operating member is operated; and

control means for setting a limit delay time between the instant at which said manual operating member is operated and the instant at which an exposure operation is started, in accordance with the shutter speed, and for starting an exposure operation in accordance with an operation of said manual operating member when the shutter speed falls within a predetermined range, and said timer means finishes counting the limit delay time, or when a level of the shake state signal becomes not higher than a predetermined level.

18. A device according to claim 17, further comprising detecting means for detecting a focal length value of a photographing lens, and

wherein said control means sets a value of the limit delay time to be larger than an initial value when the shutter speed falls within the predetermined range, and the focal length of the photographing lens is larger than a predetermined value.

19. A device according to claim 17, wherein said control means sets a value of the limit delay time to be larger than an initial value when the shutter speed falls within the predetermined range.

20. An image blur prevention device for a camera, which can detect a camera shake, comprising:

means for setting a photographing operation mode of the camera;

means for detecting a focal length of a photographing lens;

means for determining a shutter speed of the camera;

a manual operating member for instructing a shift from a preparatory photographing operation to an exposure operation;

timer means for counting an elapsed time after said manual operating member is operated; and

control means for setting a limit delay time between the instant at which said manual operating member is operated and the instant at which an exposure operation is started, in accordance with at least one of the shutter speed, the focal length, and the photographing operation mode, and for starting an exposure operation after an operation of said manual operating member when said timer means finishes counting the limit delay time, or when a level of the shake state signal becomes not higher than a predetermined level.

21. A device according to claim 20, wherein the limit delay time is determined on the basis of one of a first time determined in accordance with a photographing operation mode, a second time set in accordance with a focal length, and at least one of maximum and minimum values of a third time set in accordance with a shutter speed.

22. A device according to claim 20, further comprising means for manually setting a default value of a limit delay time, and

wherein when the default limit delay time is set, the limit delay time is determined in accordance with the default limit delay time.

23. An image blur prevention device for a camera, comprising:

shake detecting means for detecting a camera shake;

exposure instructing means for instructing the camera to perform film exposure;

first exposure permitting means for outputting a first exposure permission signal for permitting film exposure in accordance with the shake state;

second exposure permitting means for outputting a second exposure permission signal for permitting film exposure a predetermined time after an exposure instruction is output from said exposure instructing means; and

control means for performing film exposure on the basis of at least one of an output from said exposure instructing means, an output from said first exposure permitting means, and an output from said second exposure permitting means.

24. A device according to claim 23, wherein said first exposure permitting means outputs the first exposure permission signal when a numerical value of the shake state is smaller than a predetermined value.

25. A device according to claim 23, wherein the first exposure permission signal is output when an image blur amount of an optical image formed on a film surface falls within a circle of confusion.

26. A device according to claim 23, wherein the second exposure permission signal is output on the basis of at least one of conditions of a focal length of a photographing lens, an exposure mode, a film feed mode, and a flash mode.

27. A device according to claim 23, wherein said control means performs film exposure in response to one of the first and second exposure permission signals which is output first, when an exposure instruction is output from said exposure instructing means.

28. An image blur prevention device for a camera, comprising:

means for outputting a first exposure signal when a shake becomes not more than a predetermined value after an exposure sequence start;

means for counting time in response to the exposure sequence start, and outputting a second exposure signal when a predetermined time has elapsed; and

means for starting an exposure operation on the basis of at least one of the first and second exposure signals.

29. An image blur prevention device for a camera, comprising:

shake detecting means;

shake determining means for receiving an output from said shake detecting means and determining a level of a shake;

release operating means;

control means for controlling an exposure start timing on the basis of an output from said shake determining means and a state of said release operating means;

shutter means for performing an exposure operation in response to an output from said control means;

timer means for counting an elapsed time after said release operating means is operated;

setting means for setting a wait time between the instant at which said release operating means is operated and the instant at which said shutter means operates; and

means for comparing the count result obtained by said timer means with the wait time set by said setting means, and determining an exposure start timing in accordance with the comparison result in preference to said control means.