Close-up attachment for a digital camera

• US 5,781,807 A
• Filed: 08/16/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lester A. Dine, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lester A. Dine, Inc.
• Inventors: Glassgold, William, Musso, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US08/698,888
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 396/71, 396/176, 396/182, 396/199, 396/373, 396/529, 396/544, 348/335, 348/369, 348/370, 348/371, 355/63, 358/909.1
• US Class Current: 396/71
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/12 with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets

Abstract

A kit for modifying a digital camera of the type including a built in flash, to perform close-up photography includes a mounting plate attached to a camera around a camera lens, a lens plate having a secondary lens selectively attachable to the mounting plate so that light entering the camera lens is first magnified by the secondary lens. A bracket assembly is selectively attachable to each lens plate to indicate the location of the focal plane and the size of the image frame. A flash attachment adapted for close-up photography includes a flash output window, a power switch, a mode switch and a flash intensity switch. The flash attachment is secured to the camera and wired thereto so that the mode switch may control which flash unit, the flash of the camera or the close-up flash, activates. The flash intensity switch is a rheostat and controls the amount of light emanating from the flash source to the subject, according to the distance between the camera and the subject.

Claims

1. An attachment for a digital camera of the type including an integral primary flash unit and a primary lens that are adapted to photograph subjects beyond a minimum predetermined distance from the camera, said attachment allowing the camera to photograph subjects located a distance that is shorter than said predetermined distance, said attachment comprising:

a flash assembly including a secondary flash unit, a mode switch and an intensity control, said secondary flash unit being adapted to properly expose subjects located at a distance from said camera which is less than said minimum predetermined distance, said mode switch selectively activating either said secondary flash unit or said primary flash unit during exposure;

means for attaching said flash assembly to said camera; and

a supplemental lens selectively attachable to said camera in front of said primary lens for changing the effective magnification of said primary lens and thereby allowing the camera to photograph subjects located closer than said minimum predetermined distance.