Camera

• US 6,226,458 B1
• Filed: 10/25/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaihara, Shoji
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US09/426,024
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 396/50
• US Class Current: 396/50
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/12 Reflex cameras with single objective and a movable reflector or a partly-transmitting mirror

Abstract

A camera includes a movable mirror which moves between a mirror-down position and a mirror-up position, an attitude detecting device which detects an attitude of the camera, and a control circuit in which a plurality of periods of stabilization time of the movable mirror are set and which changes over the stabilization time of the movable mirror among the plurality of periods according to a result of detection provided by the attitude detecting device. If the attitude of the camera has changed in process of a continuous photo-taking operation, the control circuit keeps the stabilization time of the movable mirror set at the time of start of the continuous photo-taking operation without changing over the stabilization time of the movable mirror.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

a) a movable mirror which moves between a mirror-down position and a mirror-up position;

b) an attitude detecting device which detects an attitude of the camera; and

c) a control circuit in which a plurality of periods of stabilization time of said movable mirror are set and which changes over the stabilization time of said movable mirror among the plurality of periods according to a result of detection provided by said attitude detecting device,

wherein, if the attitude of the camera has changed in process of a continuous photo-taking operation, said control circuit keeps the stabilization time of said movable mirror set at the time of start of the continuous photo-taking operation without changing over the stabilization time of said movable mirror.

2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said attitude detecting device detects a direction of gravity acting on the camera.

3. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said movable mirror is influenced by gravity when moving from the mirror-up position to the mirror-down position.

4. A camera according to claim 1, wherein the stabilization time of said movable mirror is a period of time required for said movable mirror moving from the mirror-up position to the mirror-down position.

5. A camera comprising:

a) a movable mirror which moves between a mirror-down position and a mirror-up position;

b) an attitude detecting device which detects an attitude of the camera; and

c) a control circuit in which a first period of stabilization time and a second period of stabilization time that is longer than the first period of stabilization time are set as stabilization time of said movable mirror and which changes over the first period of stabilization time and the second period of stabilization time according to a result of detection provided by said attitude detecting device,

wherein, if the stabilization time of said movable mirror set at the time of start of a continuous photo-taking operation is the second period of stabilization time, said control circuit keeps the second period of stabilization time without changing over the stabilization time of said movable mirror, even if the attitude of the camera has changed in process of the continuous photo-taking operation.

6. A camera according to claim 5, wherein said attitude detecting device detects a direction of gravity acting on the camera.

7. A camera according to claim 5, wherein said movable mirror is influenced by gravity when moving from the mirror-up position to the mirror-down position.

8. A camera according to claim 5, wherein the stabilization time of said movable mirror is a period of time required for said movable mirror moving from the mirror-up position to the mirror-down position.

9. A camera according to claim 5, wherein, if the stabilization time of said movable mirror set at the time of start of the continuous photo-taking operation is the second period of stabilization time, said attitude detecting device is inhibited from performing an attitude detecting operation during process of the continuous photo-taking operation.

10. A camera according to claim 5, wherein, if the stabilization time of said movable mirror set at the time of start of the continuous photo-taking operation is the first period of stabilization time, said attitude detecting device is allowed to perform an attitude detecting operation during process of the continuous photo-taking operation.

11. A camera comprising:

a) a light measuring device which performs a light measuring operation;

b) a movable mirror which moves between a mirror-down position and a mirror-up position;

c) an attitude detecting device which detects whether the camera is in a first attitude at which stabilization time of said movable mirror is shorter or in a second attitude at which stabilization time of said movable mirror is longer; and

d) a control circuit which gives to said light measuring device an instruction for starting the light measuring operation, after the stabilization time of said movable mirror has elapsed,

wherein, if an attitude of the camera is the first attitude at the time of start of a continuous photo-taking operation and the attitude of the camera has changed from the first attitude to the second attitude in process of the continuous photo-taking operation, said control circuit does not give to said light measuring device the instruction for starting the light measuring operation.

12. A camera according to claim 11, wherein said attitude detecting device detects a direction of gravity acting on the camera.

13. A camera according to claim 11, wherein said movable mirror is influenced by gravity when moving from the mirror-up position to the mirror-down position.

14. A camera according to claim 11, wherein, if the attitude of the camera is the first attitude at the time of start of the continuous photo-taking operation and the attitude of the camera has changed from the first attitude to the second attitude in process of the continuous photo-taking operation, said control circuit does not give to said light measuring device the instruction for starting the light measuring operation, until the attitude of the camera changes from the second attitude to the first attitude.

15. A camera comprising:

a) a focus detecting device which performs a focus detecting operation;

b) a movable mirror which moves between a mirror-down position and a mirror-up position;

c) an attitude detecting device which detects whether the camera is in a first attitude at which stabilization time of said movable mirror is shorter or in a second attitude at which stabilization time of said movable mirror is longer; and

d) a control circuit which gives to said focus detecting device an instruction for starting the focus detecting operation, after the stabilization time of said movable mirror has elapsed,

wherein, if an attitude of the camera is the first attitude at the time of start of a continuous photo-taking operation and the attitude of the camera has changed from the first attitude to the second attitude in process of the continuous photo-taking operation, said control circuit does not give to said focus detecting device the instruction for starting the focus detecting operation.

16. A camera according to claim 15, wherein said attitude detecting device detects a direction of gravity acting on the camera.

17. A camera according to claim 15, wherein said movable mirror is influenced by gravity when moving from the mirror-up position to the mirror-down position.

18. A camera according to claim 15, wherein, if the attitude of the camera is the first attitude at the time of start of the continuous photo-taking operation and the attitude of the camera has changed from the first attitude to the second attitude in process of the continuous photo-taking operation, said control circuit does not give to said focus detecting device the instruction for starting the focus detecting operation, until the attitude of the camera changes from the second attitude to the first attitude.