Camera with blur reducing function

• US 6,345,152 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2000
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US09/557,983
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 396/52-55, 396/263, 396/266, 396/354, 396/358
• 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

Abstract

In response to an exposure start instructing operation by an exposure start instructing section, a mirror driving section raises a quick return mirror. After that, a shake detecting/computing section detects and computes a shake state, and an exposure start determining section determines, on the basis of the output of the shake detecting/computing section, whether or not the start of exposure should be allowed. If exposure is allowed by the exposure start determining section, a shutter unit is driven to actually start exposure. Information concerning time from the completion of the mirror driving operation of the mirror driving section to the start of the operation of the shake detecting/computing section or to that of the exposure start determining section is stored in an operation period information storage. Accordingly, the shake detecting/computing section or the exposure start determining section starts to operate in accordance with the stored information, thereby executing the above-described processing.

Claims

1. A camera having a blur reducing function, comprising:

camera control means for controlling an operation of the camera;

shake detecting/computing means for detecting a shake state of the camera and executing computation of the detected shake state;

exposure start determining means responsive to an output of said shake detecting/computing means for executing an exposure start determination so as to reduce a shake level during exposure;

exposure means for starting exposure in accordance with a determination result output from said exposure start determining means;

movable member driving means responsive to an instruction output from said camera control means for driving a movable member incorporated in the camera; and

storage means for storing operation start timing information to be used for said shake detecting/computing means after the movable member is driven by said movable member driving means.

2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein said storage means is a programmable non-volatile memory.

3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein information stored in said storage means is information on a time period shorter than a period of vibration, from start to finish, which occurs within the camera after the movable member is driven.

4. The camera according to claim 1, wherein said exposure start determining means initializes a predetermined register used for exposure start determination, after said movable driving means is driven and before said shake detecting/computing means operates.

5. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the movable member is a main mirror incorporated in a single-lens reflex camera.

6. A camera having a blur reducing function, comprising:

camera control means for controlling an operation of the camera;

shake detecting/computing means for detecting a shake state of the camera and executing computation of the detected shake state;

exposure start determining means responsive to an output of said shake detecting/computing means for executing an exposure start determination so as to reduce a shake level during exposure;

exposure means for starting exposure in accordance with a determination result output from said exposure start determining means;

movable member driving means responsive to an instruction output from said camera control means for driving a movable member incorporated in the camera; and

storage means for storing operation start timing information to be used for said exposure start determining means after the movable member is driven by said movable member driving means.

7. The camera according to claim 6, wherein said storage means is a programmable non-volatile memory.

8. The camera according to claim 6, wherein information stored in said storage means is information on a time period shorter than a period of vibration, from start to finish, which occurs within the camera after the movable member is driven.

9. The camera according to claim 6, wherein said exposure start determining means initializes a predetermined register used for exposure start determination, after said movable driving means is driven and before said exposure start determining means starts the execution of said exposure start determination.

10. The camera according to claim 6, wherein the movable member is a main mirror incorporated in a single-lens reflex camera.

11. A camera having a blur reducing function, comprising:

a movable member operable in accordance with a sequence of photography processes;

a memory for storing data relating to an operation period of said movable member;

a sensor for detecting shaking of the camera, after said movable member starts to operate in response to the releasing operation and continues its operation for the operation period stored in said memory; and

a control circuit for instructing to start photography when shake data detected by said sensor satisfies a predetermined determination reference value.

12. The camera according to claim 11, further comprising a timer for measuring a period elapsing from the releasing operation, and wherein

said control circuit instructs to start photography when said timer has measured a predetermined period.

13. The camera according to claim 11, wherein said memory is a programmable non-volatile memory.

14. The camera according to claim 11, wherein said movable member is a main mirror incorporated in a single-lens reflex camera.

15. A camera including:

a sensor for continuously detecting shaking of the camera;

a release switch to be operated for instructing start of photography;

a driving member operable in response to an operation of said release switch; and

a control circuit for starting a determining operation based on the output of said sensor after said driving member operates, and then causing the camera to execute photography when an output of said sensor is lower than a predetermined value.

16. The camera according to claim 15, wherein said driving member is a quick return mirror incorporated in a single-lens reflex camera.

17. A method of reducing, during exposure, shaking of a camera having a sensor for detecting a shake state of the camera, a release switch and a driving mechanism, comprising:

a first step of driving the driving mechanism in response to an operation of the release switch;

a second step of determining the shake state on the basis of an output from the sensor after driving of the driving mechanism is finished; and

a third step of executing exposure at a time point at which a shake level of the camera can be made lower than a reference value, on the basis of the determining result of said second step.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the driving mechanism is a quick return mirror incorporated in a single-lens reflex camera.