Video camera integrated with still camera

• US 6,359,649 B1
• Filed: 04/01/1996
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Etsurou
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, JACQUELINE B
• Application Number:
  US08/625,548
• Time in Patent Office: 2,178 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5232, 348/220, 348/333, 348/372, 348/371, 348/370, 348/334, 348/373, 348/375, 348/64, 348/315, 358/906, 358/909.1, 396/374, 396/429
• US Class Current: 348/220.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

In a video camera integrated with a still camera in which the still camera and the video camera are integrated into one camera body, while photography is not being performed by the video camera, an image immediately preceding an image to be recorded by the still camera and an image immediately following the image recorded by the still camera can be displayed on a monitor of the video camera. While photography is being performed by the video camera, the display of images before and after the execution of photography by the still camera is inhibited. When the camera is equipped with a flash device and still camera recording is accompanied by a flash emission, control is effected such that image information is stored for one field which is recorded by the video camera and which does not include image information for one field which does not contain an emission of the flash device is displayed. Alternatively, during flashing, an exposure value of the video camera may be made approximately equal to a correct exposure value that allows the still camera to achieve a correct exposure during flashing and display is made of a stored field which contains the emission of the flash device.

Claims

1. A video camera capable of photographing a moving image and a still image through a common photographic optical lens system, comprising:

video image recording means for recording photographed moving-image information on a first recording medium;

still image recording means for recording photographed still-image information on a second recording medium;

display means for displaying, on a screen, a moving image corresponding to the moving-image information recorded by said video image recording means and a still image corresponding to the still-image information recorded by said still image recording means;

operating means for instructing photographing and recording operations; and

control means for controlling said video image recording means, said still image recording means and said display means on the basis of operations of said operating means,

said control means for causing said display means to display the moving image and not to display a still image on the screen in the case that said operating means is not operated, and to simultaneously display the moving image and the still image on the screen in response to a first operation of said operating means,

and causing said still image recording means to record a still image corresponding to the still image displayed on the screen on the second recording medium in response to a second operation of said operating means and then to stop displaying the still image on the screen after a completion of the recording operation of the still image.

9. A video camera according to claim 1, wherein said first recording medium is a magnetic tape.

10. A video camera according to claim 1, wherein said second recording medium is a film.

11. A video camera according to claim 1, wherein said operating means has a first stroke and a second stroke.

12. A video camera according to claim 11, wherein said first operation is depressed to said first stroke and second operation is depressed to said second stroke.

13. A video camera according to claim 1, wherein said still image recording means includes a flash part.

14. A video camera according to claim 13, wherein said flash part is not allowed to perform an emission of light while recording the moving image on the first recording medium.

15. A video camera according to claim 1, wherein said display means displays simultaneously combined a main-picture image with a sub-picture image on the screen.

16. A video camera according to claim 15, wherein said sub-picture image is formed substantially one-third of said main-picture image in height and width.

2. A movie/still camera capable of photographing a moving image and a still image through a common photographic optical lens system, comprising:

moving image recording means for recording photographed moving-image information on a first recording medium;

still image recording means for recording photographed still-image information on a second recording medium;

display means for displaying, on a screen, a moving image corresponding to the moving-image information recorded by said moving image recording means and a still image corresponding to the still-image information recorded by said still image recording means;

operating means for directing an instruction of photographing and recording operations;

control means for controlling said moving image recording means, said still image recording means and said display means on the basis of operations of said operating means,

said control means for causing said display means to display the moving image and not to display a still image on the screen in the case that said operating means is not operated, and to simultaneously display the moving image in a portion in an image screen of said display means and the still image in another portion in said image screen of said display means in response to a first operation of said operating means,

and causing said still image recording means to record a still image corresponding to the still image displayed on the screen on the second recording medium in response to a second operation of said operating means and then to stop displaying the still image on the screen after a completion of the recording operation of the still image.

17. A movie/still camera according to claim 2, wherein said first recording medium is a magnetic tape.

18. A movie/still camera according to claim 2, wherein said second recording medium is a film.

19. A movie/still camera according to claim 2, wherein said operating means has a first stroke and a second stroke.

20. A movie/still camera according to claim 19, wherein said first operation is depressed to said first stroke and said second operation is depressed to said second stroke.

21. A movie/still camera according to claim 2, wherein said still image recording means includes a flash part.

22. A movie/still camera according to claim 2, wherein said flash part is not allowed to perform an emission of light while recording the moving image on the first medium.

23. A movie/still camera according to claim 2, wherein said display means displays simultaneously combined a main-picture image with a sub-picture image on the screen.

24. A movie/still camera according to claim 23, wherein said sub-picture image is formed substantially one-third of the main-picture image in height and width.

3. A video camera integrated with a still camera, comprising:

video camera means for recording moving-image information on a first recording medium;

still camera means for recording still-image information on a second recording medium;

memory means for storing image information obtainable from said video camera means;

display means for displaying the image information;

control means for generating control timing and controlling each of said video camera means, said still camera means, said memory means and said display means; and

operating means for allowing a user to perform photographing and recording operations,

said still camera means having a flash part, and said operating means having a mode setting part for setting execution of a pre-confirmation to temporarily display an image immediately preceding an image to be recorded by said still camera means or execution of a post-confirmation to temporarily display an image recorded by said still camera means,

when the pre-confirmation or the post-confirmation of a recording made by said still camera means which recording is accompanied by an emission of said flash part is to be performed, said control means executing control to store in said memory means image information for one field which is recorded by said video camera means and which does not include image information for one field which contains the emission of said flash part, and visually display the stored image information on said display means.

6. A video camera integrated with a still camera according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein, when the pre-confirmation of the recording made by said still camera means is to be performed, said control means responds to a signal SWI generated when a shutter button of said still camera means is depressed to a first stroke position, and executes control to store in said memory means the image information for one field photographed by said video camera means and visually display the stored image information on said display means.

7. A video camera integrated with a still camera according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein, when the pre-confirmation of the recording made by said still camera means is to be performed, said control means responds to a signal of an X contact which is a trigger to cause an emission of said flash part of said still camera means, and executes control to store in said memory means the image information for one field to photographed by said video camera means and visually display the stored image information on said display means.

4. A video camera integrated with a still camera, comprising:

video camera means for recording moving-image information on a first recording medium;

still camera means for recording still-image information on a second recording medium;

memory means for storing image information obtainable from said video camera means;

display means for displaying the image information;

control means for generating control timing and controlling each of said video camera means, said still camera means, said memory means and said display means; and

operating means for allowing a user to perform photographing and recording operations,

said still camera means having a flash part, and said operating means having a mode setting part for setting execution of a pre-confirmation to temporarily display an image immediately preceding an image to be recorded by said still camera means or execution of a post-confirmation to temporarily display an image recorded by said still camera means,

when the pre-confirmation or the post-confirmation of a recording made by said still camera means which recording is accompanied by an emission of said flash part is to be performed, said control means executing control to make an exposure control value of said video camera means approximately equal to a correct exposure control value which allows said still camera means to achieve a correct exposure when said flash part emits light, and executing control to store in said memory means image information for one field which contains the emission of said flash part, and visually display the stored image information on said display means.

5. A video camera integrated with a still camera, comprising:

video camera means for recording moving-image information on a first recording medium;

still camera means for recording still-image information on a second recording medium;

memory means for storing image information obtainable from said video camera means;

display means for displaying the image information;

control means for generating control timing and controlling each of said video camera means, said still camera means, said memory means and said display means; and

operating means for allowing a user to perform photographing and recording operations,

said still camera means having a flash part, and said operating means having a mode setting part for setting execution of a pre-confirmation to temporarily display an image immediately preceding an image to be recorded by said still camera means or execution of a post-confirmation to temporarily display an image recorded by said still camera means,

when the pre-confirmation of a recording made by said still camera means which recording is accompanied by an emission of said flash part is to be performed, said control means executing control to cause said flash part to emit light by an amount of emission smaller than an amount of emission which corresponds to a correct exposure control value of said still camera means, store in said memory means image information for one field which contains the emission of said flash part, and visually display the stored image information on said display means.

8. A video camera integrated with a still camera according to claim 5, wherein if the execution of the pre-confirmation of the recording made by said still camera means is set, said control means starts exposure control of said video camera means in response to an input of a signal SW1 generated when a shutter button of said still camera means is depressed to a first stroke position, whereas if the execution of the post-confirmation of the recording made by said still camera means is set, said control means starts exposure control of said video camera means in response to an input of a signal SW2 generated when the shutter button of said still camera means is depressed to a second stroke position.