Camera support device

• US 6,895,180 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2003
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ImmerVision Inc. (f/k/a 6115187 Canada Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ImmerVision Inc. (f/k/a 6115187 Canada Inc.)
• Inventors: Artonne, Jean-Claude, Moustier, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US10/640,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20040086270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 348/36, 348/373, 348/376, 396/71, 396/419, 396/422, 396/428
• US Class Current: 396/71
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 15/10 by adding a part, e.g. close-up attachment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a camera support device including an attachment device for a camera fitted or capable of being fitted with a first lens, and a mechanism for rotating around an axis. The attachment device also includes a device for attaching an adapter lens, particularly a panoramic adapter lens, arranged to hold the adapter lens in line with the first lens without the need to attach the adapter lens to the camera.

Claims

1. A camera support device comprising:

means for attaching a camera having a first lens;

means for rotating around an axis;

means for attaching an adapter lens arranged to hold the adapter lens in line with the first lens; and

a resilient return mechanism configured to bias the adapter lens in a direction of a front of the first lens.

2. The support device according to claim 1, wherein the means for attaching a camera and the means for attaching an adapter lens are arranged to hold the adapter lens in a position such that the axis of rotation of the support device is located substantially in the nodal plane of the front lens of the adapter lens.

3. The support device according to claim 1, wherein the adapter lens is a panoramic adapter lens.

4. The support device according to claim 1, further comprising a mobile component and means for attaching the adapter lens to the mobile component, the mobile component being slidably mounted and pushed by an elastic means in a direction corresponding to the location of the front lens of the first lens.

5. The support device according to claim 4, wherein the mobile component is a socket receiving all or part of the adapter lens.

6. The support device according to claim 4, wherein the mobile component comprises an outgrowth or a rim on its back face intended to come into contact with a peripheral front part of the first lens, so that the back lens of the adapter lens and the front lens of the first lens are not in contact.

7. The support device according to claim 1, comprising an optical guide configured to guide front light to a light-sensitive cell of the camera.

8. The support device according to claim 1, comprising a compass arranged in a plane substantially below the attachment area of the adapter lens, so that the compass appears in the lower part of an exposure when the adapter lens is a panoramic lens.

9. The support device according to claim 8, wherein the compass comprises a face having an artificial color designed to be distinguished from the natural colors of an exposure during a computer image analysis aiming to find the location of the compass in an image.

10. The support device according to claim 9, wherein the compass comprises a needle comprising a color that contrasts highly with the color of the face on a first north or south half and a color substantially identical to the color of the face on a second south or north half, so as to be distinguished from the face during a computer image analysis aiming to find the location of the needle.

11. The support device according to claim 8, wherein the compass has a center part in a dark color such that the face of the compass forms a colored ring the shape of which facilitates the detection of the face during a computer image analysis aiming to find the location of the face.

12. The support device according to claim 8, further comprising a tongue arranged in a plane substantially below the attachment area of the adapter lens, and means for arranging the tongue either in a visible position where the tongue appears in the lower part of an exposure when the adapter lens is a panoramic lens, or in a hidden position where the tongue does not appear in the exposure.

13. The support device according to claim 12, wherein the tongue extends over a compass face and is of a color that contrasts highly with a face color so as to facilitate the detection of the tongue during a computer image analysis aiming to find the location of the tongue.

14. The support device according to claim 12, wherein the tongue is rotatably mounted around an axis coaxial to the axis of rotation of the support device.

15. The support device according to claim 1, further comprising a color-grading component including at least three samples of colors, arranged in a plane substantially below the attachment plane of the adapter lens and appearing in the lower part of an exposure when the adapter lens is a panoramic lens.

16. The support device according to claim 15, wherein the color-grading component is circular and concentric to the face of a compass.

17. A Photography kit for taking wide-angle photographs comprising:

a camera support device according to claim 1, with an axis of rotation,

the camera fitted with the first lens, and

a panoramic adapter lens,

the support device being shaped so that the nodal plane of the front lens of the adapter lens is substantially in line with the axis of rotation of the support device without the need to make any particular adjustment and without the need to conduct any tests to correct parallax errors.

18. A method for taking wide-angle photographs by means of a camera having a first lens and by means of an adapter lens, the method comprising:

providing a support device of the camera comprising means for rotating around an axis, means for attaching the camera and means for attaching the adapter lens, the means for attaching the adapter lens being arranged to hold the adapter lens in line with the first lens;

fitting the support device with a resilient return mechanism configured to bias the adapter lens in a direction of a front of the first lens;

attaching the camera onto the support device; and

attaching the adapter lens onto the support device.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the adapter lens is a panoramic adapter lens.

20. The method according to claim 18, comprising a step of fitting the support device with an optical guide configured to guide front light to a light-sensitive cell of the camera.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

shaping the support device so that the axis of rotation of the support device is located substantially in the nodal plane of the front lens of the adapter lens.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

fitting the support device with a compass arranged in a plane substantially below the attachment area of the adapter lens so that the compass appears in the lower part of an exposure when the adapter lens is a panoramic lens.

23. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

fitting the support device with a tongue arranged in a plane substantially below the attachment area of the adapter lens and means for arranging the tongue in a position where the tongue appears in the lower part of an exposure when the adapter lens is a panoramic lens.

24. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

fitting the support device with a color-grading component comprising at least three primary colors, the grading component being arranged in a plane substantially below the attachment plane of the adapter lens so that the color-grading component appears in the lower part of an exposure when the adapter lens is a panoramic lens.

25. A camera support device comprising:

a camera attachment device that receives a camera having a first lens;

a rotation mechanism that rotates around an axis, the rotation mechanism being coupled to the camera attachment device;

a lens attachment device that receives an adapter lens, the lens attachment device being configured to hold the adapter lens in line with the first lens; and

a resilient return mechanism configured to bias the adapter lens in a direction of a front of the first lens.

26. A camera support device comprising:

means for attaching a camera having a first lens;

means for rotating around an axis; and

means for attaching an adapter lens arranged to hold the adapter lens in line with the first lens,

wherein the means for attaching a camera and the means for attaching an adapter lens are arranged to hold the adapter lens in a position such that the axis of rotation of the support device is located substantially in the nodal plane of the front lens of the adapter lens.

27. The support device according to claim 26, further comprising a resilient return mechanism configured to bias the adapter lens in a direction of a front of the first lens.

28. The support device according to claim 26, further comprising a mobile component and means for attaching the adapter lens to the mobile component, the mobile component being slidably mounted and pushed by an elastic means in a direction corresponding to the location of the front lens of the first lens.

29. The support device according to claim 28, wherein the mobile component is a socket receiving all or part of the adapter lens.

30. The support device according to claim 28, wherein the mobile component comprises an outgrowth or a rim on its back face intended to come into contact with a peripheral front part of the first lens, so that the back lens of the adapter lens and the front lens of the first lens are not in contact.

31. A camera support device comprising:

means for attaching a camera having a first lens;

means for rotating around an axis;

means for attaching an adapter lens arranged to hold the adapter lens in line with the first lens; and

an optical guide configured to guide front light to a light-sensitive cell of the camera.

32. The support device according to claim 31, wherein the means for attaching a camera and the means for attaching an adapter lens are arranged to hold the adapter lens in a position such that the axis of rotation of the support device is located substantially in the nodal plane of the front lens of the adapter lens.

33. The support device according to claim 31, further comprising a resilient return mechanism configured to bias the adapter lens in a direction of a front of the first lens.

34. The support device according to claim 31, further comprising a mobile component and means for attaching the adapter lens to the mobile component, the mobile component being slidably mounted and pushed by an elastic means in a direction corresponding to the location of the front lens of the first lens.