Camera system having converting means, recording means, reproduction means, plate-shaped display and protection means

• US 7,030,925 B1
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1978
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Inc.
• Original Assignee: Canon Inc.
• Inventors: Aizawa, Hiroshi, Date, Nobuaki, Tsunekawa, Tokuichi, Hosoe, Kazuya, Urushibara, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US08/486,426
• Time in Patent Office: 3,968 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207, 348/344, 348/373, 348/739, 348/333, 348/341, 348/333.09, 348/333.01, 348/231.99, 358/906, 358/335, 358/909.1, 354/219, 396/374, 396/373, 386/31, 386/38
• US Class Current: 348/333.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/53 of electronic viewfinders, e.g. rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/83 the recorded chrominance signal occupying a frequency band under the frequency band of the recorded brightness signal

Abstract

A camera system comprising means for converting an object image into an image signal, recording means for recording the image signal on a recording medium, reproduction means for reproducing the image signal recorded on the recording medium, finder means for displaying the object image and display means for selectively displaying an image corresponding to the image signal to be recorded or an image corresponding to the reproduced image signal. A display portion of the finder means is smaller than that of the display means and the display portion of the display means has a flat plate which can be exposed to an outside of the camera system.

Claims

1. A portable camera, comprising:

(a) converting means for converting an optical image as an object image into an image signal;

(b) optical lens means for leading the optical image to said converting means;

(c) recording means for recording the image signal recorded on a recording medium;

(d) reproduction means for reproducing the image signal recorded on the recording medium;

(e) finder means for displaying the object image, said finder means including further optical lens means for leading the optical image to an eye piece arranged on a rear surface of a camera body;

(f) display means, arranged on said rear surface of said camera body, for displaying an image corresponding to the image signal converted by said converting means in a first mode, and for displaying an image corresponding to the reproduced image signal;

wherein said eye-piece of said finder means is smaller than the display portion of said display means and said eye-piece is located above the display portion of said display means and substantially located in a middle of range defined by the upper side of said display portion of said display means.

2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein the display means includes a liquid crystal display located below the display portion of the finder means.

3. A portable camera, comprising:

(a) converting means for converting an optical image as an object image into an image signal;

(b) optical lens means for leading the optical image to said converting means;

(c) recording means for recording the image signal recorded on a recording medium;

(d) reproduction means for reproducing the image signal recorded on the recording medium;

(e) finder means for displaying the object image, said finder means includes further optical lens means for leading the optical image to an eye piece thereof arranged on a rear surface of a camera body;

(f) display means, arranged on said rear surface of said camera body, for displaying an image corresponding to the image signal converted by said converting means in a first mode, and for displaying an image corresponding to the reproduced image signal;

(g) a case for housing at least said finder means, said display means, said recording means, wherein said eye-piece of said finder means is smaller than the display portion of said display means and said eye-piece is located above the display portion of said display means and substantially located in a middle of range defined by the upper side of said display portion of said display means.