Digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera

• US 8,403,573 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ueran Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hong-ju, Kim, Dong-min
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fenwick, Warren K
• Application Number:
  US12/362,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20090190913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 396/296, 396/354, 396/384, 396/439, 396/447, 396/373, 396/374
• US Class Current: 396/354
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/12 Reflex cameras with single objective and a movable reflector or a partly-transmitting mirror

Abstract

A digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera is provided for displaying predetermined photographing information, including focus information, camera information, etc., on a display screen of a viewfinder. The DSLR camera includes: the viewfinder for observing an image of an object; a pentaprism outputting the image of the object to the viewfinder; and a display device disposed on a side of the pentaprism to display photographing information.

Claims

1. A digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera comprising:

a viewfinder for observing an image of an object;

a pentaprism for outputting the image of the object to the viewfinder; and

a flat display device disposed on a side of the pentaprism to display photographing information,

wherein

the flat display device is directly attached to and substantially coplanar with the side of the pentaprism,

the side of the pentaprism to which the display device is attached is one of the sides of the pentaprism that reflects the image of the object, and

the flat display device has substantially a same size as the side of the pentaprism to which the flat display device is attached and entirely covers the side of the pentaprism.

2. The DSLR camera of claim 1, wherein the display device is an organic light-emitting display device.

3. The DSLR camera of claim 2, wherein the organic light-emitting display device comprises:

at least one thin film transistor (TFT) comprising an active layer formed on a substrate, a gate electrode insulated from the active layer, and source and drain electrodes contacting the active layer, the substrate being substantially coplanar with the side of the pentaprism; and

an organic light-emitting diode electrically connected to the TFT.

4. The DSLR camera of claim 1, wherein the image of the object is displayed on the viewfinder, together with the photographing information displayed on the display device.

5. The DSLR camera of claim 1, wherein the photographing information comprises focus information for the image of the object.

6. The DSLR camera of claim 5, wherein the focus information overlaps with the image of the object, in an area of the display device that overlaps with a focal area of the image of the object.

7. The DSLR camera of claim 1, wherein the photographing information comprises camera information as currently set in the DSLR camera.

8. The DSLR camera of claim 7, wherein the camera information comprises at least one of a photographing mode, a number of images to be photographed, an International Standardization Organization (ISO) sensitivity, a shutter speed, or an aperture value.

9. A digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera comprising:

a lens unit;

a mirror that changes an advancing direction of light of an object, which has passed through the lens unit;

a focal plate on which an image of the object is formed;

a finder optical system for observing the image of the object formed on the focal plate, wherein the image of the object formed on the focal plate and photographing information of the DSLR camera are simultaneously displayed using the finder optical system; and

a display device to display the photographing information via the finder optical system, wherein the display device is formed having a size that is larger than the image of the object formed on the focal plate;

wherein the finder optical system comprises;

a viewfinder for observing the image of the object; and

a pentaprism outputting the image of the object to the viewfinder,

wherein

the display device is directly disposed on a side of the pentaprism that reflects the image of the object; and

the display device entirely covers the side of the pentaprism to which the flat display device is attached.

10. The DSLR camera of claim 9, wherein the display device is an organic light-emitting display device.

11. The DSLR camera of claim 10, wherein the light-emitting display device comprises:

at least one thin film transistor (TFT) comprising a semiconductor active layer formed on a substrate, a gate electrode insulated from the semiconductor active layer, and source and drain electrodes contacting the semiconductor active layer;

a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on the TFT;

pixel defining layers formed among the pixel electrodes;

a plurality of organic layers respectively formed on the pixel defining layers; and

a counter electrode formed on the organic layers.

12. The DSLR camera of claim 9, wherein an area of the display device, which optically overlaps with the image of the object, is displayed having a black background that improves luminance and color purity enhancing readability.

13. The DSLR camera of claim 9, wherein measured focus information for the image of the object is displayed on an area of the display device that optically overlaps with the image of the object.

14. The DSLR camera of claim 9, wherein camera information is displayed in a first area of the display device that is outside a second area of the display device that optically overlaps with the image of the object.

15. The DSLR camera of claim 14, wherein the camera information comprises at least one of a photographing mode, a number of images to be photographed, an International Standardization Organization (ISO) sensitivity, a shutter speed, or an aperture value.

16. The DSLR camera of claim 9, wherein the pentaprism and the display device are formed into a single body.

17. A digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera comprising:

a viewfinder for observing an image of an object;

a pentaprism for outputting the image of the object to the viewfinder; and

a flat display device disposed on a side of the pentaprism to display photographing information on the viewfinder,

wherein the display device is directly attached to and substantially coplanar with the side of the pentaprism and the display device substantially has the same length and width as the length and width of the side of the pentaprism to which the display device is attached and entirely covers the side of the pentaprism.