Camera digital assembly, camera with digital assembly and shooting method of camera

Abstract

The invention provides a camera digital assembly, which comprises a shooting control button, a digital back and a digital base, and is characterized in that the shooting control button is arranged at the position of a camera upper cover; the camera digital assembly further comprises an SoC chip, a photosensitive chip and a power supply module, the photosensitive chip is arranged on the digital back position, and at least one of the SoC chip and the power supply module is arranged on the digital base position. According to the digital assembly provided by the invention, the photosensitive chip is arranged on the digital back and can be used as an imaging negative film instead of a film, and the SoC chip and other components are arranged on the digital base or the digital back, so that the digital use of a film camera is realized. The invention further provides a camera with the digital assembly and a shooting method of the camera.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cameras, and more specifically to a digital component applicable to film cameras, a camera having the digital component, and a shooting method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional film cameras use film to expose images, followed by a series of processes in a darkroom, including developing, selecting, printing, enlarging, and retouching. This process is complex and expensive, and also poses environmental pollution problems. Furthermore, film cameras cannot be inlined, meaning images are not immediately available, leading to some unfortunate moments in shooting. However, traditional film cameras also have their unique advantages. Photographers can adjust shutter speed, aperture, focal length, and ISO according to the specific scene, and change lenses to suit different shooting needs. This provides professional photographers with greater shooting enjoyment, and film images offer a higher degree of detail and excellent image quality. Therefore, many traditional film cameras still exist on the market, such as the Leica M series, Nikon F2 / F3, and early Canon film cameras, and are still widely collected by photography enthusiasts.

[0003] Digital cameras use image sensors, allowing users to instantly view, process, store, and transfer images after taking a picture. They can also retake the shot if the user is not satisfied. Digital cameras employ automatic exposure and autofocus, making shooting simple, and can improve image resolution by increasing the total pixel count. Therefore, they are very popular with consumers and have gradually replaced traditional film cameras as the mainstream in the market. However, the increased intelligence of digital cameras reduces the enjoyment of mechanical operation and prevents more personalized adjustments based on the photographer's skills to achieve better image quality.

[0004] Therefore, in the digital age, if these traditional film cameras could be made to take digital photos, turning them from waste into treasure, while also taking into account the personalized advantages of manual adjustment of film cameras and the shooting convenience and continuously improving imaging performance of digital cameras, there would be a great market demand. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application therefore provides a digital component with a complete structure and function, a camera having the digital component, and a shooting method, which enables film cameras to be used digitally.

[0006] This application provides a camera digital component, including a shooting control button, a digital back, and a digital dock. The shooting control button is located on the top cover of the camera. The camera digital component further includes a SoC chip, a photosensitive chip, and a power module. The photosensitive chip is located on the digital back, and at least one of the SoC chip and the power module is located in the digital dock.

[0007] The shooting control button is used to trigger the generation of a shooting initial signal when it is pressed, and the shooting control button is also used to trigger the generation of a shooting end signal when it is released.

[0008] The SoC chip is connected to the shooting control button wirelessly or via wire. The SoC chip is used to send a shooting start signal to the photosensitive chip after receiving the shooting start signal to start the photosensitive chip to shoot, and to send a shooting stop signal to the photosensitive chip when receiving the shooting end signal, and to perform image processing on the image sent by the photosensitive chip.

[0009] The photosensitive chip is connected to the SoC chip and is used to start taking pictures after receiving the shooting start signal, and to send the captured images to the SoC chip after receiving the shooting stop signal; and

[0010] The power module is connected to the photosensitive chip and the SoC chip, and is used to provide operating power to the photosensitive chip and the SoC chip.

[0011] This application also provides a camera, including the camera digital components as described above.

[0012] This application also provides a shooting method applied to the above-mentioned camera, including the following steps:

[0013] The initial shooting signal is generated by touching the shooting control button;

[0014] After receiving the initial shooting signal, the SoC chip sends the shooting start signal to activate the photosensitive chip;

[0015] A shutter signal is generated by touching the camera shutter button, and the camera shutter opens to take an exposure.

[0016] The shooting end signal is generated by releasing the shooting control button;

[0017] Upon receiving the shooting end signal, the SoC chip sends the shooting stop signal to the photosensitive chip;

[0018] After receiving the shooting stop signal, the photosensitive chip transmits the acquired image to the SoC chip; and

[0019] The SoC chip performs image processing.

[0020] As described above, the digital component, camera with the digital component, and shooting method provided in this application can replace film as the imaging negative by setting a photosensitive chip on the digital back. By setting components such as the SoC chip on the digital back or digital base, the digital use of film cameras is realized, avoiding the complex operation and high cost of film cameras. At the same time, due to the use of the digital base, more and larger-sized devices can be configured on the digital back and digital base respectively, making the system functions more complete, the structural configuration more flexible, and avoiding excessive temperature during operation, as well as reducing signal interference between components. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the front structure of a film camera according to one embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the rear structure of a film camera according to one embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 3(a) is a schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the shooting control button of this application.

[0025] Figure 3(b) is a schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the shooting control button of this application.

[0026] Figure 4(a) is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the digital back panel in one embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 4(b) is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the digital base in one embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the digital component in one embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a shooting method using a camera with the aforementioned digital components according to one embodiment of this application.

[0030] The realization of the objectives, functional features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings have illustrated specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concepts of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to specific embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0032] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, components, features, and elements with the same names in different embodiments of this application may have the same meaning or different meanings, the specific meaning of which must be determined by its interpretation in that specific embodiment or further in conjunction with the context of that specific embodiment.

[0033] It should be noted that step designations such as S111 and S112 are used in this document for the purpose of more clearly and concisely describing the corresponding content, and do not constitute a substantial limitation on the order. In specific implementation, those skilled in the art may execute S112 first and then S111, etc., but these should all be within the protection scope of this application.

[0034] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0035] The following detailed description of the contents of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 and Figure 2This embodiment illustrates the application of the camera digital component of this application in a film camera to achieve the digitization of the film camera. In other embodiments, the camera digital component of this application can also be used as an accessory for a digital camera. The camera digital component of this application includes a shooting control button, a digital back, and a digital dock.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the front structure of the digital components applied in the film camera 100 in this embodiment. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the rear structure of the film camera 100 with digital components applied in this embodiment. The shooting control button 112 is located on the top cover 110 of the film camera 100. The digital back 140 replaces the original back of the film camera 100. The digital base 120 can be tightly connected to the bottom cover (not shown) of the film camera 100 via connecting components such as a tripod hole. The digital back 140 also has a power switch 142, a display screen 144, and several operation buttons 146.

[0038] The film camera 100 has the general structure and functions of a conventional film camera. For example, the film camera has a lens assembly 132 mounted on the front cover 130, a shutter speed adjustment button 114 on the top cover 110, and other corresponding structures such as a flash, card puller, card return mechanism, card return release button, lens release button, ISO dial, film chamber, and film transfer spindle. These structures and operating methods are no different from those of a conventional film camera and will not be described in detail here. After the film camera 100 is digitized, the shutter speed, aperture, focal length, etc. can still be manually adjusted according to actual needs. However, some components will become useless after digitization, such as the card puller, card return mechanism, card return release button, film chamber, and film transfer spindle related to film use.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 3(a), which is a schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the shooting control button 112 in this application. The shooting control button 112 includes a shutter button 1121, which is disposed on the top cover 110 of the film camera. A contact 1122 is disposed below the shutter button 1121. The shutter button 1121 and the contact 1122 are vertically disposed and can be connected together through a screw hole. When the shutter button 1121 is half-pressed, the contact 1122 triggers the generation of an initial shooting signal. When the shutter button 1121 is fully pressed, the shutter of the film camera opens for exposure. When the shutter button 1121 is released, the contact 1122 triggers the generation of an end shooting signal. It is understood that in other embodiments, the vertical positions of the shutter button 1121 and the contact 1122 can be interchanged, as long as the contact 1122 can be preferentially triggered to generate the initial shooting signal. In this embodiment, the shooting control button 112 includes a shutter button 1121 and a contact 1122 arranged vertically. It can be directly modified using the position of the shutter button of a film camera, which is convenient to operate and does not affect the appearance of the film camera.

[0040] Please refer to Figure 3(b), which is a schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the shooting control button 112 in this application. The shooting control button 112 is independently configured from the shutter button 114 of the film camera, and the shooting control button 112 and the shutter button 114 are horizontally arranged side-by-side on the top cover of the film camera. The shooting control button 112 is positioned slightly outward from the camera's central axis so that a finger can press it first during shooting. When the shooting control button 112 is pressed, it triggers the generation of a shooting initial signal. When the shutter button 114 is pressed, the film camera shutter opens for exposure. When the shooting control button 112 is released, it triggers the generation of a shooting end signal. It is understood that in other embodiments, the horizontal positions of the shutter button 1121 and the contact point 1122 can be interchanged, as long as the contact point 1122 can be preferentially triggered to generate the shooting initial signal. In this embodiment, the shooting control button 112 and the shutter button 114 are arranged horizontally side by side. There is no need to change the structure of the shutter button 114 of the film camera. The shooting control button 112 can be newly set on the top cover of the film camera near the shutter button 114.

[0041] Please refer to Figures 4(a) and 4(b). Figure 4(a) is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the digital back 140 in one embodiment of this application, and Figure 4(b) is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the digital base 120 in one embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the photosensitive chip 1401, the temperature regulation device 1402, and the peripheral circuit 1403 are disposed on the inner side of the digital back 140. The photosensitive chip 1401 corresponds to the lens of the camera front cover and is located at the center of the lens. The base 120 is provided with a SoC chip 1201, a power module 1202, and a storage module 1203. The back 140 and the base 120 are each provided with connection interfaces 1404 and 1204, respectively, and the back 140 and the base 120 are connected through the interfaces 1404 and 1204 for signal transmission.

[0042] In other embodiments, the SoC chip 1201, the power module 1202, and the storage module 1203 can be selectively disposed on the digital back 140 or the digital dock 120. That is, at least one of the SoC chip 1201, the power module 1202, and the storage module 1203 is disposed in the digital dock 120. For example, the SoC chip 1201 is disposed on the digital back 140, and the power module 1202 and the storage module 1203 are disposed on the digital dock 120; or, the SoC chip 1201 and the storage module 1203 are disposed on the digital back 140, and the power module 1202 is disposed on the digital dock 120; or, the power module 1202 is disposed on the digital back 140, and the SoC chip 1201 and the storage module 1203 are disposed on the digital dock 120. Of course, the SoC chip 1201, the power module 1202, and the storage module 1203 can also be mounted together with the photosensitive chip 1401 on the back 140 of the film camera. However, this method requires limiting the size of the components, which reduces system performance. The space setting is not flexible enough and there may be signal interference.

[0043] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal circuit structure of a camera digital component 500 according to one embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the digital component 500 includes a shooting control button 510, a SoC chip 520, a photosensitive chip 530, and a power module 540. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the digital component 500 also includes a storage module 550, a display screen 560, several operation buttons 570, a temperature adjustment device 580, and peripheral circuitry 590. In other embodiments, the storage module 550, display screen 560, several operation buttons 570, temperature adjustment device 580, and peripheral circuitry 590 can be selectively configured as needed.

[0044] The shooting control button 510 triggers the generation of a shooting initial signal when it is pressed, and triggers the generation of a shooting end signal when it is released. The SoC chip 520 is connected to the shooting control button 510 wirelessly or via a wired connection. After receiving the shooting initial signal, the SoC chip 520 sends a shooting start signal to the photosensitive chip 530 to start the photosensitive chip 530 to take pictures, and sends a shooting stop signal to the photosensitive chip 530 when it receives the shooting end signal. The photosensitive chip 530 is connected to the SoC chip 520. After receiving the shooting start signal, it starts taking pictures, and after receiving the shooting stop signal, it sends the captured image to the SoC chip 520 for image processing. The power module 540 is connected to the photosensitive chip 530 and the SoC chip 520, and is used to provide working power to the photosensitive chip 530 and the SoC chip 520 when the power switch is on.

[0045] In this embodiment, the photosensitive chip 530 is a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor. Compared to CCD (Charge-coupled Device) image sensors, CMOS image sensors have lower cost, lower power consumption, and faster response speed. In one embodiment, the photosensitive chip 530 is a full-frame CMOS image sensor, meaning its size is 36mm x 24mm, to accommodate corresponding camera models, such as Leica M-series film cameras, early Nikon F2, F3, FM2 and other manual cameras, and early film cameras from other brands, such as Pentax, Canon, and Olympus. It should be noted that the sensor size determines the camera's light-sensing capability; a larger sensor size results in a larger light-sensitive area, receiving more light information and producing a more detailed and richer image. The sensor size also affects the image field and depth of field; a larger sensor size results in a larger image field and a shallower depth of field. Furthermore, a larger sensor size can also provide higher pixel resolution. In other embodiments, the image sensor 530 may also be extended to a medium format size to accommodate different models of the film camera 10, such as the Hasselblad V series, Pentax 67, Mamiya RB67, etc.

[0046] In this embodiment, the storage module 550 is connected to the SoC chip 520 and is used to store images captured by the photosensitive chip 530. In this embodiment, the storage module 550 is an SD card; in other embodiments, it can be other storage devices, such as CF cards, SM cards, Memory Sticks, MMC (Multimedia Cards), etc. In other embodiments, the storage module 550 may be omitted, and the SoC chip 520 can wirelessly transmit the processed images to a computer device.

[0047] In this embodiment, the SoC chip 520 includes a processor 522, a controller 524, and a memory 526. The processor 522 is used to process the image. The controller 524 is used to generate control commands based on the received initial shooting signal and the end shooting signal. The control commands include the shooting start signal and the shooting stop signal sent to the photosensitive chip 530. The memory 526 is used to store the image to be processed sent by the photosensitive chip 530.

[0048] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 5 The display screen 560 is connected to the SoC chip 520 and the storage module 550, and is used to display images processed by the SoC chip 520 and / or images in the storage module 550. In one embodiment, the display screen 560 is a liquid crystal display screen, and more specifically, the display screen 560 is a touch liquid crystal display screen. In some embodiments, the plurality of operation buttons 570 include at least a delete button and a restore button, used to delete or restore images in the SoC chip 520 and the storage module 550. In some embodiments, the plurality of operation buttons 570 also include a confirmation button, used to confirm the performed delete or restore action.

[0049] In this embodiment, the temperature regulating device 580 is connected to the photosensitive chip 530 and is used to regulate the temperature of the photosensitive chip 530 to ensure its normal operation. In some embodiments, the temperature regulating device 580 includes a heat sink for reducing the temperature of the photosensitive chip 530 at high temperatures. In one embodiment, the heat sink is a heat dissipation fin disposed on the back of the photosensitive chip 530. In some embodiments, the temperature regulating device 580 includes a heating circuit for increasing the temperature of the photosensitive chip 530 at low temperatures. The temperature regulating device 580 may simultaneously include the heat sink and the heating circuit, or may selectively include both, with a preference for the heat sink to address the heat generation issue during chip operation. In other embodiments, the temperature regulating device 580 may also include a temperature detection circuit and a control circuit, thereby automatically detecting the chip's operating temperature and controlling the operating state of the heat sink and / or the heating circuit through the control circuit to ensure the chip operates within its normal operating range.

[0050] In this embodiment, the peripheral circuit 590 is connected to the photosensitive chip 530. The peripheral circuit 590 includes several capacitors and resistors, which are used to perform functions such as filtering, decoupling, and stabilizing current.

[0051] This application also provides a camera having the aforementioned digital components for capturing images.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 A method for taking pictures using a camera having the above-described digital components, as described in one embodiment of this application, includes the following steps:

[0053] Step S610: Turn on the power switch on the digital back. It's understandable that the power switch doesn't need to be turned on every time you shoot; in fact, if power consumption isn't a concern, you can skip the power switch altogether and simply plug it in, such as with batteries, for continuous power.

[0054] Step S611: Generate the initial shooting signal by touching and pressing the shooting control button.

[0055] Step S612: After receiving the initial shooting signal, the SoC chip sends the shooting start signal to start the photosensitive chip.

[0056] Step S613: A shutter signal is generated by touching the camera shutter button, and the camera shutter opens for exposure.

[0057] Step S614: Generate the shooting end signal by releasing the shooting control button.

[0058] Step S615: The SoC chip receives the shooting end signal and sends the shooting stop signal to the photosensitive chip.

[0059] Step S616: After receiving the shooting stop signal, the photosensitive chip transmits the acquired image to the SoC chip.

[0060] Step S617: The SoC chip completes image processing.

[0061] Step S618: The SoC chip stores the processed image on the SD card. It is understood that in some embodiments, the SoC chip may not store the image on the SD card, but instead send it directly to an online computer device.

[0062] Therefore, the digital component and camera provided in this application, by setting a photosensitive chip on the digital back, can replace film as the imaging negative. At the same time, by setting components such as the SoC chip on the back or digital base, the digital use of film cameras is realized, avoiding the characteristics of complex operation and high cost of film cameras. Meanwhile, by utilizing the space of the digital base, it is not necessary to set all the components on the digital back, thereby making the structural configuration more flexible, avoiding excessive temperature during operation, and reducing signal interference between components.

[0063] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A camera digital component, characterized in that, The camera includes a shooting control button, a digital back, and a digital dock. The shooting control button is located on the top cover of the camera. The camera digital components further include a SoC chip, an image sensor chip, and a power module. The image sensor chip is located on the digital back, and at least one of the SoC chip and the power module is located in the digital dock. The shooting control button is used to trigger the generation of a shooting initial signal when it is pressed, and the shooting control button is also used to trigger the generation of a shooting end signal when it is released. The SoC chip is connected to the shooting control button wirelessly or via wire. The SoC chip is used to send a shooting start signal to the photosensitive chip after receiving the shooting start signal to start the photosensitive chip to shoot, and to send a shooting stop signal to the photosensitive chip when receiving the shooting end signal, and to perform image processing on the image sent by the photosensitive chip. The photosensitive chip is connected to the SoC chip and is used to start taking pictures after receiving the shooting start signal, and to send the captured images to the SoC chip after receiving the shooting stop signal; and The power module is connected to the photosensitive chip and the SoC chip, and is used to provide operating power to the photosensitive chip and the SoC chip.

2. The digital component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The camera digital components are used in film cameras.

3. The digital component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a storage module, which is connected to the SoC chip and is used to store images processed by the SoC chip. The storage module is located in the digital back or the digital dock.

4. The digital component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The storage module is an SD card.

5. The digital component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The shooting control button includes a camera shutter button and a contact point. The shutter button and the contact point are vertically arranged. When the shooting control button is half-pressed, the contact point is triggered to generate the initial shooting signal. When the shooting control button is fully pressed, the camera shutter opens for exposure. When the shooting control button is released, the contact point is triggered to generate the end shooting signal.

6. The digital component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The shooting control button is arranged horizontally alongside the camera's shutter button. When the shooting control button is pressed, it triggers the generation of the initial shooting signal. When the shutter button is pressed, the camera shutter opens for exposure. When the shooting control button is released, it triggers the generation of the end shooting signal.

7. The digital component as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The photosensitive chip is a CMOS image sensor.

8. The digital component as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the SoC chip and the power module are mounted on the digital dock.

9. The digital component as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The SoC chip includes a memory, a processor, and a controller. The memory is used to store images to be processed sent by the photosensitive chip. The processor is used to process the images. The controller is used to generate control instructions based on the received initial shooting signal and the end shooting signal. The control instructions include the shooting start signal and the shooting stop signal sent to the photosensitive chip.

10. The digital component as claimed in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, It also includes a display screen, connected to the SoC chip and the storage module, for displaying images processed by the SoC chip and / or images in the storage module.

11. The digital component as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, It also includes several operation buttons, including a delete button and a restore button. The delete button is used to delete the image in the SoC chip or the storage module, and the restore button is used to restore the image in the SoC chip or the storage module.

12. The digital component as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The plurality of operation buttons also include a confirmation button, which is used to confirm the deletion or restoration action performed.

13. The digital component as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The display screen is a touch screen.

14. The digital component as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a temperature regulation device, which is connected to the photosensitive chip and is used to regulate the temperature of the photosensitive chip so that it can work normally.

15. The digital component as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that, The temperature regulation device includes a heat sink and / or a heating circuit, wherein the heat sink is used to reduce the temperature of the photosensitive chip at high temperatures, and the heating circuit is used to increase the temperature of the photosensitive chip at low temperatures.

16. The digital component as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The digital back and the digital base are provided with a connection interface, and the digital back and the digital base are connected through the connection interface for signal transmission.

17. A camera, characterized in that, Includes the digital components as described in any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. A shooting method applied to the camera as described in claim 17, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The initial shooting signal is generated by touching the shooting control button; After receiving the initial shooting signal, the SoC chip sends the shooting start signal to activate the photosensitive chip; A shutter signal is generated by touching the camera shutter button, and the camera shutter opens to take an exposure. The shooting end signal is generated by releasing the shooting control button; Upon receiving the shooting end signal, the SoC chip sends the shooting stop signal to the photosensitive chip; After receiving the shooting stop signal, the photosensitive chip transmits the acquired image to the SoC chip; and The SoC chip performs image processing.

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