Exchange lens and accessory

Abstract

To provide an exchange lens that can deliver optical information which is changed by wearing an accessory.SOLUTION: The exchange lens can communicate with an accessory and an imaging device, and includes communication means for conducting communications with the accessory and with the imaging device. The communication means acquires information on the accessory through communications with the accessory device and sends optical information based on the information on the accessory to the imaging device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to interchangeable lenses and accessories.

Background Art

[0002] In a lens interchangeable camera system, the camera communicates with the attached interchangeable lens regarding instructions, data, etc., but the communication method may vary depending on the type of interchangeable lens. Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which a camera capable of attaching a plurality of types of interchangeable lenses communicates with the interchangeable lens using the communication method notified from the attached interchangeable lens.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a lens interchangeable camera system, an accessory such as a wide converter or an extender may be attached to the interchangeable lens. In that case, depending on the communication method and the attached device, there is a possibility that the camera cannot acquire information on the attached accessory. When the camera cannot acquire information on the attached accessory, various parameters cannot be appropriately corrected according to the optical information that changes due to the attachment of the accessory.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an interchangeable lens capable of notifying optical information that changes due to the attachment of an accessory.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An interchangeable lens as one aspect of the present invention is an interchangeable lens capable of communicating with an accessory and an imaging device, having communication means for communicating with the accessory and the imaging device, the communication means acquiring information regarding the accessory through communication with the accessory device, and the communication means transmitting optical information based on the information regarding the accessory to the imaging device. Also, an accessory as another aspect of the present invention is an accessory attachable to an interchangeable lens, having communication means for communicating with the interchangeable lens, the communication means transmitting information regarding the accessory to the interchangeable lens through communication with the interchangeable lens.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an interchangeable lens capable of notifying optical information that changes due to the attachment of an accessory.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations are omitted.

[0010] In the lens interchangeable camera system (hereinafter referred to as the camera system) of the present embodiment, the camera is configured to be able to communicate with an interchangeable lens using a first communication method or a second communication method. The first communication method is a communication method that uses both a first communication capable of communicating between the camera and the interchangeable lens and a second communication capable of communicating between the camera, the accessory, and the interchangeable lens. The second communication method is a communication method that uses only the first communication. The first communication is CLK synchronous communication, which is implemented using three communication lines: a data line DCL from the camera to the interchangeable lens, a data line DLC from the interchangeable lens to the camera, and a CLK line LCLK. The second communication is step synchronization communication, which is implemented using two communication lines: a data line DCA for mutual communication and a chip select line CS.

[0011] The present invention is applied when the camera and the interchangeable lens communicate using the second communication method. By using the present invention, various parameters can be appropriately corrected according to the optical information that changes due to the attachment of the accessory.

Example

[0012] Figure 1(a) is a block diagram of the camera system of this example. The camera system includes a camera (imaging device) 100, an interchangeable lens 200, and an accessory 300. The interchangeable lens 200 is configured to be communicable with the camera 100 and the accessory 300. The accessory 300 is attached between the camera 100 and the interchangeable lens 200 in this example, but it may be attached to the object side (subject side) of the interchangeable lens 200.

[0013] The camera 100 has a camera CPU 101 and can be equipped with an interchangeable lens 200 or an accessory 300 via a camera mount 107. The camera CPU 101 has a communication means 102, an optical information changing means 103, a correction means 104, an image processing means 105, and a communication method determining means 106. The communication means 102 communicates with the interchangeable lens 200. The optical information changing means 103 changes the acquired optical information. The correction means 104 corrects various parameters using the optical information. The image processing means 105 performs image processing using the corrected various parameters. The communication method determining means 106 determines the communication method using the notification information from the interchangeable lens 200.

[0014] The interchangeable lens 200 has a lens CPU 201, an optical information storage means 203, and a communication method notification means 204, and can be attached to the camera 100 or the accessory 300 via a lens mount 205. The lens CPU 201 has a communication means 202 for communicating with the camera 100. The optical information storage means 203 stores optical information corresponding to the type of accessory. Here, the optical information corresponding to the type of accessory is optical information in which the optical information of the accessory 300 is taken into account with respect to the optical information of the interchangeable lens 200. The communication method notification means 204 notifies the camera 100 of information (notification information) regarding the communication method used by the communication means 202.

[0015] The accessory 300 has a type information notification means (communication means) 301 and can be attached to the camera 100 via a lens mount 302 and can be attached to the interchangeable lens 200 via a lens mount 303. The type information notification means 301 notifies the lens CPU 201 of information (type information) regarding the type of the accessory 300.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a flowchart from the determination of the communication method to the image processing of the camera system of this embodiment.

[0017] In step S101, the communication method notification means 204 notifies the camera 100 of information (notification information) regarding the communication method used by the communication means 202.

[0018] In step S102, the communication method determination means 106 determines the communication method to be implemented using the notification information acquired from the interchangeable lens 200. In this embodiment, the communication method determination means 106 determines that the second communication method is to be implemented.

[0019] In step S103, the camera CPU 101 requests optical information from the interchangeable lens 200 via the communication means 102.

[0020] In step S104, the type information notification means 301 transmits information regarding the type of the accessory 300 to the interchangeable lens 200.

[0021] In step S105, the lens CPU 201 acquires the optical information corresponding to the type of the accessory 300 from the optical information storage means 203, and transmits the optical information corresponding to the type of the accessory 300 to the camera 100 via the communication means 202.

[0022] In step S106, the correction means 104 corrects various parameters using the optical information corresponding to the type of the accessory 300.

[0023] In step S107, the image processing means 105 performs image processing using various parameters.

[0024] As described above, according to the configuration of this embodiment, it is possible to notify optical information that changes due to the attachment of the accessory. Thereby, it is possible to appropriately correct various parameters according to the optical information that changes due to the attachment of the accessory.

[0025] Note that, as described above, the camera 100 of this embodiment is configured to be able to communicate with the interchangeable lens using the first communication method. FIG. 1(b) shows a camera system having a configuration capable of communicating using the first communication method. The camera system includes a camera 100, an interchangeable lens 400, and an accessory 500. The interchangeable lens 400 includes a lens CPU 401, an optical information storage means 403, and a communication method notification means 404, and can be attached to the camera 100 or the accessory 300 via a lens mount 405. The lens CPU 401 has a communication means 402 for communicating with the camera 100. The optical information storage means 403 stores the optical information (lens optical information) of the interchangeable lens 400. The communication method notification means 404 notifies the camera 100 of information (notification information) regarding the communication method used by the communication means 402. The accessory 500 includes an accessory CPU 501 provided with a communication means 502 for communicating with the camera 100, and an optical information storage means 503 for storing the optical information (accessory optical information) of the accessory 500. The accessory 500 can be attached to the camera 100 via a lens mount 504 and can be attached to the interchangeable lens 400 via a lens mount 505.

[0026] In the camera system of FIG. 1(b), when the camera 100 requests optical information, the communication means 402 transmits the lens optical information to the camera 100 using the first communication. Also, the communication means 502 transmits the accessory optical information to the camera 100 using the second communication. When the camera 100 acquires the lens optical information and the accessory optical information, the optical information changing means 103 changes the lens optical information using the accessory optical information. Thereafter, the correction means 104 corrects various parameters using the changed optical information, and the image processing means 105 performs image processing using the various parameters.

Embodiment

[0027] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the camera system of this embodiment. The camera system includes a camera (imaging device) 100, an interchangeable lens 600, and an accessory 700. The interchangeable lens 600 is configured to be communicable with the camera 100 and the accessory 700. The accessory 700 is mounted between the camera 100 and the interchangeable lens 600 in this embodiment, but may be mounted on the object side (subject side) of the interchangeable lens 600.

[0028] The interchangeable lens 600 includes a lens CPU 601, an optical information storage means 604, and a communication method notification means 605, and can be mounted on the camera 100 or the accessory 700 via a lens mount 606. The lens CPU 601 includes a communication means 602 for communicating with the camera 100, and an optical information calculation means 603 for calculating combined optical information (combined information) in which the optical information of the interchangeable lens 600 and the optical information of the accessory 700 are combined. The optical information storage means 604 stores the optical information (lens optical information) of the interchangeable lens 200. The communication method notification means 605 notifies the camera 100 of information (notification information) regarding the communication method used by the communication means 602.

[0029] The accessory 700 includes an accessory CPU 701 and an optical information storage means 703, and can be mounted on the camera 100 via a lens mount 704 and on the interchangeable lens 600 via a lens mount 705. The accessory CPU 701 includes a communication means 702 for communicating with the interchangeable lens 600. The optical information storage means 703 stores the optical information (accessory optical information) of the accessory 700.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a flowchart from the determination of the communication method to the image processing of the camera system of this embodiment.

[0031] In step S201, the communication method notification means 605 notifies the camera 100 of information (notification information) regarding the communication method used by the communication means 602.

[0032] In step S202, the communication method determination means 106 determines the communication method to be implemented using the notification information acquired from the interchangeable lens 600. In this embodiment, the communication method determination means 106 determines that the second communication method is to be implemented.

[0033] In step S203, the camera CPU 101 requests optical information from the interchangeable lens 600 via the communication means 102.

[0034] In step S204, the accessory CPU 701 transmits accessory optical information to the interchangeable lens 600 via the communication means 702.

[0035] In step S205, the optical information calculation means 603 calculates combined optical information using the lens optical information acquired from the optical information storage means 604 and the accessory optical information acquired from the accessory CPU 701 via the communication means 602.

[0036] In step S206, the lens CPU 601 transmits the combined optical information to the camera 100 via the communication means 602.

[0037] In step S207, the correction means 104 corrects various parameters using the combined optical information.

[0038] In step S208, the image processing means 105 performs image processing using various parameters.

[0039] As described above, according to the configuration of this embodiment, it is possible to notify optical information that changes due to the attachment of the accessory. Thereby, it is possible to appropriately correct various parameters according to the optical information that changes due to the attachment of the accessory.

[0040] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist thereof.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0041] 100 Camera (Imaging Device) 200, 600 Interchangeable Lens 202, 602 Communication Means 300, 700 Accessory

Claims

1. An interchangeable lens capable of communicating with an accessory and an imaging device, having communication means for communicating with the accessory and the imaging device, wherein the communication means acquires information regarding the accessory through communication with the accessory device, and the communication means transmits optical information based on the information regarding the accessory to the imaging device. An interchangeable lens characterized by the above.

2. The information regarding the accessory is information regarding the type of the accessory, and the optical information is information corresponding to the type of the accessory. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The interchangeable lens according to claim 2, further comprising storage means for storing information corresponding to the type of the accessory.

4. The information regarding the accessory is the optical information of the accessory, and the optical information is composite information in which the optical information of the interchangeable lens and the optical information of the accessory are combined. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

5. The interchangeable lens according to claim 4, further comprising storage means for storing the optical information of the interchangeable lens, and calculation means for calculating the composite information using the optical information of the interchangeable lens and the optical information of the accessory.

6. The interchangeable lens according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising notification means for notifying the imaging device of information regarding the communication method used by the communication means.

7. The interchangeable lens according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the interchangeable lens is attachable to the imaging device via the accessory.

8. An accessory attachable to an interchangeable lens, having communication means for communicating with the interchangeable lens, wherein the communication means transmits information regarding the accessory to the interchangeable lens through communication with the interchangeable lens. An accessory characterized by the above.

9. The accessory according to claim 8, wherein the information regarding the accessory is information regarding the type of the accessory.

10. The accessory according to claim 8, wherein the information regarding the accessory is the optical information of the accessory.

11. The accessory according to claim 10, further comprising storage means for storing the optical information of the accessory.

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