Imaging apparatus

Abstract

To provide an imaging apparatus which displays distance information in an appropriate range in detail according to a current focusing distance.SOLUTION: In an image capturing apparatus capable of changing a focus distance by moving a focus lens unit, the image capturing apparatus includes a control unit configured to acquire correspondence information between a position of the focus lens unit and the focus distance and current position information of the focus lens unit, and display a relationship between the current position of the focus lens unit and the focus distance on a display device, and a range of the focus distance to be displayed is changed according to the current position of the focus lens unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging device, and is particularly suitable for imaging devices such as interchangeable lens single-lens reflex cameras, mirrorless cameras, and digital video cameras. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an imaging apparatus that displays a shooting distance indicator indicating the relationship between the in-focus distance and the current position of the focus lens on a display device based on position information of the focus lens group.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which position information of a focus lens is acquired and displayed on a display device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-219584 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the aforementioned Patent Document 1, in a macro lens or the like with a wide focusable object distance range, the movement amount of the focus lens group for each distance is small compared to the total movement amount, which results in a low distance resolution in the distance indicator display, making it difficult to use. Also, even when the focusable object distance range is limited by operating the zoom position or focus limit switch, the entire focus range of the lens is displayed, so the distance resolution cannot be improved.

[0006] Therefore, in order to solve these problems, an object of the present invention is to display detailed distance information in an appropriate range according to the current focus distance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the imaging device of the present invention is an imaging device in which the focal distance can be changed by moving a focus lens group, the imaging device is capable of acquiring correspondence information between the position of the focus lens group and the focal distance and information on the current position of the focus lens group, and has a control means for displaying the relationship between the current position of the focus lens group and the focal distance on a display device, and the range of focal distances displayed is changed depending on the current position of the focus lens group. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to display detailed distance information in an appropriate range according to the current focus distance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an imaging system according to first to third embodiments. [Figure 2] 1 is a flowchart showing the processing of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a distance indicator display in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing the process of the second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a distance indicator display in the second embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing the process of the third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a distance indicator display in the third embodiment. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of correspondence information between the positions of the focus lens group and the focal distance. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] 1 to 8, a lens device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an imaging device according to embodiments 1 to 3. In FIG. 1, the imaging device of the present invention has a focus lens group 1 that can change the in-focus object distance by moving in the lens optical axis direction. It also has a memory 4 that can store correspondence information between the position of the focus lens group and the in-focus distance. The correspondence information is passed to a camera MPU 7 via a lens MPU 3, a lens communication unit 5, and a camera communication unit 6. When the focus lens group 1 moves, its position information is detected by a focus position detection sensor 2 and transmitted to the camera MPU 7 via the lens MPU 3, the lens communication unit 4, and the camera communication unit 5. Display information created by the camera MPU 7 based on the correspondence information and position information is displayed on a display device 8.

[0013] The imaging device of the present invention may be configured so that the lens device includes a display device and the imaging device itself does not need to communicate with the camera device. Alternatively, the imaging device may be a lens-integrated camera in which the camera device and the lens device are integrated into one unit.

[0014] An example of correspondence information between the position of the focus lens group and the focal distance is shown in Figure 8. This correspondence information is information that allows the corresponding object distance to be calculated from the extension amount of the focus lens group, and by performing approximation using a function, it is possible to calculate the object distance in detail for any extension amount. Furthermore, by using this information, the imaging device can obtain the extension amount of the focus lens for any object distance, and can also display a distance indicator in a position that corresponds to the extension amount of the focus lens group. [Example]

[0015] The flowchart in Fig. 2 shows a first embodiment of the imaging lens of the present invention. First, the imaging device acquires correspondence information between the position of the focus lens group and the focal distance (S1). Next, after acquiring current position information of the focus lens group (S2), it determines whether the current position is in the short distance (S3). If it is determined that the current position is in the short distance, the display range of the distance indicator is limited to the short distance side and the distance indicator is displayed (S4). If the current position is not in the long distance, it determines whether the current position is in the long distance (S5). If it is determined that the current position is in the long distance, the display range of the distance indicator is limited to the long distance side and the distance indicator is displayed (S6). If the current position is not in the long distance, the distance indicator is displayed without limiting the display range, and in either case, the process returns to acquiring current position information of the focus lens group (S2).

[0016] At this time, the threshold for determining whether the current position is close or far may be set in advance within the imaging device, or may be dynamically determined based on the correspondence information between the focusable object distance range, the position of the focus lens group, and the focus distance so that the distance resolution of the displayed information is sufficiently fine.

[0017] FIG. 3 shows examples of distance indices displayed on a display device in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3(A) shows an example in which distance indices are displayed without limiting the display range. Indices are displayed from 0.2 m to infinity (∞), which is the focusable subject distance range. FIG. 3(B) shows an example in which the display range is limited to the short distance side. In this case, the infinity (∞) indices are not displayed, but as the distance resolution on the short distance side increases, indices of 0.22 m and 0.4 m are added, allowing more detailed information to be obtained. FIG. 3(C) shows an example in which the display range is limited to the long distance side. In this case, indices from 0.2 m to 0.5 m on the short distance side are not displayed, but as the distance resolution on the long distance side increases, indices of 1.3 m, 3 m, and 5 m are added, allowing more detailed information to be obtained. [Example]

[0018] The flowchart in Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of the imaging lens of the present invention. First, the imaging device acquires correspondence information between the position of the focus lens group and the focal distance (S1). Next, after acquiring current position information of the focus lens group (S2), it determines whether the current position is in the macro range (S3). If it is determined that the current position is in the macro range, it limits the display range of the distance indicator to the macro range (S4), sets the unit of the distance indicator to "cm", and displays the distance information (S5). If it is determined that the current position is not in the macro range, it limits the display range of the distance indicator to outside the macro range (S6), sets the unit of the distance indicator to "m", and displays the distance information (S7).

[0019] FIG. 5 shows an example of a distance indicator displayed on a display device in a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the macro region is set to 0.2 m to 0.25 m, and may be switched by user operation or automatically. FIG. 5(A) shows an example in which the display range is limited to a region other than the macro region. Indicators from 0.25 m to infinity (∞) are displayed, and the unit is meters (m). FIG. 5(B) shows an example in which the display range is limited to the macro region. In this case, the indicator indicating infinity (∞) is not displayed, and the unit is centimeters (cm). This increases the distance resolution on the close-range side, and when indicators are displayed in centimeter units, decimal points can be omitted, which is expected to improve visibility. [Example]

[0020] The flowchart in Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment of the imaging lens of the present invention. First, the imaging device acquires correspondence information between the position of the focus lens group and the focal distance (S1). Next, it acquires current position information of the focus lens group (S2), acquires the focusable object distance range (S3), and then displays a distance indicator limited to the focusable range (S4). Next, it acquires the focusable range again (S5), and if there is a change (S6), it re-displays the distance indicator limited to the new focusable range (S4).

[0021] The focusable range may be changed by operating a focus limit switch that limits the focus drive range, by changing the minimum shooting distance due to zooming, or by operating the imaging device so that the user can set an arbitrary range.

[0022] Figure 7 shows an example of a distance indicator displayed on a display device in a third embodiment of the present invention. Figures 7(A) and (B) show an example of a zoom lens whose minimum focusing distance changes with zooming. Figure 7(A) shows the distance indicator displayed at the WIDE end, where the minimum focusing distance is 0.2 m. Figure 7(B) shows the distance indicator displayed at the TELE end, where the minimum focusing distance is 0.25 m. Furthermore, if the minimum focusing distance changes continuously with zooming in the MIDDLE range, the distance indicator display can be changed continuously, rather than just as in (A) and (B), to always display a necessary and sufficient range.

[0023] Figure 7(C) shows an example of the distance indicator when the focusable range is set between 0.5 m and 5 m. The focusable range can be changed by operating the focus limit switch, or the user can set an arbitrary distance. In either case, only the focusable range is displayed, making it easy to visually grasp the distance to the control end when performing manual focus operation, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 1. Focus lens group 2 Focus position detection sensor 3 Lens MPU 4. Memory 5 Lens communication unit 6 Camera communication unit 7 Camera MPU 8 Display device

Claims

1. In an imaging device in which the focal distance can be changed by moving a focus lens group, the imaging device has a control means capable of acquiring correspondence information between positions of a focus lens group and focal distances and current position information of the focus lens group, and causing a display device to display the relationship between the current positions of the focus lens group and focal distances; An imaging device, characterized in that the range of focus distances displayed is changed depending on the current position of the focus lens group.

2. 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an index representing infinity is displayed when the current position of the focus lens group is near infinity, and the index representing infinity is not displayed when the current position is near the closest point.

3. 3. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the number of numerical values ​​of the focal distance displayed on the display device is increased or decreased depending on the current position of the focus lens group.

4. 4. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the unit of the numerical value of the focal distance displayed on the display device is changed depending on whether the current position of the focus lens group is at a long distance or a short distance.

5. 5. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein when the changeable range of the focus distance is changed by a zooming operation, the range of the focus distance displayed on the display device is also changed.

6. 6. An imaging device according to claim 1, wherein when the changeable range of the focal distance is changed by a switch operation or a software operation, the range of the focal distance displayed on the display device is also changed.

7. 7. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the correspondence information between the current position of the focus lens group and the focal distance is a coefficient of a function approximating the extension amount of the focus lens group and the reciprocal of the focal distance.

8. 8. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is a camera device to which a lens device can be attached or detached.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8, characterized in that the camera device acquires correspondence information between the current position of the focus lens group and the focal distance when the lens device is attached, and acquires current position information of the focus lens group when the lens device is operated.

10. 10. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is a lens device that is detachable from a camera device and has a display device that can display a distance indicator.

Images