Camera Body Zoom Ring Direction Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital cameras with interchangeable lenses are difficult to operate, especially for novices, as they require looking through a viewfinder for imaging, making it hard to use the camera while looking at a liquid crystal monitor, and the operation directions of zoom and focus rings are not intuitively clear.
Innovation Solution
A camera body with a display unit that indicates the state of the optical system, allowing the operation member to be moved in a direction that coincides with the change direction displayed on the unit, enabling intuitive operation of zoom and focus adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a liquid crystal monitor is used for imaging, then the user can see the captured image while operating the camera, but the user cannot intuitively tell which way to operate the zoom lever or focus ring
Solution Approach 1:
The display unit provides visual feedback by displaying an arrow that indicates the operation direction of the optical system state. When the user rotates the zoom lever or focus ring, the arrow on the display unit changes direction to show which way the optical system is changing, giving the user real-time feedback on the effect of their operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The arrow display on the liquid crystal monitor acts as an intermediary between the physical operation of the zoom lever/focus ring and the user's understanding of the optical system state. Instead of directly showing the zoom level or focus distance, the arrow serves as a mediator that translates the operation direction into a visual indicator that is easy to interpret.
2Volume of moving object
If the camera is made smaller, then the camera becomes more compact, but the numerical values for zoom and focus are eliminated making it harder to tell which way to operate the lenses
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of displaying numerical values for zoom and focus, the system creates a visual copy of the operation direction information on the liquid crystal monitor. The arrow display is a simplified visual representation that conveys the essential information about which way the optical system is changing, replacing the need for numerical displays while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If the user looks through the viewfinder, then the user can see the subject image directly, but the user cannot see the captured image on the liquid crystal monitor during imaging
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between viewfinder mode and monitor mode based on the user's needs. During imaging, the user can choose to look through the viewfinder for direct subject viewing or at the liquid crystal monitor to see the captured image and understand the optical system state. The display unit dynamically adjusts its function to provide the appropriate information at the appropriate time.
Data Source
AI summary
A camera body (3) includes a display unit (20) and a body microcomputer (10). The display unit (20) is able to display a zoom display bar (105) that expresses the focal length of the optical system (L). The body microcomputer (10) controls the display unit (20) so that the direction in which a zoom ring (64) moves when the user operates the zoom ring (64) substantially coincides with a change direction in which the zoom display bar (105) shown on the display unit (20) changes according to the operation of the zoom ring (64).