Patent ID: 6431768
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: G03B,H04N

Abstract:
A digital camera comprising:a camera body having a main surface and a lens surface substantially orthogonal to said main surface; a photographic lens of a photographic optical system, said photographic lens positioned on said lens surface; a solid state imaging device coupled to said photographic optical system; an operation unit arranged on said main surface and having a release button and a control feature of the digital camera; and an optical viewfinder unit rotatably attached to said camera body such that said optical viewfinder unit is rotatable from a closed position wherein said viewfinder unit is substantially in planar contact with said main surface, to an open position wherein the viewfinder unit is substantially orthogonal to said main surface and in a plane substantially parallel to said lens surface, wherein when said optical viewfinder unit is in said closed position, said release button and control feature are covered and protected by said optical viewfinder unit.