Patent ID: 6408140
Filing Date: 2002-06-18
Classification: G03B,H04N

Abstract:
A dual image camera for substantially simultaneously capturing a film image of a subject being photographed and an electronic image of the subject, comprises:a variable-focus film image capture lens having a depth of field with a pair of spaced near and far limits, focusable to give an acceptably sharp image of the subject provided the subject is between the near and far limits of the depth of field of said film image capture lens, and when misfocused on a far object farther from said camera than the subject will give a blurred image of the subject provided the subject is between the near limit of the depth of field of said film image capture lens and said camera; a variable-focus electronic image capture lens having a depth of field with a pair of near and far limits spaced farther apart than the near and far limits of the depth of field of said film image capture lens, focusable to give an acceptably sharp image of the subject provided the subject is between the near and far limits of the depth of field of said electronic image capture lens, and when focused to match its near limit with the near limit of the depth of field of said film image capture lens will give a blurred image of the subject provided the subject is between the near limit of the depth of the field of said film image capture lens and said camera; a display that shows a captured electronic image of the subject corresponding to a captured film image of the subject to permit one to verify they got the captured film image they wanted; a focusing mechanism for focusing said film image and electronic image capture lenses and coupled with a rangefinder for determining a focused distance; and a control connected to said focusing mechanism and said rangefinder that makes said focusing mechanism focus said electronic image capture lens to match the near limit of the depth of field of said electronic image capture lens with the near limit of the depth of field of said film image capture lens when the focused distance is greater than a given distance, whereby said display will show a captured electronic image of the subject that verifies the captured film image of the subject is out of focus when the subject is between the near limit of the depth of field of said film image capture lens and said camera.