Patent ID: 6118944
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
A flashlight control apparatus for controlling a plurality of strobes to each emit flashlight towards a subject at the same time, wherein said flashlight control apparatus comprises:means for receiving light reflected on said subject and for generating an output corresponding to said received light;means for inputting an object distance information;means for inputting a film speed information;means for inputting a guide number information from each of said plurality of strobes;exposure calculation means for calculating a subject brightness according to said output generated by said light receiving means and for calculating an aperture value according to said subject brightness and said film speed information;integrating means which includes a plurality of light receiving elements and integrates an output generated by each of said plurality of light receiving elements;flashlight quantity setting means for setting an optimum quantity of flashlight emitted by said plurality of strobes as an optimum integration level of said light receiving means;flashlight emitting time calculation means for calculating an optimum guide number information according to said object distance information and said aperture value calculated by said exposure calculation means; a composite guide number information according to said guide number information; and an emitting time during which each of said plurality of strobes continue to emit flashlight according to said optimum guide number information and said composite guide number information; andflashlight emission controlling means for controlling all of said plurality of strobes to stop emitting flashlight, in the case where all integrated outputs generated by said plurality of light receiving elements and integrated by said integrating means have each reached said optimum integration level before said emitting time elapses.