Liquid crystal finder/projector for video camera

A liquid crystal finder attached video camera whose liquid crystal finder is usable as a liquid crystal projector. This liquid crystal finder attached video camera is composed of a video camera body, a liquid crystal view finder unit having a transmission-type liquid crystal display portion fixed thereto and an eyepiece portion turnable between a picture-taking position behind the transmission-type liquid crystal display portion and a projector position ahead of the transmission-type liquid crystal display portion, the front face of the liquid crystal view finder unit being detachably mounted on a battery attachment face at the back of the video camera body, and the back face of the liquid crystal view finder unit being formed with a battery attachment face, and a light unit having a light facing ahead at the upper portion thereof, the front face of the light unit being detachably mounted on the battery attachment face at the back of the video camera body, and the back face of the light unit being formed with a battery attachment face.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a liquid crystal finder attached video camera, 
and more particularly, to a liquid crystal finder attached video camera in 
which a transmission-type liquid crystal display portion of a liquid 
crystal view finder is used as a part of a projector. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
There is disclosed a liquid crystal view finder attached video camera 
having a function as a projector by using a liquid crystal display portion 
(Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. Hei 1-115371). In this video camera, 
a light source for projection is disposed behind a transmission-type 
liquid crystal display portion of a liquid crystal view finder, and light 
emitted from the light source passes the liquid crystal display portion 
and enters an optical system lens of the liquid crystal view finder. Then, 
an image in the liquid crystal display portion enlarged by the optical 
system lens is projected onto a screen or the like. 
However, if the light for projection is radiated from behind the liquid 
crystal display portion, since an image taken from behind the liquid 
crystal display portion is projected onto the screen or the like, it is 
necessary to reverse the image in the liquid crystal display portion in 
picture taking in order to make the image accord with an image taken from 
the front of the liquid crystal portion, that is, a normal image. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
With the above problem in view, an object of the present invention is to 
provide a liquid crystal finder attached video camera capable of 
projecting a normal image onto a screen or the like without reversing an 
image in a liquid crystal display portion. 
In order to achieve the above object, there is provided a liquid crystal 
finder attached video camera comprising, a video camera body, a liquid 
crystal view finder unit having a transmission-type liquid crystal display 
portion fixed thereto and an eyepiece portion turnable between a 
picture-taking position behind the transmission-type liquid crystal 
display portion and a projector position ahead of the transmission-type 
liquid crystal display portion, the front face of the liquid crystal view 
finder unit being detachably mounted on a battery attachment face at the 
back of the video camera body, and the back face of the liquid crystal 
view finder unit being formed with a battery attachment face, and a light 
unit having a light facing ahead at the upper portion thereof, the front 
face of the light unit being detachably mounted on the battery attachment 
face at the back of the video camera body, and the back face of the light 
unit being formed with a battery attachment face. When the light unit is 
used as a video light, the eyepiece portion is turned to the 
picture-taking position and the light unit is mounted between the video 
camera body and the liquid crystal view finder unit, and when the light 
unit is used as a projector light source, the eyepiece portion is turned 
to the projector position and the liquid crystal view finder unit is 
mounted between the video camera body and the light unit. 
According to the present invention, in the liquid crystal view finder unit, 
the transmission-type liquid crystal display portion is fixed, the 
eyepiece portion is movable between the picture-taking position behind the 
liquid crystal display portion and the projector position ahead of the 
liquid crystal display portion, the front face of the finder unit is 
detachably mounted on the battery attachment face at the back of the video 
camera body, and a battery can be attached to the back face of the finder 
unit. The front face of the light unit is detachably mounted on the 
battery attachment face at the back of the video camera body, a battery 
can be attached to the back face of the light unit, and the light unit is 
provided with a light facing ahead at the upper portion thereof. 
In picture taking, the eyepiece portion is held in the picture-taking 
position, the light unit is mounted between the video camera body and the 
liquid crystal view finder unit to be used as a video light, and an image 
of an object displayed in the liquid crystal display portion is led to the 
eyepiece portion as a normal image taken from the front of the liquid 
crystal display portion. 
When the video camera is used as a projector, the eyepiece portion is held 
in the projector position, and the liquid crystal view finder unit is 
mounted between the video camera body and the light unit so that the light 
unit is used as a light source of the projector. Since an image is 
projected onto a screen disposed ahead of the liquid crystal display 
portion by radiating light of the light unit from behind the liquid 
crystal display portion, that is, the right side of the liquid crystal 
display portion, the projected image becomes a normal image taken from the 
front of the liquid crystal display portion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Detailed description will hereunder be given of the preferred embodiment of 
VIDEO CAMERA WITH LIQUID CRYSTAL FINDER according to the present invention 
with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
As shown in FIG. 1, a video camera 10 consists of a camera body 12 and a 
view finder unit 14 which is detachable from a first battery attachment 
face at the back of the camera body 12. When the view finder unit 14 is 
attached to the back of the camera body 12, terminals 16 and 16 of the 
camera body 12 and terminals 18 and 18 of the view finder unit 14 are 
connected. In this case, since the terminals 16 and 16 are projected by 
the urging force of an unillustrated spring, when the terminals 16 and 16 
are brought into contact with the terminals 18 and 18, the terminals 16 
and 16 are retracted in the camera body 12 against the urging force of the 
spring. A power supply in the camera body 12 is thereby connected to the 
view finder unit 14. Furthermore, the terminals 16 and 16 are connecting 
the terminals 18 and 18, and connector pins 20, 20. . . of the camera body 
12 for outputting a video signal is fitted into a connector receivers 22, 
22. . . in the view finder unit 14 for inputting the video signal, thereby 
connecting the connector pins 20, 20... and the connector receivers 22, 
22. . . 
The view finder unit 14 is composed of an attachment portion 14A and a 
finder portion 14B. The finder portion 14B is turnable on the attachment 
portion 14A through 180.degree. between a finder position (a position 
indicated by a solid line shown in FIG. 1) and a projector position (a 
position indicated by an imaginary line shown in FIG. 1). In other words, 
as shown in FIG. 2, a finder frame 14B' of the finder portion 14B is 
formed with an unillustrated concave portion in which a shaft 26 formed at 
the top of a transmission-type liquid crystal display portion 24 is 
fitted. The liquid crystal display portion 24 is fixed to the top of the 
attachment portion 14A. A magic mirror 28 is rotatably supported behind 
the liquid crystal display portion 24 in the finder frame 14B' through a 
shaft 30. The magic mirror 28 is urged by a spring (not shown) toward the 
liquid crystal display portion 24, and held at an angle of approximately 
45.degree. when the finder portion 14B is set in the finder position or 
the projector position. A cover glass 29 disposed behind the magic mirror 
28 covers the back end of the finder frame 14B' Furthermore, eyepieces 32 
and 32 are arranged in the front of the liquid crystal display portion 24 
in the finder frame 14B', and the front end of the finder frame 14B' is 
open. 
Therefore, for example, if the finder frame 14B' is turned on the shaft 26 
from the finder position to the projector position in the direction of the 
arrow, since the side of the liquid crystal display portion 24 and the top 
of the magic mirror 28 are brought into contact with each other, the magic 
mirror 28 stands up from the position at an angle of approximately 
45.degree. against the urging force of the spring. Thus, when the finder 
frame 14B' is turned from the finder position to the projector position, 
or from the projector position to the finder position, the magic mirror 28 
can avoid the fixed liquid crystal display portion 24. 
As shown in FIG. 3, a back light 34 is disposed at the top of the 
attachment portion 14A. Light emitted from the back light 34 is reflected 
by the magic mirror 28, passed through the transmission-type liquid 
crystal display portion 24, and led to an eyepiece portion through the 
eyepieces 32 and 32. Therefore, if a picture is taken by the video camera 
of the present invention, when the finder portion 14B is set in the finder 
position and the light from the back light 34 is radiated to the back face 
of the transmission-type liquid crystal display portion 24, an image 
displayed in the liquid crystal portion 24 is led to the eyepiece portion 
through the eyepieces 32 and 32. 
On the other hand, if the video camera of the present invention is used as 
a projector, when the finder portion 14B is set in the projector position 
as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, light from a light 36 of a video light unit 42 
is passed through the cover glass 29 and the magic mirror 28, and radiated 
onto the surface of the transmission-type liquid crystal display portion 
24. The radiated light is passed through the liquid crystal display 
portion 24, led to the eyepiece portion through the eyepieces 32 and 32, 
and radiated to a screen 33 shown in FIG. 8. Thus, the image displayed in 
the liquid crystal display portion 24 is projected onto the screen 33 
without being reversed. In this case, the sound is output from speakers 38 
and 38 located on both sides of the attachment portion 14A. 
FIG. 6 is a side view showing the finder state of the liquid crystal finder 
attached video camera according to the present invention. A battery 40 is 
attached to a second battery attachment face of the view finder unit 14 in 
a well-known attachment manner. Referring to FIG. 7, the video light unit 
42 is inserted between the camera body 12 and the view finder unit 14 
shown in FIG. 6. The light unit 42 and the camera body 12, and the light 
unit 42 and the view finder unit 14 are respectively connected in a 
well-known attachment manner. In other words, the light unit 42 is 
attached to the first battery attachment face of the camera body 12, and 
the view finder unit 14 is attached to a third battery attachment face of 
the light unit 42. 
Referring to FIG. 8, the view finder unit 14 of the video camera 10 is set 
in the projector position, and the light unit 42 is attached to the back 
face of the view finder unit 14. Thereby, light from the light 36 of the 
light unit 42 radiates diffused light of an image from the eyepiece 
portion of the finder portion 14B of the view finder unit 14 through the 
finder portion 14B as described above. 
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, it is possible to separate the view finder unit 
14 from the camera body 12, attach the view finder unit 14 to a television 
(TV) tuner unit 46, input a video signal form the TV tuner unit 46 to the 
view finder unit 14, and use the view finder unit 14 as a small TV 48. 
Furthermore, picture taking can be performed by connecting the video signal 
input terminal 22 of the view finder unit 14 and the video signal output 
terminal 20 of the camera body 12 through a cord 50 as shown in FIG. 11. 
When the video camera is used as a projector, as shown in FIG. 12, it is 
also possible to separate and connect the view finder unit 14 and the 
camera body 12 through the cord 50. In FIGS. 11 and 12, reference numeral 
50A denotes a coupler for connecting the cord 50 to the camera body 12. 
If the view finder unit 14 and the camera body 12 are separated, a remote 
control unit 52 may be attached to the view finder unit 14 to form a 
remote control system as shown in FIG. 13. 
As described above, according to the liquid crystal finder attached video 
camera of the present invention, since an image of an object displayed in 
the liquid crystal display portion of the liquid crystal view finder unit 
is led to the eyepiece portion in such a state as seen from the front of 
the liquid crystal portion in picture taking by the video camera, a normal 
image can be obtained. 
When the video camera is used as a projector, a normal image seen from the 
front of the liquid crystal display portion can be also projected onto a 
screen or the like without being reversed. 
It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the 
invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the 
invention is to cover all modifications, alternate constructions and 
equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as 
expressed in the appended claims.