Video camera with electronic viewfinder

Abstract: A video camera is comprised of a camera unit (21) having a signal processing circuit (14) supplied with an imager signal (S) from its imager device (3) and which converts the imager signal to a digital video signal (VD) and a viewfinder (17) having a decoder (19) supplied with the digital video signal from the signal processing circuit of the camera unit through a bus (15) and which decodes the digital video signal to provide a signal which is to be displayed on a display device (11) as an image. Thus, the quality of image displayed on the display device can be improved comparatively and the arrangement of the video camera can be simplified.

Description: The present invention generally relates to video cameras and, more particularly, is directed to a video camera suitable for use with a video tape recorder (VTR) having a built-in camera which has an electronic viewfinder. Conventional video cameras have employed electronic viewfinders and the main reasons that an electronic viewfinder is employed is the advantage that an image (image based on a signal recorded on a record medium) photoelectric-converted by an objective lens and an image device or the like can be directly visually confirmed, allowing accurate focusing of an image and the creation of a correct picture taking into account the characteristics of the image device or the like. Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows an arrangement of a video camera according to the prior art. As shown in Figure 1, in a camera unit 1, light L carrying image information is converted into an image signal S which is an electrical signal via an objective lens 2 and an imager device 3 such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) or the like. This image signal S is supplied to a signal processor circuit 4, in which it is processed to provide a composite analog video signal V. The composite video signal V is supplied through a line 5 to a Y/C separating circuit 8 which forms a part of a viewfinder 7 and separated into a Y signal (luminance signal) and a C signal (colour signal) by this Y/C separating circuit 8. The Y signal and the C signal are supplied to a decoder 9, in which they are decoded to provide three primary red (R), green (G) and blue (B) signals. These R, G and B signals are supplied to a liquid crystal display (LCD) driver 10. Further, a composite synchronising signal CS is detected from the Y signal by the decoder 9 and the composite synchronising signal CS is supplied to a timing generator 12. The timing generator 12 supplies the LCD driver 10 with a read clock signal CK synchronised with the composite synchronising signal CS. Thus, an image signal based on the R, G, B signals and the clock signal CK are supplied from the LCD driver 10 to a liquid crystal display (LCD) 11, whereby a colour image based on the composite video signal V is displayed on the picture screen of the LCD 11. However, in the above conventional video camera, since the composite video signal V supplied from the camera unit 1 to the viewfinder 7 is an analog signal, the waveform of the analog composite video signal V can be distorted by stray impedance of the line 5 or the like or due to the filter-processing or the like in the Y/C separating circuit 8, and the quality of an image on the picture screen of the LCD 11 deteriorates. US-A-4 757 388 discloses a camera with an electronic viewfinder in accordance with the precharacterising portion of claim 1. It particularly discusses an SLR type camera in which the image is directed to a CCD to provide an image signal which is A/D converted for storage in a frame memory and supply to a display such as a TFT display. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved video camera having an electronic viewfinder. According to the present invention, there is provided a video camera comprising: a camera unit having a signal processing circuit supplied with an image signal from an imager device; and a viewfinder supplied with said video signal from said signal processing circuit of said camera unit to provide a display signal which is to be displayed on a display device as an image, wherein the signal processing circuit converts said image signal to a digital video signal and supplies it through a bus to a decoder in said viewfinder and which decodes said digital video signal to provide said display signal, characterised in that the bus provides bidirectional communication between the camera unit and the viewfinder to allow colour adjustment in the viewfinder of the displayed picture. The present invention will be further described by way of example, in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to identify the same or similar parts and in which:- Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a video camera according to the prior art; and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of an embodiment of a video camera according to the present invention. An embodiment of a video camera according to the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to Figure 2. In Figure 2, like parts corresponding to those of Figure 1 are marked with the same references and therefore need not be described in detail. Figure 2 shows the arrangement of the video camera according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that the video camera of this embodiment comprises a camera unit 21 and a viewfinder 17. The camera unit 21 includes a signal processor circuit 14 and the signal processor circuit 14 includes (not shown) a microcomputer, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter and a memory. As earlier noted, light L carrying the image information is converted into the image signal S by the objective lens 2 and the imager device 3 such as the CCD or the like and this image signal S is supplied to this signal processor circuit 14. The signal processor circuit 14 is controlled by the microcomputer so as to allow the A/D converter to conver the imager signal S into a digital video signal VD of 8 bits or the like. The digital video signal VD is supplied through a bus 15 to a decoder driver 19 which forms a part of the viewfinder 17. The digital video signal VD supplied to the decoder driver 19 is decoded to provide an analog video signal and this analog video signal is supplied to the LCD 11, whereby an image of high fidelity corresponding to the digital video signal VD is displayed on the picture screen of the LCD 11. As described above, according to this embodiment, the image signal S is converted into the digital video signal VD and this digital video signal VD is supplied through the bus 15 to the viewfinder 17 side. In this case, since the original signal of the digital video signal VD can be accurately reproduced so long as the distorted signal waveform of the digital video signal VD due to the stray impedance or the like falls within a predetermined range of a distortion, the image displayed on the LCD 11 can be represented as the image faithfull to the image signal S, thereby the quality of image is increased. Also, in actual practice, as compared with the example of the prior art shown in FIG. 1, the Y/C separating circuit 8 or the like can be removed so that a distortion of the signal waveform can be further reduced. Since it is sufficient that the decoder driver 19 has a function to decode the digital video signal VD to provide the analog video signal as described above,the decoder driver 19 can be constructed by a digital circuit IC (integrated circuit) of a relatively simple arrangement. In actual practice, as compared with the video camera of the example according to the prior art shown in Figure 1, the Y/C separating circuit 8, the timing generator 12 or the like can be removed, which can reduce the circuit assembly parts by about 30 parts, thus resulting in the manufacturing cost being reduced. A bidirectional information communication between the camera unit 21 and the viewfinder 17 is effected by means of the bus 15 so that the viewfinder 17 can be arranged to have its own function. For example, the colour adjustment can be effected on in the viewfinder 17 side in accordance with user's taste by the microcomputer on the camera unit 21 side. While the video camera of this embodiment employs an LCD which can display a colour image as described above, the display apparatus is not limited to the colour LCD and a colour cathode ray tube (colour CRT) can be utilised. As set out above, according to the present invention, the image signal from the imager device is converted into the digital video signal by the signal processing circuit provided on the camera unit side and this digital video signal is supplied through the bus to the viewfinder side. Also, this digital video signal is decoded by the decoder provided on the viewfinder side and then displayed on the picture screen of the display device in the viewfinder side. In this case, since the original signal of the digital video signal can be accurately reproduced so long as the distorted signal waveform of the digital video signal due to the stray impedance or the like falls within a predetermined range of distortion, the image displayed on the display device can be represented as the image faithful to the imager signal, thereby the quality of image being increased. Further, as compared with the prior art, the signal processing in the viewfinder can be simplified so that the circuit arrangement of the viewfinder can also be simplified, which can reduce the circuit assembly parts. There is then the advantage that the manufacturing cost can be reduced. A bidirectional information communication between the camera unit and the viewfinder is effected by means of the bus so that the viewfinder can be arranged to have its own additional peculiar function, wherein the colour adjustment can be effected only in the viewfinder side. Having described the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment and that various changes and modifications thereof could be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims: A video camera comprising: a camera unit (21) having a signal processing circuit (14) supplied with an image signal from an imager device (3); and a viewfinder (17) supplied with said video signal from said signal processing circuit (14) of said camera unit (21) to provide a display signal which is to be displayed on a display device (11) as an image, wherein the signal processing circuit converts said image signal to a digital video signal and supplies it through a bus (5) to a decoder (19) in said viewfinder (17) and which decodes said digital video signal to provide said display signal, characterised in that the bus (5) provides bidirectional communication between the camera unit (21) and the viewfinder (17) to allow colour adjustment in the viewfinder (21) of the displayed picture. A video camera according to claim 1, wherein said display device (11) is formed of a liquid crystal display device. A video camera according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said imager device (3) is formed of a charge-coupled device. A video camera according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said signal processing circuit (14) includes a microcomputer. A video camera according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein said decoder (19) is fabricated as a digital circuit IC.

Inventors: HASHIMOTO KAYANO, KOYAMA TOSHIO, MOCHIZUKI MICHIKO, YAMAMOTO SATOSHI, HASHIMOTO, KAYANO,, KOYAMA, TOSHIO,, MOCHIZUKI, MICHIKO,, YAMAMOTO, SATOSHI,, Hashimoto, Kayano, c/o Sony Corporation, Koyama, Toshio, c/o Sony Corporation, Mochizuki, Michiko, c/o Sony Corporation, Yamamoto, Satoshi, c/o Sony Corporation
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: H04N5, H04N9