Video camera including a zooming function

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a video camera in which a field of vision can be confirmed with ease when a cameraman takes a picture. An image signal from a zoom (variable power) lens (1) is developed at an output terminal (7). A signal from a wide angle lens (8) having a field angle which is substantially equal to or larger than the largest field angle of the variable power lens is supplied to a field memory (14). A read-out clock signal from a timing generator (15) is supplied to an address counter (16) and a read-out address thus formed thereby is supplied to the field memory (14). A signal read-out from the field memory (14) and a signal from the zoom (variable power) lens (1) are supplied to a switch (17), in which they are selectively synthesized in response to a read-out position signal from the timing generator (15). Then, a signal from the switch (17) is developed at an output terminal (19) from which an image signal is supplied to a viewfinder.

Description: The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus for use with cameras, particularly commercially-available video cameras or the like. When a commercially-available video camera includes a zoom (variable power) lens, if the cameraman takes a picture in a telephoto lens mode of the zoom lens, then it frequently occurs that the cameraman cannot see what portion of a field of view is magnified. Further, when the cameraman takes a picture in the telephoto lens mode, if there is a shutter release opportunity at the portion outside the picture, then it frequently occurs that the cameraman fails to record such picture before the cameraman knows of the above shutter release or filming opportunity. This problem worsens with increased magnification of the zoom lens. While a professional cameraman and those who are skilled in the handling of the video camera can confirm an object through a viewfinder with one eye while seeing the object through the other eye, it poses greater problems for ordinary users. US-A-4,527,201 discloses an apparatus for a video camera with a zoom lens. In response to the current zoom setting a zoom frame is provided superimposed on a raster display and representative of the portion of the displayed scene that would constitute substantially the entire field of view at the maximum magnification of the zoom lens. DE-A-3,146,552 discloses an apparatus and method of observation using two or more pick-up systems with different magnifications displaying images on respective monitors. The magnification of each pick-up system is variable and in the image of one there is inserted a variable frame, the enclosed image section of which corresponds to the overall image of another monitor. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved video camera having main imaging means and sub imaging means in which the aforesaid shortcomings and disadvantages encountered with the prior art can be reduced or eliminated. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a video camera having main imaging means and sub-imaging means in which a field of vision can be confirmed with ease. It is another object of the present invention to provide a video camera having main imaging means and sub-imaging means in which the cameraman can confirm the situation of an image when taking a picture. According to the present invention there is provided a camera having main imaging means including a variable power lens providing a variable field angle, comprising: sub-imaging means having a field angle which is substantially equal to or larger than a largest field angle of said variable power lens; characterised by further comprising: means for synthesizing an image picked up by said sub-imaging means on to a part of an image picked up by said main imaging means, to form a synthesised image. Conveniently, the camera is further comprised of zoom position detecting means formed on said variable power lens, calculating means for calculating a magnification of said variable power lens, in response to an output from said zoom position detecting means, picture frame generating means for generating a picture frame signal corresponding to said sub imaging means, on the basis of a calculated result of the magnification, and means for superimposing said picture frame signal into the image output from said sub-imaging means. The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of an image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 2A through 2C are respectively timing charts used to explain the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1; FIGS. 3A through 3D are respectively timing charts used to explain the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an address of a field memory used in the present invention; FIG. 5 is a pictorial representation showing an example of a displayed image; FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main portion of the image pickup apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 7 is a pictorial representation showing an example of a displayed image according to another embodiment of the present invention. The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows in block form an arrangement of an image pickup apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, there is provided a zoom (variable power) lens 1 which constructs a main imaging means. Light of a video image from the zoom lens 1 is irradiated on a charge-coupled device (CCD) 2. An image signal from the CCD 2 is supplied through a sample and hold circuit 3 to an automatic gain control (AGC) amplifier 4. A signal from the AGC amplifier 4 is supplied through an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter circuit 5 to a processor circuit 6. The signal thus processed is supplied to an output terminal 7 from which an image signal is delivered to a video tape recorder (not shown). On the other hand, there is shown a wide angle lens 8 whose field angle in both vertical and horizontal directions is substantially equal to or larger than a largest field angle of the variable power lens 1. Light of a video image from the lens 8 is irradiated on a CCD 9. An image signal from the CCD 9 is supplied through a sample and hold circuit 10 to an AGC amplifier 11. A signal from the AGC amplifier 11 is supplied through an A/D converter circuit 12 to a processor circuit 13. The signal thus processed is supplied to a field memory 14. There is shown a timing generator 15 which generates a predetermined read clock signal and a predetermined read-out position signal in response to a vertical sync. (synchronizing) signal VD, a horizontal sync. signal HD and a signal having a frequency of 4 fsc supplied thereto. The read clock signal is supplied to an address counter 16 and the thus formed read-out address is supplied to the field memory 14. The signal read-out from the field memory 14 and the signal from the processor circuit 6 are supplied to a switch 17, in which they are selectively synthesized in response to the read-out position signal from the timing generator 15. A signal from the switch 17 is supplied through a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter circuit 18 to an output terminal 19 from which an image signal is supplied to a viewfinder (not shown). FIGS. 2A to 2C of the accompanying drawings show timing charts of signals which are generated from the timing generator 15. As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, read-out position signals SW1, SW2 (see FIGS. 2B, 2C), which are used to connect the switch 17 to its fixed contact 17a or 17b, are generated in response to a vertical sync. signal VD shown in FIG. 2A. FIGS. 3A through 3D of the accompanying drawings show a portion which follows a V/2 period shown in FIG. 2A. Read-out position signals SW1, SW2 (see FIGS. 3B, 3C), which are used to switch the switch 17, are generated in response to the horizontal sync. signal HD shown in FIG. 3A. Further, during the switch 17 is switched to the fixed contact 17b, the timing generator 15 generates a read-out clock signal shown in FIG. 3D on the basis of the signal having the frequency of 4 fsc. This read-out clock signal is supplied to the address counter 16 which forms read-out addresses whose address values are illustrated in FIG. 3D. The field memory 14 has a storage capacity of 760 in the horizontal direction and 245 in the vertical direction. FIG. 4 of the accompanying drawings shows an address arrangement thereof. Therefore, a viewfinder image signal developed at the output terminal 19 is formed as an image signal shown in FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 5, an image picked-up by means of the wide angle lens 8 is displayed on a quarter of the picture screen at its lower right position so that the cameraman can confirm both the picked-up image by the wide angle lens 8 and the field of vision by the zoom lens 1 at the same time. As described above, according to the above-mentioned apparatus, since the cameraman can see the image of the sub imaging means (CCD 9 to processor circuit 13) having the wide field angle (lens 8), the user can confirm the field of vision with ease. FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings shows the image pickup apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, there is provided a detecting means 21 that detects the zoom position of the zoom (variable power) lens 1. A detected signal from the detecting means 21 is supplied through an A/D converter circuit 22 to a microcomputer 23 which calculates the magnification of the zoom lens 1 at that position from data representative of the zoom position. A signal representative of the magnification thus calculated by the microcomputer 23 is supplied to a frame signal generator circuit 24, from which there is derived a predetermined display frame signal. This display frame signal is supplied to an adder circuit 25, in which it is added to the signal supplied from the processor circuit 13 before being supplied to the field memory 14. FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings shows an example of the viewfinder image signal based on the signal that is developed at the output terminal 19 similarly to FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 7, a frame representative of the field angle of the image picked-up by the zoom lens 1 is displayed within the image picked-up by the wide angle lens 8. Therefore, the cameraman can confirm the situation of the picture picked-up more satisfactorily. As described above, according to the present invention, since the cameraman can see the image picked up by the sub imaging means having the wide field angle, the cameraman can confirm the field of vision with ease. Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments and that various changes and modifications could be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. In particular, the invention is applicable both to moving-picture and still-picture cameras.

Claims: A camera having main imaging means (1-6) including a variable power lens (1) providing a variable field angle, comprising: sub-imaging means (8-13) having a field angle which is substantially equal to or larger than a largest field angle of said variable power lens (1); characterised by further comprising: means (14-17) for synthesizing an image picked up by said sub-imaging means (8-13) on to a part of an image picked up by said main imaging means (1-6), to form a synthesised image. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising zoom position detecting means (21) formed on said variable power lens (1), calculating means (23) for calculating a magnification of said variable power lens (1), in response to an output from said zoom position detecting means (21), picture frame generating means (24) for generating a picture frame signal representative of the field angle of the image picked up by said main imaging means (1-6), on the basis of a calculated result of the magnification, and means (25) for superimposing said picture frame signal into the image output from said sub-imaging means (8-13). The camera according to claim 2, wherein said calculating means is a microcomputer (23). The camera according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, in use, an image output of said main imaging means is supplied to recording means (7) and an image output of said sub-imaging means (8-13) is supplied to a viewfinder (19). The camera according to claim 4 wherein, in use, the synthesised image is supplied to said viewfinder (19). The camera according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the recording means is a video recorder (7). The camera according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the recording means is a video tape recorder (7).

Inventors: TSURUTA MASAAKI, TSURUTA, MASAAKI, Tsuruta, Masaaki, c/o Sony Corporation
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1992
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: H04N5, G03B13