Patent ID: 7358998

Claim:
An image switching apparatus for an electronic camera comprising a lens, an image sensor and a viewfinder, comprising: a housing disposed between the lens and the image sensor, wherein the lens is opposite the image sensor and the viewfinder is above the housing; an optical assembly rotatably and movably disposed in the housing and comprising a beam splitter and an optical compensator, wherein the beam splitter is connected to the optical compensator at a predetermined included angle; and a reciprocating driving device coupled to the optical assembly to rotate and move the optical assembly between a first position and a second position, wherein the reciprocating driving device comprises a linkage and a motor, the linkage is coupled to the optical assembly and comprises three operating rods, the motor is connected to and activates the linkage, the beam splitter simultaneously faces the lens and viewfinder and tilts to the viewfinder at an included angle of 45° when the optical assembly is in the first position, and the optical compensator simultaneously faces the lens and image sensor and is parallel to the image sensor when the optical assembly is in the second position.