Camera system, camera body, interchangeable lens, and communication method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016227084-A1
Application number	US-201615093934-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2016
Priority date	Nov 8, 2013
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a camera system including a camera body ( 200 ) and an interchangeable lens ( 100 ), the camera body includes a body-side communication unit, and a body-side control unit that transmits a request signal to the interchangeable lens via the body-side communication unit, and receives a response signal corresponding to the transmitted request signal from the interchangeable lens via the body-side communication unit, the interchangeable lens includes a lens-side communication unit, and a lens-side control unit that transmits the response signal corresponding to the received request signal to the camera body via the lens-side communication unit when receiving the request signal via the lens-side communication unit, and the lens-side control unit transmits lens information in synchronization with a frame of a video without receiving a request signal for lens information from the camera body at least in a video recording mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A camera system including a camera body and an interchangeable lens freely detachable and attachable from the camera body,
wherein the camera body comprises a body-side communication unit that performs communication with the interchangeable lens; and a body-side control unit that transmits a request signal to the interchangeable lens via the body-side communication unit, and receives a response signal corresponding to the transmitted request signal from the interchangeable lens via the body-side communication unit, the interchangeable lens comprises a lens-side communication unit that performs communication with the camera body; and a lens-side control unit that transmits the response signal corresponding to the received request signal to the camera body via the lens-side communication unit when receiving the request signal via the lens-side communication unit, and wherein the body-side control unit transmits a request signal including lens driving to the interchangeable lens via the body-side communication unit at least in a video recording mode, and the lens-side control unit, at least in the video recording mode, transmits the response signal corresponding to the received request signal to the camera body when receiving the request signal including lens driving from the camera body via the lens-side communication unit, and transmits lens information to the camera body in synchronization with a frame of a video without receiving a request signal for lens information from the camera body, and therefore, the transmission of the lens information synchronized with a frame and the transmission and reception of the request signal and the response signal are both performed in a communication period corresponding to one frame

2 . The camera system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lens-side control unit changes a transmission frequency and transmits the lens information.

3 . The camera system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the body-side control unit includes a communication mode switching unit that switches between a first communication mode in which only transmission and reception of the request signal and the response signal are performed and a second communication mode in which the transmission of the lens information from the interchangeable lens to the camera body in synchronization with the frame of the video and the transmission and reception of the request signal and the response signal are both performed in a communication period corresponding to one frame, and the communication mode switching unit performs switching to the second communication mode in a case in which necessary lens information cannot be acquired in a period of one frame in the first communication mode.

4 . The camera system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the body-side control unit includes a communication mode switching unit that switches between a first communication mode in which only transmission and reception of the request signal and the response signal are performed and a second communication mode in which the transmission of the lens information from the interchangeable lens to the camera body in synchronization with the frame of the video and the transmission and reception of the request signal and the response signal are both performed in a communication period corresponding to one frame, and the communication mode switching unit performs switching to the second communication mode in a case in which necessary lens information cannot be acquired in a period of one frame in the first communication mode.

5 . The camera system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the body-side control unit includes a communication mode switching unit that switches between a first communication mode in which only transmission and reception of the request signal and the response signal are performed and a second communication mode in which the transmission of the lens information from the interchangeable lens to the camera body in synchronization with the frame of the video and the transmission and reception of the request signal and the response signal are both performed in a communication period corresponding to one frame, and an image processing mode switching unit that switches between a first image processing mode in which the number of pieces of lens information per unit time necessary for image processing of the frame of the video is smaller than a threshold value and a second image processing mode in which the number of pieces of lens information per unit time necessary for image processing of the frame of the video is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and the communication mode switching unit performs switching to the second communication mode in the case of the second image processing mode.

6 . The camera system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the body-side control unit includes a communication mode switching unit that switches between a first communication mode in which only transmission and reception of the request signal and the response signal are performed and a second communication mode in which the transmission of the lens information from the interchangeable lens to the camera body in synchronization with the frame of the video and the transmission and reception of the request signal and the response signal are both performed in a communication period corresponding to one frame, and an image processing mode switching unit that switches between a first image processing mode in which the number of pieces of lens information per unit time necessary for image processing of the frame of the video is smaller than a threshold value and a second image processing mode in which the number of pieces of lens information per unit time necessary for image processing of the frame of the video is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and the communication mode switching unit performs switching to the second communication mode in the case of the second image processing mode.

7 . The camera system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the first image processing mode is a live view mode in which live view imaging and displaying are performed, and the second image processing mode is the video recording mode.

8 . The camera system according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first image processing mode is a live view mode in which live view imaging and displaying are performed, and the second image processing mode is the video recording mode.

9 . The camera system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the first image processing mode is the video recording mode in which a point image restoration process is not performed, and the second image processing mode is the video recording mode in which the point image restoration process is performed.

10 . The camera system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lens-side control unit transmits the lens information in synchronization with the frame of the video based on a synchronization signal of an imaging element installed in the camera body or the interchangeable lens.

11 . The camera system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lens information of the interchangeable lens includes a plurality of types of lens information, and the lens-side control unit collects a plurality of types of lens information into one piece of information and transmits the information to the camera body.

12 . The camera system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lens information of the interchangeable lens includes a plurality of types of lens information, the lens-side control unit changes a type of lens information and transmits the plurality of types of lens information, and the camera body includes an interpolation unit that inte

Assignees

• Fujifilm Corp

Inventors

• IMAMURA Kenshi
• Hayashi Kenkichi

Classifications

• H04N23/667

  Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes · CPC title

• H04N23/663 Primary

  for controlling interchangeable camera parts based on electronic image sensor signals · CPC title

• H04N5/2254 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/04

  Synchronising (for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56) · CPC title

• H04N5/44

  Receiver circuitry {for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards} (H04N5/14 takes precedence) · CPC title