Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and computer-readable recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9596390-B2
Application number	US-201414257586-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2014
Priority date	Apr 23, 2013
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging unit configured to receive light collected from an object area through an imaging optical system provided at a front side facing an object, and to generate image data; a body unit including the imaging unit; an optical sight unit including a light source unit for emitting luminous flux, and a reflecting optical element for allowing light from the object area to transmit and reflecting the luminous flux toward a back side opposite to the front in order to produce a virtual image of the luminous flux in the object area or near the object area; and a leg unit that holds at least the reflecting optical element in a movable manner in a direction away from the body unit and in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging optical system, at startup of the optical sight unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
an imager that receives light collected from an object area through an imaging optical system provided at a front side facing an object, and to generate image data;
a body including the imager and a shaft;
an optical sight including a light source for emitting luminous flux, and an optical reflector that allows light from the object area to transmit and reflect the luminous flux emitted by the light source toward a back side opposite to the front, the optical sight produces a virtual image of the luminous flux emitted by the light source in the object area or near the object area;
a flash light emitter that irradiates the object area with illumination light;
a leg that is pivotally supported on the body and holds the flash light emitter and the optical sight such that the leg is rotatable around the shaft in a direction away from the body and in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging optical system, at startup of the optical sight; and
a pair of position detectors that detect a position of the imaging apparatus, the position detectors being provided in the leg and at positions symmetrical to the optical axis of the imaging optical system.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a vibrator provided in the leg to add a vibration to the optical reflector.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a display rotatably provided to the body from a back side of the imaging apparatus to a front side of the imaging apparatus to display an image corresponding to the image data generated by the body.

4. An imaging apparatus comprising:
an imager that receives light collected from an object area through an imaging optical system provided at a front side facing an object, and to generate image data;
a body including the imager and a shaft;
an optical sight including a light source for emitting luminous flux, and an optical reflector that allows light from the object area to transmit and reflect the luminous flux emitted by the light source toward a back side opposite to the front, the optical sight produces a virtual image of the luminous flux emitted by the light source in the object area;
a flash light emitter that irradiates the object area with illumination light;
a leg that is pivotally supported on the body and holds the flash light emitter and the optical sight such that the leg is rotatable around the shaft in a direction away from the body and in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging optical system, at startup of the optical sight;
an object detector that detects the object in an image corresponding to the image data generated by the imager;
an angle of view determinator that determines whether the object detected by the object detector is in an angle of view of the imaging optical system while the optical sight is producing the virtual image; and
an output that outputs a warning indicating that the object falls outside the angle of view when the angle of view determinator determines that the object is not in the angle of view.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a focal distance detector that detects a focal distance of the imaging optical system; and
a sight controller configured to control driving of the optical sight according to a detection result detected by the focal distance detector.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising an input that receives an input of an instruction signal for setting the object in the image, wherein
the object detector detects the object according to the instruction signal received by the input.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the output displays an image corresponding to the image data, and superimpose and display the warning on the image.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a characteristic of an image corresponding to the image data of the object satisfies a specific position condition.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the light source outputs the warning by intermittently emitting the luminous flux, or changing brightness of the luminous flux.

10. An imaging method comprising:
providing an imaging apparatus comprising:
an imager that receives light collected from an object area through an imaging optical system provided at a front side facing an object, and to generate image data;
a body including the imager and a shaft;
an optical sight including a light source for emitting luminous flux, and an optical reflector that allows light from the object area to transmit and reflect the luminous flux emitted by the light source toward a back side opposite to the front, the optical sight produces a virtual image of the luminous flux emitted by the light source in the object area or near the object area;
a flash light emitter that irradiates the object area with illumination light; and
a leg that is pivotally supported on the body and holds the flash light emitter and the optical sight such that the leg is rotatable around the shaft in a direction away from the body and in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging optical system, at startup of the optical sight;

receiving light collected from the object area through the imaging optical system provided at the front side facing the object to generate image data by the imager;
using the optical sight including the light source for emitting luminous flux, and the optical reflector for allowing light from the object area to transmit and reflect the luminous flux emitted by the light source toward the back side opposite to the front side to produce the virtual image of the luminous flux emitted by the light source in the object area or near the object area;
moving at least the optical reflector in a direction away from the body and in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging optical system, at startup of the optical sight;
producing the virtual image of the luminous flux in the object area;
detecting the object in an image corresponding to the image data generated by the imager;
determining whether the object is in an angle of view of the imaging optical system while producing the virtual image; and
outputting a warning indicating that the object falls outside the angle of view when the object is not in the angle of view.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium in which an executable program is recorded, the program causing a processor included in an imaging apparatus to perform an imaging process, comprising:
providing an imaging apparatus comprising:
an imager that receives light collected from an object area through an imaging optical system provided at a front side facing an object, and to generate image data;
a body including the imager and a shaft;
an optical sight including a light source for emitting luminous flux, and an optical reflector that allows light from the object area to transmit and reflect the luminous flux emitted by the light source toward a back side opposite to the front, the optical sight produces a virtual image of the luminous flux emitted by the light source in the object area or near the object area;
a flash light emitter that irradiates the object area with illumination light; and
a leg that is pivotally supported on the body and holds the flash light emitter and the optical sight such that the leg is rotatable around the shaft in a direction away from the body and in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging optical system, at startup of the optical sight;

producing the virtual image of the luminous flux in the vi

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Uemura Tatsuyuki
• Yamamiya Kunio
• Nonaka Osamu
• Mori Ikko

Classifications

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• G02B23/14 Primary

  Viewfinders (for photographic apparatus G03B13/02) · CPC title

• G02B23/105

  Sighting devices with light source and collimating reflector (reflecting sights for small arms having light source F41G1/34) · CPC title

• G02B23/145

  Zoom viewfinders · CPC title

• G02B23/12

  with means for image conversion or intensification · CPC title