Exposure controller for camera attached to electronic equipment

An exposure controller for an electronic camera which is detachably attached and connected to electronic equipment having a display and which controls the exposure of the electronic camera of which the photographic coverage is capable of being set at at least the front or rear of a screen of the display, said exposure controller comprising:

• exposure detecting means for, in response to a video signal generated by the electronic camera, generating exposure detection information indicating the mean magnitude of the video signal for a single photographic image;
• exposure adjusting means for adjusting the exposure of the electronic camera according to the exposure detection information generated by said exposure detecting means;
• and
• photographic coverage detecting means which outputs a coverage detection signal when the photographic coverage of the electronic camera is set at the rear of the screen,
• wherein said exposure detecting means virtually divides the single photographic image using a first pattern and a second pattern to generate first exposure detection information in the first pattern, in which the photographic image is divided into an upper area and a lower area, said first exposure detection information indicating that the magnitude of the video signal corresponding to the lower area is more strongly reflected, and to generate second exposure detection information in the second pattern, in which the photographic image is divided into a central area and a surrounding area, said second exposure detection information indicating that the magnitude of the video signal corresponding to the central area is more strongly reflected, and
• said exposure adjusting means adjusts the exposure of the electronic camera according to the first exposure detection information when said photographic coverage detecting means outputs the coverage detection signal, and according to the second exposure detection information when said photographic coverage detecting means does not output the coverage detection signal.