Camera having automatic program zoom mode
AssigneeMinolta Co., Ltd.
InventorMasayuki Ikemura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Photographing operation of a camera is possible in an automatic program zoom mode in which focal length of a photographing lens is automatically determined based on a prescribed program, and in a manual zoom mode in which focal length of the photographing lens is determined dependent on user's preference. When a switch for starting operation of the camera is turned ON, the automatic program zoom mode is automatically set from the two modes.
Claims20
A camera comprising:
- means for changing a condition of the camera from one in which photography cannot be carried out to another condition in which photography can be carried out;
- selecting means for selecting an automatic program zoom mode in which a focal length of a photographing lens is automatically determined based on a prescribed program, and a manual zoom mode in which the focal length of said photographing lens is determined by an arbitrary operation;
- and
- control means for making said selecting means select the automatic program zoom mode in response to operation of said condition changing means, irrespective of a zoom mode previously selected via said selecting means.
A camera, comprising:
- means for changing a condition of the camera from one in which photography cannot be carried out to another condition in which photography can be carried out;
- initial state setting means for setting a state of said camera to a prescribed state in response to said condition changing means;
- and
- selecting means for selecting an automatic program zoom mode in which a focal length of a photographing lens is automatically determined based on a prescribed program, and a manual zoom mode in which the focal length of said photographing lens is determined by an arbitrary operation;
- wherein
- said initial state setting means sets said camera in the automatic program zoom mode, regardless of the mode selected by said selecting means.
A camera capable of photographing in a plurality of photographing modes, comprising:
- an operating member for selecting one of said plurality of photographing modes;
- means for automatically setting a prescribed mode out of said plurality of photographing modes regardless of a mode previously selected;
- and
- means for changing the previous mode set by said setting means.
A camera according to claim 19, wherein content of said memory means cannot be changed by a user.
A camera comprising:
- operating means capable of operating in a first mode or a second mode different from the first mode when the camera is in a predetermined situation;
- an EEPROM for storing data representing whether the operating means should be operated in the first or the second mode;
- manipulating means located in a position where it cannot be easily manipulated by a user;
- rewriting means for permitting the contents of the EEPROM to be rewritten, based on the manipulation of the manipulating means, from data representing operation of the first mode to data representing the operation of the second mode, and vice versa;
- and
- control means for controlling the operating means to operate in either the first or the second mode, based on the contents of the EEPROM.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.