Single lens reflex camera with electro-optical reflex apparatus
OwnerAndrew Cheninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lens-interchangeable single-lens reflex camera system according to the present invention employs a novel reflex apparatus comprising stationary “smart glass” elements. The “smart glass” elements switch between transparent and non-transparent states in response to applied electrical voltage, allowing for silent, solid-state control of the optical light path from an external scene image. The optical transmittances of the “smart glass” elements are electronically regulated to provide the operator with a representation of the scene image through the optical viewfinder during the inactive observation period, and to alternately allow the external light to reach the image-sensing device during a photographic exposure.
Claims5
A single-lens reflex camera comprising:
- an interchangeable photographic objective lens for collecting and focusing light from an external scene;
- an image-sensing device, which may be photographic film or an electronic (digital) sensor coupled to an image processing unit and associated storage media, for recording photographic data from light received from the photographic objective lens;
- an optical viewfinder for providing the operator with a visible representation of the scene image as seen by the image-sensing device through the photographic objective lens;
- a reflex apparatus containing materials with adjustable optical transmission properties to selectively direct incoming light from the objective lens to the image-sensing device and optical viewfinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.