Nikon Corporation

Nippon Kogaku K.k.

Nobuyoshi Hagiuda

Hideki Matsui

Hiroshi Sakamoto

Norikazu Yokonuma

Ryotaro Takayanagi

Yoshikazu Iida

Masakuni Ohta

Zhaoxiang Chen

Hiroaki Tanaka

Yoshinari Hamanishi

Nobuhiko Terui

Kenji Ishizuki

Junichi Yanai

Norikazo Yokonuma

A flash apparatus operates on power supplied from internal batteries and an external battery in an auxiliary battery apparatus. A battery check is executed by detecting the charge speed at which a main capacitor is charged and comparing the charge speed with a threshold value. The threshold value is set higher when the auxiliary battery apparatus is mounted than the threshold value set when the auxiliary battery apparatus is not mounted. Thus, an accurate battery check reflecting the presence/absence of the auxiliary battery apparatus can be achieved.

Flash apparatus and auxiliary battery apparatus

In the present invention, slave light emissions are controlled in such a manner that a flash light amount ratio between master and slave flash lights during pre-flash is caused to be approximately equal to a flash light amount ratio between master and slave flash lights during main flash. In another aspect of the present invention, the slave light emissions are controlled in such a manner that a flash time ratio between master and slave flash lights during pre-flash is caused to be approximately equal to a flash time ratio between master and slave flash lights during main flash. Such a control over the slave light emissions realizes a flash illumination having an appropriate amount of light.

Slave flash controlling device and slave flash device

An electric flash according to the present invention comprises a flash source for emitting flash light to illuminate a subject, a trigger noise detecting part for detecting trigger noise generated from a master-side flash, and a flash control part for controlling the flashing of the flash source in synchronization with the trigger noise detected by the trigger noise detecting part. By detecting the trigger noise generated at the flashing or the like of the master-side flash which is arranged close thereto, the electric flash carries out a slave flash in synchronization with the flash timing of the master-side flash.

Electric flash and connector

A dimming plate for dimming light from an internal flash device of a camera, is disposed on the external flash device of the present invention which is mounted for use on a mounting seat of the camera. A two-lamp-lighting photographing is carried out in a state where the light from the internal flash device of the camera is dimmed by covering a luminescent unit of the internal flash device with the dimming plate of the external flash device. Thereby the two-lamp-lighting photographing can be carried out easily and reliably, where the light emission of the external flash device is used as a main light source, and the light emission of the internal flash device of the camera as a supplementary light source. The external flash device becomes inexpensive because the two-lamp-lighting photographing can be carried out only by incorporating the dimming plate therein without a special sub-luminescent unit disposed.

Detachable flash device for camera

A device that is to be fitted to an accessory shoe provided to a main device, includes: an insertion portion that is inserted into the accessory shoe; a shift member; an actuation member; and a shift device that shifts the shift member according to actuation of the actuation member, and the shift device: presses a portion of the shift member against an inner wall surface of the accessory shoe according to actuation of the actuation member, when the insertion portion is to be inserted and fixed in the accessory shoe; and releases this pressing of the portion of the shift member against the inner wall surface of the accessory shoe according to actuation of the actuation member in order to remove the insertion portion from the accessory shoe.

Device and camera accessory mounted on accessory shoe

Flash unit for a camera includes a flash illumination device which illuminates during imaging operations of the camera, and a housing encasing the flash illumination device. The housing is made from a material that transmits infrared light emitted by the flash illumination device to an area outside of the housing. Also disclosed is a camera that includes a built-in flash unit that further includes a flash illumination device which illuminates during operations of the camera. The camera also includes a housing that encases the built-in flash illumination unit. The housing, like the housing of the flash unit, is made from a material that transmits infrared light emitted by the flash illumination device to an area outside of the housing. Also provided is a command module for use by a camera in controlling another device. The command module includes an infrared light source, and a housing that encases the infrared light source. The housing is made from a material that transmits infrared light emitted by the infrared light source to an area outside of the housing. The light emitted by the infrared light source and which is transmitted by the housing is used to control another device. The command module also includes a coupling member connected to the housing for coupling the housing to the camera. The coupling member permits the camera to control the infrared light source.

Housing for camera flash control components and circuitry

A source file editing apparatus accomplishes various concatenation editing by displaying source files, especially image files, as thumbnails and controlling the thumbnails using an intuitive process. A reader reads a path from a starting point to an ending point of a drag-and-drop operation. A display processor respectively displays on a screen a plurality of thumbnails corresponding to each of a plurality of source files including image data and/or voice data. The display processor moves a first thumbnail corresponding to the starting point of the drag-and-drop operation read by the reader to an ending point of the drag-and-drop operation. A file editor detects how the first thumbnail moved and displayed by the display processor and a second thumbnail displayed on the screen are overlapping each other. The file editor executes preset concatenation editing to the source files corresponding to each of the two thumbnails depending on how the thumbnails are overlapping each other. Source files can be edited in a manner in which the source files are continuously played.

Source file editing apparatus

A variable illuminating angle mechanism which can vary the illuminating angle of a flash unit. The variable illuminating angle mechanism includes a device which prevents a light emitting body or an illuminating lens from being moved in excess of a range of normal movement. The variable illuminating angle mechanism includes a drive shaft having a screw thread formed on a circumferential surface of the drive shaft and a drive device to rotationally drive the drive shaft. A transmission member in threaded connection to the drive shaft is moved by rotation of the drive shaft, and a transmission device moves the light emitting unit or the illuminating lens via movement of the transmission member. An escape device is positioned at at least one end of the drive shaft to disconnect the transmission member from the drive shaft when the transmission member is moved beyond a normal operating range of the light emitting unit or illuminating lens. When the escape device disconnects the drive shaft from the transmission member, the drive shaft rotates without driving the transmission member to prevent the variable illuminating angle mechanism from locking and causing damage to the variable illuminating angle mechanism components.

Variable illuminating angle mechanism for a flash unit

An electronic flash device with a slave emission function, includes a light-receiving circuit unit for starting slave emission in response to the steep leading edge of an optical signal, a light-emitting unit for irradiating illumination light for a photographing operation onto an object, an attachment member to a camera, for detecting the attachment state of the to the camera, and light emission stopping means for, when the detects that the attachment member is mounted on the camera, stopping the light emission by the light-emitting unit in response to light received by the light-receiving circuit unit.

Electronic flash device with slave emission function

An electronic flashing device includes a booster circuit for boosting a power supply voltage to a predetermined voltage, a main capacitor charged via the booster circuit, a light emission tube for emitting light according to a charge charged on the main capacitor, a semiconductor element connected in series with the light emission tube, and including a thyristor element and a MOSFET which are cascade-connected to each other, and are formed on a single chip, a trigger circuit for applying a trigger voltage to the light emission tube in response to a light emission start signal for causing the light emission tube to start light emission, a gate voltage applying circuit for applying a voltage to the gate of the semiconductor element in response to the light emission start signal, and a gate voltage disappearing circuit for causing the voltage at the gate of the semiconductor element to disappear in response to a light emission stop signal for causing the light emission tube to stop light emission. A series circuit of the light emission tube and the semiconductor element is connected in parallel with the main capacitor.

Electronic flashing device

A wireless light amplifying strobe system appropriately regulates the commencement and cessation of each strobe's light emission to enable the radiation intensity of the light emissions to be accurately set. For example, a wireless light-amplifying system has a strobe that is attached to a camera (the primary strobe) and a strobe that is separated from the first strobe (the auxiliary strobe). The primary strobe repeatedly emits a low-intensity flash of light, and the auxiliary strobe detects the emission of light from the primary strobe and repeatedly emits a fixed, low-intensity flash of light upon each emission of light from the primary strobe. The camera measures the light that is reflected from the subject being photographed, which is illuminated by both strobes, with a photometer circuit that passes through the photographic lens. When the proper exposure has been reached, the primary strobe's light emission ceases. When the primary strobe stops emitting light, the auxiliary strobe no longer detects the emission of light from the primary strobe, and automatically ceases its own light emission.

Wireless light-amplifying strobe system and strobe device usable with

An electronic flash apparatus of a camera incorporating a focal plane shutter has a capacitor for storing an electric charge, a flashtube for irradiating a subject with a flash of light by the electric charge stored in the capacitor and a setting unit capable of setting any of a signal flash mode in which the flashtube effects a single flash and a high-speed mode in which the flashtube effects high-speed repetitive flash. The apparatus has a voltage setting unit for setting a first voltage as an energizing voltage when the single flash mode is set and setting a second voltage higher than the first voltage as an energizing voltage when the high-speed mode is set and an energizing unit for monitoring a voltage when the capacitor stores the electric charge and energizing a ready light just when the voltage in the storage of the electric charge exceeds the set energizing voltage.

Electronic flash apparatus of a camera

A camera accessory mounting and fixing device, having an outer periphery of a mounting foot member to be inserted into an accessory shoe of a camera to which a camera accessory is fixed. The camera accessory mounting and fixing device has a clamping member which is engaged with the mounting foot member and clamps the mounting foot member to the accessory shoe. A cam member is engaged with the clamping member and rotates during an initial rotation of the clamping member. While the cam member is rotated, a stop pin is urged toward or away from a stop hole formed in the accessory shoe.

Camera accessory mounting and fixing device

A flash bracket with an attached grip that does not affect the photographer's mobility or hinder the operation of the camera and that enables one to freely take photographs in the horizontal position (i.e., the landscape mode), the vertical position (i.e., the portrait mode), or with the flash detached from the camera for an off-camera lighting situation. The flash bracket permits a user to adjust the position of the flash with respect to the lens to limit the size of the undesirable shadows during flash photography. The flash bracket features an attached grip that allows a flash device to be easily installed with the flash directly to the side of or at an upwards slant from the camera. The grip is used when the flash is separated from the camera.

Flash bracket with grip

A discharging adaptor connects between an existing recharging unit and a battery, discharges the battery and, automatically recharges the battery after discharging is complete. The adaptor also indicates the battery's remaining capacity. The battery discharging adaptor connects between a battery and its recharging unit and is equipped with a load-discharging circuit for discharging the battery, a mechanism for connecting the battery to the load-discharging circuit when power is added, a mechanism for detecting when the battery is almost completely discharged, and a regulator for connecting the battery to the recharging unit, based on the output of the discharge detecting system.

Growing community of inventors

Yokohama, Japan

Nobuyoshi Hagiuda