Nikon Corporation

Ryotaro Takayanagi

Hideki Matsui

Hiroshi Sakamoto

Nobuyoshi Hagiuda

Norikazu Yokonuma

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 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.

Secondary battery discharge adaptor

Disclosed is an electronic flash apparatus of a camera incorporating a focal plane shutter. The apparatus is constructed of 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 is further constructed of 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.

A camera capable of photographing with flash comprises a pre-flash command circuitry 11 which commands a pre-flash used for curtailing red eye; rear synchronized photography command circuitry 25 which commands a rear synchronized photography; a microcomputer 22 which, when no command is being given to the pre-flash, and when rear synchronized photography is being commanded, causes a light discharge unit 24 to perform the primary flash with the first timing in response to the release of the shutter, and which when the pre-flash is being commanded, causes the light discharge unit 24 to perform the pre-flash prior to the release of the shutter, notwithstanding a command for synchronized photography, and; notwithstanding the existence or lack of a pre-flash command, if there is no command for rear synchronized photography, in response to the release of the shutter, causes the light discharge unit 24 to perform the primary flash with the secondary timing which is faster than the first timing; when both the pre-flash and the rear synchronized photography are commanded, the primary flash is accomplished with the first timing which is continuous with the pre-flash.

Camera capable of photographing with flash

An electronic flash device which is pivotally movable about an axis intersecting the focal plane of a photo-taking lens and of which the light distribution is changed relative to the angle of view of a camera by pivotally moving comprises a light distribution setting device for setting the amount of light distribution, a posture detecting device for detecting the posture of the electronic flash device relative to the camera, a determining device for determining the amount of light distribution on the basis of a desired amount of light distribution set by the light distribution setting device and the posture detected by the posture detecting device, and a light distribution changing device for controlling the light distribution on the basis of the amount of light distribution determined by the determining device.

Electronic flash device

A camera system includes a camera having a focal plane shutter and an electronic flash device cooperable with the camera. The flash device, which emits light repetitively, has two operating modes. In a first mode, a light emission start signal is synchronized with the start of the exposure of a film exposure area by a leading curtain of the shutter, and a light emission stop signal is synchronized with the end of the exposure of the film exposure area by a trailing curtain of the shutter. In a second mode, the light emission start signal is synchronized with the full exposure of the film exposure area by the leading curtain, and the light emission stop signal is synchronized with the start of shielding of the film exposure area by the trailing curtain.

Camera and system of camera and electronic flash device

A TTL automatic light modulation electronic flash device having transmission means, control means and indication means is combined with a camera. The electronic flash device receives a signal from the camera in the transmission means, and the control means controls the indication means to indicate data concerning an improper exposure amount.

Growing community of inventors

Yokosuka, Japan

Ryotaro Takayanagi