Minolta Company, Ltd.

Yoshio Nakagawa

Shoichi Minato

Hisanori Itoh

Daigo Yoshioka

Naohiko Hayashi

Junichi Tanii

Yoshiyuki Inoue

Kazuhiko Kojima

Tatsuro Izumi

An information communication apparatus for conducting information communication such as a telephone conversation, sending and reception of E-mails and the like and for capturing an image of a subject comprises an image capturing unit for capturing an image through the zoom optical system, and a body unit for displaying an image and accepting a user's input. A rotating mechanism is provided between the image capturing unit and the body unit. When a user conducts information communication or carries the information communication apparatus, the image capturing unit is positioned so that the optical axis of the zoom optical system is substantially parallel to a display screen of a display. This prevents impairment of the portability of the information communication apparatus. When the user captures an image, the image capturing unit is positioned so that the optical axis of the zoom optical system is substantially perpendicular to the display screen of the display. This allows the user to capture images of a subject behind the body unit and the face of the user while viewing the display.

Portable information communication apparatus with rotating mechanism

A digital camera having a taking lens, a finder for viewing light transmitted through the taking lens, an image sensing element for optoelectrically converting light which passes through the taking lens, a light splitter capable of changing transmittance and dividing the light transmitted through the taking lens to the image sensing element and the finder, a light splitter driver for driving the light splitter to a position to split the light between the image sensing element and the viewfinder when viewing and driving the light splitter to retract a position for directing the light only to the image sensing element during photography, and a controller for controlling the light splitter to a semi-transparent state to direct light to the image sensing element and the viewfinder when viewing and controlling the light splitter to a blocking state during photography.

Digital camera

Openings (OPa, OPb) corresponding to respective card slots ( ) are formed in a side face of a digital camera, and a slot cover ( ) having a size covering both of the openings (OPa, OPb) is placed in a manner so as to shift thereon, thereby allowing either of the openings of the card slots to be selectively exposed. A CPU, installed therein, is allowed to access a card-type medium attached to the card slot that is not exposed, and is not allowed to access a card-type medium attached to the card slot that is exposed. A card-type medium can be detachably attached to the card slot that is exposed, and with respect to the card slot that is not exposed, the attaching and removing operations of a card-type medium are restricted.

Electronic device using card-type media

A digital camera comprises an electronic view finder (EVF) for electronically displaying an image of a subject and a movable monitor. The movable monitor is slidable along guide grooves and movable between a first position in which the EVF is covered with the movable monitor and a second position in which the EVF is not covered. By a sensor for position detection, when it is detected that the movable monitor is in the first position, no image is displayed on the EVF but an image is displayed on the movable monitor. When it is detected that the movable monitor is in the second position, no image is displayed on the movable monitor but an image is displayed on the EVF. Consequently, power can be saved, and when the movable monitor is in the first position, adhesion of dusts and dirt onto the display face of the EVF can be decreased.

Digital camera and method of controlling display thereof

An arrangement, for installing an electric component of a printed board, contributing to a reduction in size of a camera. Between a cover of a camera body, and a film pressure plate, is installed the printed board which is larger than the film pressure plate and which extends beyond an outer wall of a spool chamber in a direction in which a film is fed. On the printed board, some electric components such as a step-up transformer and a transistor are mounted. The outer wall of the spool chamber has a concave part in which a part of the electric components is positioned. The dimension of the part of the electric component is absorbed in the thickness of the outer wall of the spool chamber.

Camera with a spool chamber

A camera having a cartridge bay into which a film cartridge is inserted includes a cover that can be opened and closed, and that covers the opening of the cartridge bay in order to block light. A force applying device applies force to a film cartridge inserted in the cartridge bay in the direction in which the film cartridge is ejected out of the cartridge bay. A prevention member prevents the film cartridge from flying completely out of the cartridge bay due to the force applied by the force applying device, such that only a part of the film cartridge protrudes out of the camera. The prevention member operates in response to the opening of the cartridge bay cover, and when the cartridge bay cover is partially open, the prevention member is set at a position at which it prevents the film cartridge from flying out. When the cartridge bay cover is fully open, the prevention member is set at a retracted position to enable the removal of the film cartridge.

Growing community of inventors

Sakai, Japan

Yoshio Nakagawa