Camera system, especially motion picture camera system with interchangeable lenses

Claim 2

In a motion picture camera system having a camera body and a lens unit and wherein said lens unit is selected from a group of interchangeable lens units removably mountable on said camera body by engaging means, wherein the improvement comprises: a housing for said lens unit having a first opening for permitting incidence of light coming from the object at one end, a second opening at the other end of permitting the emergence of light derived from said light coming from said first opening and a third opening being provided therein; photographic optics, disposed within said lens housing, including a focusing optical unit and a relay optical unit, said focusing unit being movable along the optical axis, said relay optical unit being fixed in position; light beam controlling means for controlling quantity of light from the object after it passes through said first opening, said controlling means being disposed between said focusing optics and said relay optics; beam splitting means being disposed between said focusing optics and said light beam controlling means, said splitting means for splitting a first light beam from said first opening into a second light beam for said second opening and a third light beam for said third opening; said camera body having a first opening at the position corresponding to the second opening of said unit of interchangeable lenses when said lens unit is mounted on said camera body and wherein said camera body includes a second opening cooperating with said third opening of said lens unit; and finder optics, part of which is disposed behind said second camera opening, for transmitting said third beam from said splitting means in said lens unit so as to provide a bright image of said object.

Claim 3

A motion picture camera system according to claim 1 wherein said first opening of said camera body lies in a first plane and said second opening of said camera body lies in a second plane, said two planes being substantially perpendicular.

Claim 4

A motion picture camera system according to claim 1 wherein said finder optics includes first and second optical portions and a finder optics switching means for switching said finder optics, said first finder optics conveying the beam coming from the object through said first opening of said camera body into the finder; said second finder optics conveying the beam coming from the object through said second opening of said camera body into the finder; and wherein said finder optics switching means closing either of the first or the second finder optics selectively.

Claim 5

A motion picture camera system according to claim 3 wherein said finder optics switching means includes a closing member which closes said second opening of camera body selectively in functional engagement of the operation of said finder optics switching means.

Claim 6

A motion picture camera system according to claim 1 wherein said engaging means includes a portion provided on a part of said unit of interchangeable lenses and a portion provided at a part of said camera body.

Claim 7

The camera system of claim 1 wherein said third opening of said lens unit is provided in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of light from said object and said second opening of said camera body is juxtaposed to said third opening of said lens unit.

Claim 8

The camera system of claim 1 wherein said third opening of said lens unit is provided in the same plane as the second opening of said lens unit.

Claim 9

A motion picture camera system in which two types of units of interchangeable lenses are selectively and removably mountable on said camera body by engaging means, comprising: a first unit of interchangeable lenses including a first opening of receiving a light beam coming from the object at one end and a second opening for transmitting the light beam coming from the object through said first opening; a second unit of interchangeable lenses including: a housing for said lens unit having a first opening receiving a light beam coming from the object at one end, a second opening for transmitting the light beam coming from the object through said first opening at the other end and a third opening being provided therein; photographic optics, disposed within said second lens unit, including a focusing optical unit and a relay optical unit, said focusing optical unit being movable along the optical axis, said relay optical unit being fixed in position; light beam controlling means for controlling the quantity of light from the object after it passes through said first opening, said controlling means being disposed between said focusing optics and said relay optics; and beam splitting means being disposed between said focusing optics and said light beam controlling means, said splitting means for splitting a first light beam from said first opening into a second light beam for said second opening and a third light beam for said third opening; said camera body having a first opening at the position corresponding to the second opening of the first and second interchangeable lens units when either of said units is mounted on said camera body, said body also including a second opening situated at the position corresponding to the third opening of said second interchangeable lens unit when said unit is mounted on said camera; and finder optics for directing light beam paths including means for directing a first beam path and means for directing a second beam path, part of said first beam path means being provided behind said second opening of said camera for conveying said second beam through said second opening into the finder and a part of the second beam path means being provided behind the first opening of said camera and conveying said third beam to said first opening into the finders, whereby said beam coming from the object through the first opening of said lens unit is conveyed into the finder through a part of said first beam path means and said second beam path means when said first type of interchangeable lens unit is mounted on the camera and wherein said beam coming from the object is conveyed into the finder through said second beam path means when said second interchangeable lens unit is mounted on the camera body.

Claim 10

A motion picture camera system in which two types of units of interchangeable lenses are selectively and removably mountable on said camera body by engaging means, comprising: a first unit of interchangeable lenses including a first opening of receiving a light beam coming from the object at one end and a second opening for transmitting the light beam coming from the object through said first opening; a second unit of interchangeable lenses including: a housing for said lens unit having a first opening receiving a light beam coming from the object at one end, a second opening for transmitting the light beam coming from the object through said first opening at the other end and a third opening being provided therein; photographic optics, disposed within said second lens unit, including a focusing optical unit and a relay optical unit, said focusing optical unit being movable along the optical axis, said relay optical unit being fixed in position; light beam controlling means for controlling the quantity of light from the object after it passes through said first opening, said controlling means being disposed between said focusing optics and said relay optics; and beam splitting means being disposed between said focusing optics and said light beam controlling means, said splitting means for splitting a first light beam from said first opening into a second light beam for said second opening and a third light beam for said third opening; said camera body having a first opening at the position corresponding to the second opening of the first and second interchangeable lens units when either of said units is mounted on said camera body, said body also including a second opening situated at the position corresponding to the third opening of said second interchangeable lens unit when said unit is mounted on said camera; and finder optics for directing light beam paths including means for directing a first beam path and means for directing a second beam path, part of said first beam path means being provided behind said second opening of said camera for conveying said second beam through said second opening into the finder and a part of the second beam path means being provided behind the first opening of said camera and conveying said third beam to said first opening into the finders, whereby said beam coming from the object through the first opening of said lens unit is conveyed into the finder through a part of said first beam path means and said second beam path means when said first type of interchangeable lens unit is mounted on the camera and wherein said beam coming from the object is conveyed into the finder through said second beam path means when said second interchangeable lens unit is mounted on the camera body.

Claim 11

A motion picture camera system according to claim 8 wherein said beam path of the view finder presents a beam path switching means by means of which the beam path means for the optics can be switched selectively according to the type of unit of interchangeable lenses mounted on said camera.

Claim 12

A motion picture camera system according to claim 9 wherein said beam path switching means selectively closes either of the openings receiving the beam coming from the object according to the type of the units of interchangeable lenses mounted on said camera.

Claim 13

A motion picture camera system according to claim 8 wherein said engaging means includes a portion provided on a part of said unit or interchangeable lens and a portion provided on a part of said camera body.

Claim 14

The camera system of claim 8 wherein said third opening of said second lens unit is provided in a direction substantially perpendiccular to the direction of light from said object and said second opening of said camera body is juxtaposed to said third opening of said lens unit.

Claim 15

The camera system of claim 8 wherein said third opening of said second lens unit is provided in a plane parallel to the second opening of said lens unit.