Camera with exposure measuring system

Claim 2

A light measuring system for a camera including: (a) 1st light measuring means for measuring the brightness of an object to be photographed in a predetermined area, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the predetermined area of the object; (b) 2nd light measuring means for measuring the brightness of the object in a different area from that for said 1st light measuring means, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the different area of the object from that for said 1st light measuring means; (c) measuring pattern setting means; (d) computing means responsive to the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means, said means producing a 1st output representing a combination of the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means in a certain adjusted relationship by said light measuring pattern setting means, and a 2nd output representing a combination of the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means in a fixed relationship; (e) comparing means for comparing said 1st and said 2nd outputs of said computing means with each other, said means producing a 1st signal when the difference between the computed outputs is smaller than a predetermined value, and a 2nd signal when the difference between the computed outputs is larger than the predetermined value; (f) exposure control means for controlling exposure in accordance with either one of said 1st and 2nd computed outputs; and (g) control means for applying either one of said 1st and said 2nd computed outputs to said exposure control means, said means responsive to said 1st signal from said comparing means applying said 1st computed output to said exposure control means, and responsive to said 2nd signal from said comprising means applying said 2nd computed output to said exposure control means.

Claim 3

A light measuring system as described in claim 1, wherein said 1st light measuring circuit senses light on the whole area of a picture frame as in average measuring, and said 2nd light measuring circuit senses a central portion of the area of the picture frame as in spot measuring.

Claim 4

A light measuring system as described in claim 1, further including: measuring area display means for displaying the measuring pattern, said means presenting a display depending upon the set position of said light measuring pattern setting means.

Claim 5

A light measuring system as described in claim 3, wherein said light measuring area display means changes its display mode when said 2nd signal is applied.

Claim 6

A light measuring system as described in claim 3, wherein said light measuring area display means displays the selected area directly in the form of an outline block within the camera's viewfinder.

Claim 7

A light measuring system for a camera including: (a) 1st light measuring means for measuring the brightness of an object to be photographed in a predetermined area, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the predetermined area of the object; (b) 2nd light measuring means for measuring the brightness of the object in a different area from that for said 1st light measuring means, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the different area of the object from that for said 1st light measuring means; (c) measuring pattern setting means; (d) computing means responsive to the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means, said means producing a 1st output representing a combination of the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means in a certain adjusted relationship by said light measuring pattern setting means, and a 2nd output representing a combination of the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means in a fixed relationship; (e) mode changeover means settable in any mode of a 1st mode and a 2nd mode, said means producing a 2nd signal when said 1st mode is selected, and either a 1st signal or the 2nd signal when said 2nd mode is selected, depending upon the difference between said 1st and said 2nd computed outputs smaller or larger than a predetermined value respectively; (f) exposure control means for controlling exposure in accordance with either one of said 1st and said 2nd computed outputs; and (g) control means for applying either one of said 1st and said 2nd computed outputs to said exposure control means, said means responsive to said 1st signal from said mode changeover means applying said 1st computed output to said exposure control means, and responsive to said 2nd signal from said mode changeover means applying said 2nd computed output to said exposure control means.

Claim 8

A light measuring system for a camera including: (a) 1st light measuring means for measuring the brightness of an object to be photographed in a predetermined area, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the predetermined area of the object; (b) 2nd light measuring means for measuring the brightness of the object in a different area from that for said 1st light measuring means, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the different area of the object from that for said 1st light measuring means; (c) measuring pattern setting means; (d) computing means responsive to the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means, said means producing a 1st output representing a combination of the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means in a certain adjusted relationship by said light measuring pattern setting means, and a 2nd output representing a combination of the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means in a fixed relationship; (e) mode changeover means settable in any mode of a 1st mode and a 2nd mode, said means producing a 2nd signal when said 1st mode is selected, and either a 1st signal or the 2nd signal when said 2nd mode is selected, depending upon the difference between said 1st and said 2nd computed outputs smaller or larger than a predetermined value respectively; (f) exposure control means for controlling exposure in accordance with either one of said 1st and said 2nd computed outputs; and (g) control means for applying either one of said 1st and said 2nd computed outputs to said exposure control means, said means responsive to said 1st signal from said mode changeover means applying said 1st computed output to said exposure control means, and responsive to said 2nd signal from said mode changeover means applying said 2nd computed output to said exposure control means.

Claim 9

A light measuring system as described in claim 6, wherein said mode changeover means is settable in a 3rd mode, wherein when said 3rd mode is set, the 1st signal is produced.

Claim 10

A light measuring system as described in claim 6, wherein said mode changeover means is provided with warning display means, wherein when the difference between said 1st and said 2nd computed outputs is larger than the predetermined value a warning display is presented by said warning display means.

Claim 11

A light measuring system for a camera including: (a) 1st light measuring means for measuring the brightness of an object to be photographed in a predetermined area, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the predetermined area of the object; (b) 2nd light measuring means for measuring the brightness of the object in a different area from that for said 1st light measuring means, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the different area of the object from that for said 1st light measuring means; (c) computing means responsive to the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means, said means producing an electrical signal representing the computed result; (d) 1st signal forming means for producing a 1st reference signal; (e) 2nd signal forming means for producing a 2nd reference signal of different level from that of said 1st reference signal; (f) exposure control means for controlling exposure in accordance with either one of the output signals of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means and said computing means; (g) control means for applying either one of the output signals of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means and said computing means to said exposure control means, said means applying the output signal of said 2nd light measuring means to said exposure control means when the output signal of said 2nd light measuring means exceeds said 1st reference signal, applying the output of said computing means to said exposure control means when the output of said 2nd light measuring means does not exceed said 1st reference signal and when the output signal of said 1st light measuring means exceeds said 2nd reference signal, and applying the output signal of said 1st light measuring means to said exposure control means when the output signal of said light measuring means does not exceed said 2nd reference signal.

Claim 12

A light measuring system for a camera including: (a) 1st light measuring means for measuring the brightness of an object to be photographed in a predetermined area, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the predetermined area of the object; (b) 2nd light measuring means for measuring the brightness of the object in a different area from that for said 1st light measuring means, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the different area of the object from that for said 1st light measuring means; (c) computing means responsive to the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means, said means producing an electrical signal representing the computed result; (d) 1st signal forming means for producing a 1st reference signal; (e) 2nd signal forming means for producing a 2nd reference signal of different level from that of said 1st reference signal; (f) exposure control means for controlling exposure in accordance with either one of the output signals of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means and said computing means; (g) control means for applying either one of the output signals of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means and said computing means to said exposure control means, said means applying the output signal of said 2nd light measuring means to said exposure control means when the output signal of said 2nd light measuring means exceeds said 1st reference signal, applying the output of said computing means to said exposure control means when the output of said 2nd light measuring means does not exceed said 1st reference signal and when the output signal of said 1st light measuring means exceeds said 2nd reference signal, and applying the output signal of said 1st light measuring means to said exposure control means when the output signal of said light measuring means does not exceed said 2nd reference signal.

Claim 13

A light measuring system as described in claim 9, wherein said 1st light measuring circuit senses light on the whole area of a picture frame as in average measures, and said 2nd light measuring circuit senses a central portion of the area of the picture frame as in spot measuring.

Claim 14

A light measuring system as described in claim 9, wherein said control means has warning means wherein when the output signal of said 2nd light measuring means exceeds said 1st reference signal and when the output signal of said 1st light measuring means does not exceed said 2nd reference signal, said warning means is actuated.

Claim 15

A light measuring system comprising a 1st light measuring circuit having an average or centerweighted sensitivity pattern, a 2nd light measuring circuit having a spot-like sensitivity pattern, a computer circuit responsive to the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring circuits, an exposure control circuit for controlling exposure in accordance with the output of said computing circuit, a switching circuit for selection of an automatic exposure mode and a manual exposure mode, and a control circuit between the pair of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring circuits and a display circuit, wherein when a signal from said switching circuit is applied to said control circuit, said control circuit causes said display circuit to display the computed result of the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring circuits when in an automatic exposure mode, and to display the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring circuits alternately when in the manual exposure mode.

Claim 16

A light measuring system comprising a 1st light measuring circuit having an average or centerweighted sensitivity pattern, a 2nd light measuring circuit having a spot-like sensitivity pattern, a computer circuit responsive to the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring circuits, an exposure control circuit for controlling exposure in accordance with the output of said computing circuit, a switching circuit for selection of an automatic exposure mode and a manual exposure mode, and a control circuit between the pair of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring circuits and a display circuit, wherein when a signal from said switching circuit is applied to said control circuit, said control circuit causes said display circuit to display the computed result of the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring circuits when in an automatic exposure mode, and to display the outputs of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring circuits alternately when in the manual exposure mode.

Claim 17

A light measuring system comprising: (a) 1st light measuring means for measuring the brightness of an object to be photographed in a predetermined area, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the predetermined area of the object; (b) 2nd light measuring means for measuring the brightness of the object in a different area from that for said 1st light measuring means, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the different area of the object from that for said 1st light measuring means; (c) exposure control means for controlling exposure in accordance with either one of the output signals of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means; and (d) changeover means for changing over said 1st light measuring means and said 2nd light measuring means, said means applying either one of the output signals of both said light measuring means to said exposure control means, said means also having control means for automatically changing over to said 1st light measuring means when said 2nd light measuring means has been selected and when the output of said 2nd light measuring means is fallen below a predetermined level.

Claim 18

A light measuring system comprising: (a) 1st light measuring means for measuring the brightness of an object to be photographed in a predetermined area, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the predetermined area of the object; (b) 2nd light measuring means for measuring the brightness of the object in a different area from that for said 1st light measuring means, said means producing an electrical signal representing the brightness of the different area of the object from that for said 1st light measuring means; (c) exposure control means for controlling exposure in accordance with either one of the output signals of said 1st and said 2nd light measuring means; and (d) changeover means for changing over said 1st light measuring means and said 2nd light measuring means, said means applying either one of the output signals of both said light measuring means to said exposure control means, said means also having control means for automatically changing over to said 1st light measuring means when said 2nd light measuring means has been selected and when the output of said 2nd light measuring means is fallen below a predetermined level.