Computer type electronic flash device

Claim 2

A photographic system comprising a camera and a flash device, said system comprising: (a) flash means, responsive to a shutter release actuating member having a first operating state and a second operating state in which an exposure control operation is initiated, for providing a preliminary flash when the member is in the first state and a main flash as the start of an exposure when in the second state; (b) signal forming means for producing a first signal corresponding to the reflection of the preliminary flash from an object to be photographed and a second signal corresponding to the reflection of the main flash from the object; (c) a diaphragm control circuit to control the diaphragm on the basis of said first signal when the exposure control operation is initiated by the operation of said release actuating member; and (d) a circuit for detecting said second signal for stopping the projection of a main flash onto the object when the second signal reaches a condition representing that the amount of reflected light takes a prescribed value.

Claim 3

A photographic system according to claim 1, wherein said flash means has a first trigger circuit for actuating the preliminary flash, and a second trigger circuit for actuating the main flash separately.

Claim 4

A photographic system according to claim 1, wherein said flash means has a capacitor for storing energy to carry out the main flash and enabling means for allowing the preliminary flash to be carried out by said release actuating member when the charge level on said capacitor is above a prescribed value.

Claim 5

A photographic system according to claim 1, wherein said flash means has a first capacitor for storing energy to carry out the main flash, a second capacitor for storing energy to carry out the preliminary flash, and enabling means for allowing the preliminary flash to be carried out when the charge level on each capacitor is above a respective prescribed value.

Claim 6

A computer type electronic flash device for a camera comprising: (a) flash means responsive to a first operation state of a shutter release actuating member and a second operation state of said member at which an exposure control operation of the camera is initiated, for providing a preliminary flash in response to the first state of the member and subsequently to the second state of the member for providing a main flash as the exposure starts; (b) signal forming means for producing a first signal corresponding to the reflection of the preliminary flash from an object to be photographed and a second signal corresponding to the reflection of the main flash from the object; (c) transmitting means for transmitting a control signal, based on the first signal to a diaphragm control circuit of the camera to control the diaphragm when the exposure control operation is initiated by the operation of said release actuating member so that the size of aperture opening of the diaphragm is adjusted in accordance with the control signal; and (d) a circuit receptive of the second signal and responsive to attainment of the amount of main flash reflected from the object to a predetermined level for stopping illumination on the object with the main flash.

Claim 7

A computer type electronic flash device for a camera comprising: (a) flash means responsive to a first operation state of a shutter release actuating member and a second operation state of said member at which an exposure control operation of the camera is initiated, for providing a preliminary flash in response to the first state of the member and subsequently to the second state of the member for providing a main flash as the exposure starts; (b) signal forming means for producing a first signal corresponding to the reflection of the preliminary flash from an object to be photographed and a second signal corresponding to the reflection of the main flash from the object; (c) transmitting means for transmitting a control signal, based on the first signal to a diaphragm control circuit of the camera to control the diaphragm when the exposure control operation is initiated by the operation of said release actuating member so that the size of aperture opening of the diaphragm is adjusted in accordance with the control signal; and (d) a circuit receptive of the second signal and responsive to attainment of the amount of main flash reflected from the object to a predetermined level for stopping illumination on the object with the main flash.

Claim 8

A device as in claim 5, further comprising a first trigger circuit for actuating the preliminary flash, and a second trigger circuit for actuating the main flash separately.

Claim 9

A device as in claim 5, further comprising a capacitor for storing energy to carry out the main flash and enabling means for allowing the preliminary flash to be carried out by said release actuating member when the charge level on said capacitor is above a prescribed value.

Claim 10

A device as in claim 5, further comprising a first capacitor for storing energy to carry out the main flash, a second capacitor for storing energy to carry out the preliminary flash, and enabling means for allowing the preliminary flash to be carried out when the charge level on each capacitor is above a respective value.

Claim 11

A camera system with a camera and a flash device comprising: (a) a first switch responsive to manual actuation for causing flash means to emit preliminary flash prior to making of an exposure; (b) a second switch responsive to a photographic operation by a manual release actuation other than said manual actuation for the preliminary flash for causing said flash means to emit a main flash; (c) signal forming means receptive of the reflection of said preliminary flash from the object for producing a first signal; (d) a memory circuit for memorizing the output of said signal forming circuit; (e) a light amount adjusting circuit for detecting the amount of light by the main flash and for comparing a signal representing said amount of light with a memorized value of said memory circuit to stop the main flash when the signal representing the amount of light falls in a prescribed relation to the memorized value of said memory circuit.

Claim 12

A camera system with a camera and a flash device comprising: (a) a first switch responsive to manual actuation for causing flash means to emit preliminary flash prior to making of an exposure; (b) a second switch responsive to a photographic operation by a manual release actuation other than said manual actuation for the preliminary flash for causing said flash means to emit a main flash; (c) signal forming means receptive of the reflection of said preliminary flash from the object for producing a first signal; (d) a memory circuit for memorizing the output of said signal forming circuit; (e) a light amount adjusting circuit for detecting the amount of light by the main flash and for comparing a signal representing said amount of light with a memorized value of said memory circuit to stop the main flash when the signal representing the amount of light falls in a prescribed relation to the memorized value of said memory circuit.

Claim 13

A computer type electronic flash device for a camera comprising: (a) flash means responsive to a shutter release actuating member reaching a first position and subsequently reaching a second position, at which an exposure control operation of the camera is initiated, for providing a preliminary flash in response to the member reaching the first position and subsequent to the member reaching the second position providing a main flash as the exposure starts; (b) signal forming means for producing a first signal corresponding to the reflection of the preliminary flash from an object to be photographed and a second signal corresponding to the reflection of the main flash from the object; (c) transmitting means for transmitting a signal based on the first signal to a diaphragm control circuit of the camera to control the diaphragm when the exposure control operation is initiated by the operation of said release actuating member so that the size of aperture opening of the diaphragm is adjusted in accordance with this signal; and (d) a circuit receptive of the second signal and responsive to attainment of the amount of main flash reflected from the object to a predetermined level for stopping illumination on the object with the main flash.

Claim 14

A computer type electronic flash device for a camera comprising: (a) flash means responsive to a shutter release actuating member reaching a first position and subsequently reaching a second position, at which an exposure control operation of the camera is initiated, for providing a preliminary flash in response to the member reaching the first position and subsequent to the member reaching the second position providing a main flash as the exposure starts; (b) signal forming means for producing a first signal corresponding to the reflection of the preliminary flash from an object to be photographed and a second signal corresponding to the reflection of the main flash from the object; (c) transmitting means for transmitting a signal based on the first signal to a diaphragm control circuit of the camera to control the diaphragm when the exposure control operation is initiated by the operation of said release actuating member so that the size of aperture opening of the diaphragm is adjusted in accordance with this signal; and (d) a circuit receptive of the second signal and responsive to attainment of the amount of main flash reflected from the object to a predetermined level for stopping illumination on the object with the main flash.

Claim 15

A camera system comprising: (A) a camera having: (a) a release actuating member, said member when operated from an initial position moving to a first position and when further operated moving to a second position; (b) a diaphragm control circuit operating in response to movement of said actuating member to the second position to adjust the size of aperture opening in accordance with the signal applied thereto; and (c) shutter control means arranged to start to operate after the adjustment of the diaphragm by said diaphragm control circuit; and (B) a flash device having: (a) flash means responsive to movement of said actuating member for providing preliminary flash, and responsive to operation of said shutter control means for providing main flash; (b) signal forming means for producing a first signal corresponding to the reflection of the preliminary flash from an object to be photographed and a second signal corresponding to the reflection of the main flash from the object; (c) transmitting means for transmitting a signal based on the aforesaid first signal to be applied as the aforesaid input signal to said diaphragm control circuit; and (d) a circuit receptive of the second signal and responsive to attainment of the amount of main flash reflected from the object to a predetermined level for stopping illumination on the object with the main flash.

Claim 16

A camera system comprising: (A) a camera having: (a) a release actuating member, said member when operated from an initial position moving to a first position and when further operated moving to a second position; (b) a diaphragm control circuit operating in response to movement of said actuating member to the second position to adjust the size of aperture opening in accordance with the signal applied thereto; and (c) shutter control means arranged to start to operate after the adjustment of the diaphragm by said diaphragm control circuit; and (B) a flash device having: (a) flash means responsive to movement of said actuating member for providing preliminary flash, and responsive to operation of said shutter control means for providing main flash; (b) signal forming means for producing a first signal corresponding to the reflection of the preliminary flash from an object to be photographed and a second signal corresponding to the reflection of the main flash from the object; (c) transmitting means for transmitting a signal based on the aforesaid first signal to be applied as the aforesaid input signal to said diaphragm control circuit; and (d) a circuit receptive of the second signal and responsive to attainment of the amount of main flash reflected from the object to a predetermined level for stopping illumination on the object with the main flash.

Claim 17

A device as in claim 10, wherein: said flash device has a first trigger circuit for actuating the preliminary flash, and a second trigger circuit for actuating the main flash separately.

Claim 18

A device as in claim 11, wherein: said flash device has a first trigger circuit for actuating the preliminary flash, and a second trigger circuit for actuating the main flash separately.

Claim 19

A device as in claim 10, wherein: said flash device has a capacitor for storing energy to carry out the main flash and enabling means for allowing the preliminary flash to be carried out by said release actuating member when the charge level on said capacitor is above a prescribed value.

Claim 20

A device as in claim 11, wherein: said flash device has a capacitor for storing energy to carry out the main flash and enabling means for allowing the preliminary flash to be carried out by said release actuating member when the charge level on said capacitor is above a prescribed value.

Claim 21

A device as in claim 10, wherein: said flash device has a first capacitor for storing energy to carry out the main flash, a second capacitor for storing energy to carry out the preliminary flash, and enabling means for allowing the preliminary flash to be carried out when the charge level on each capacitor is above a respective prescribed value.

Claim 22

A device as in claim 11, wherein: said flash device has a first capacitor for storing energy to carry out the main flash, a second capacitor for storing energy to carry out the preliminary flash, and enabling means for allowing the preliminary flash to be carried out when the charge level on each capacitor is above a respective prescribed value.