Camera having zoom lens and variable illumination angle strobe

Claim 2

A camera including a variable illuminating angle strobe said camera, comprising a zoom lens which has a group of variable power lenses varying the focal length; a light emitter which has a condenser lens, a light emitting tube and a reflecting shade and which is movable between a received position in which the light emitter is received in a camera body and a projected position in which the light emitter projects from the camera body; and an illuminating angle varying mechanism which varies the relative position of the condenser lens, the light emitting tube or the reflecting shade in accordance with the change of the focal length of the zoom lens to vary the illuminating angle, regardless of the position of the light emitter.

Claim 3

A camera according to claim 1, wherein said zoom lens has a group of variable power lenses for stepwise varying the focal length.

Claim 4

A camera according to claim 2, further comprising a strobe case to which the condenser lens of the light emitter is secured, and wherein said light emitter comprises a light emitter casing with which the light emitting tube and the reflecting shade are integral and which is movably supported in the strobe case, said strobe case being movable between a received position corresponding to the received position of the light emitter and a projected position corresponding to the projected position of the light emitter, said light emitter casing being displaceable in the strobe case in accordance with the focal length of the zoom lens and being continuously biased in a direction of the projection of the strobe case.

Claim 5

A camera according to claim 3, further comprising a supporting bracket for movably supporting the light emitter casing thereon, which is movable on the optical axis direction of the condenser lens in accordance with the focal length of the zoom lens, and spring means for biasing the light emitter casing toward the projected position of the strobe case.

Claim 6

A camera according to claim 4, further comprising a cam plate which is movable in accordance with the focal length of the zoom lens and which is associated with the supporting bracket to move the same.

Claim 7

A camera according to claim 5, wherein said cam plate has a rack provided thereon which laterally extends with respect to the optical axis of the zoom lens, and wherein said camera further comprises a pinion which is rotated by the zoom motor and which is engaged by the rack of the cam plate to rotate the latter.

Claim 8

A camera according to claim 3, further comprising a lock means for locking the strobe case in the received position.

Claim 9

A camera according to claim 7, wherein said lock means comprises a lock member which comes into contact with the strobe case when the latter is brought into the received position.

Claim 10

A camera according to claim 8, wherein said lock member can be manually operated to release the lock member from the strobe case.

Claim 11

A camera according to claim 9, wherein said manual operation can be effected outside the camera body.

Claim 12

A camera according to claim 8, further comprising an electromagnetic actuating means for actuating the lock member into the received position.

Claim 13

A camera according to claim 11, further comprising a sensor for detecting the luminance of an object to be photographed, so that the electromagnetic actuator is operated to release the lock member from the strobe case in response to the detection signal of the sensor when the luminance is below a predetermined value.

Claim 14

A camera according to claim 3, wherein said light emitter casing is provided on its upper outer portion with at least one projection which extends in the direction of the displacement of the light emitter casing and which is brought into contact with the top of the strobe case.

Claim 15

A camera according to claim 3, wherein said camera body is provided with a transparent portion which is opposed to the condenser lens of the strobe case located in the received position.

Claim 16

A camera according to claim 3, wherein said camera body is provided with a transparent on a semitransparent portion which is opposed to the condenser lens of the strobe case located in the received position.

Claim 17

A camera according to claim 2, further comprising a zoom motor for moving the variable power lens group of the zoom lens; a cam plate which is located below the light emitter to laterally move with respect to the optical axis of the zoom lens in association with the power varying operation of the variable power lens group by the zoom motor; a supporting bracket which is provided between the light emitter and the cam plate and which is axially movable in association with the lateral displacement of the cam plate; a strobe case which is provided in the camera body to move up and down so as to partially project from the camera body through an opening formed on the camera body and which has a condenser lens secured to the front portion of the strobe case; a light emitter casing which is movable in the strobe case and which has a light emitting tube and a light reflecting shade, both integral with the light emitter casing; said supporting bracket being provided with supporting rods which support the light emitter casing for the upward and downward movement of the light emitter casing; a spring means for biasing the light emitter casing toward the projected position, said light emitter casing being continuously pressed against a top of the strobe case; and a lock member which comes into engagement with the strobe case to lock the same in the received position when the strobe case is received in the received position against the spring means.

Claim 18

A camera according to claim 1, wherein said zoom lens has a group of variable power lenses for successively varying the focal length.

Claim 19

A camera according to claim 17, further comprising a strobe case to which the condenser lens of the light emitter is secured, and wherein said light emitter comprises a light emitter casing with which the light emitting tube and the reflecting shade are integral and which is movably supported in the strobe case, said strobe case being movable between a received position corresponding to the received position of the light emitter and a projected position corresponding to the projected position of the light emitter, said light emitter casing being displaceable in the strobe case in accordance with the focal length of the zoom lens and being continuously biased in a direction of the projection of the strobe case.

Claim 20

A camera according to claim 18, further comprising a supporting bracket for movably supporting the light emitter casing thereon, which is movable on the optical axis direction of the condenser lens in accordance with the focal length of the zoom lens, and spring means for biasing the light emitter casing toward the projected position of the strobe case.

Claim 21

A camera according to claim 19, further comprising a cam plate which is movable in accordance with the focal length of the zoom lens and which is associated with the supporting bracket to move the same.

Claim 22

A camera according to claim 20, wherein said cam plate has a rack provided thereon which laterally extends with respect to the optical axis of the zoom lens, and wherein said camera further comprises a pinion which is rotated by the zoom motor and which is engaged by the rack of the cam plate to rotate the latter.

Claim 23

A camera according to claim 18, further comprising a lock means for locking the strobe case in the received position.

Claim 24

A camera according to claim 22, wherein said lock means comprises a lock member which comes into contact with the strobe case when the latter is brought into the received position.

Claim 25

A camera according to claim 23, wherein said lock member can be manually operated to release the lock member from the strobe case.

Claim 26

A camera according to claim 24, wherein said manual operation can be effected outside the camera body.

Claim 27

A camera according to claim 25, further comprising an electromagnetic actuating means for actuating the lock member into the received position.

Claim 28

A camera according to claim 26, further comprising a sensor for detecting the luminance of an object to be photographed, so that the electromagnetic actuator is operated to release the lock member from the strobe case in response to the direction signal of the sensor when the luminance is below a predetermined value.

Claim 29

A camera according to claim 18, wherein said light emitter casing is provided on its upper outer portion with at least one projection which extends in the direction of the displacement of the light emitter casing and which is brought into contact with the top of the strobe case.

Claim 30

A camera according to claim 18, wherein said camera body is provided with a transparent portion which is opposed to the condenser lens of the strobe case located in the received position.

Claim 31

A camera according to claim 18, wherein said camera body is provided with a transparent on a semitransparent portion which is opposed to the condenser lens of the strobe case located in the received position.

Claim 32

A camera according to claim 17, further comprising a zoom motor for moving the variable power lens group of the zoom lens; a cam plate which is located below the light emitter to laterally move with respect to the optical axis of the zoom lens in association with the power varying operation of the variable power lens group by the zoom motor; a supporting bracket which is provided between the light emitter and the cam plate and which is axially movable in association with the lateral displacement of the cam plate; a strobe case which is provided in the camera body to move up and down so as to partially project from the camera body through an opening formed on the camera body and which has a condenser lens secured to the front portion of the strobe case; a light emitter casing which is movable in the strobe case and which has a light emitting tube and a light reflecting shade, both integral with the light emitter casing; said supporting bracket being provided with supporting rods which support the light emitter casing for the upward and downward movement of the light emitter casing; a spring means for biasing the light emitter casing toward the projected position, said light emitter casing being continuously pressed against a top of the strobe case; and a lock member which comes into engagement with the strobe case to lock the same in the received position when the strobe case is received in the received position against the spring means.