Photographing device having plural range finding elements and plural photometric elements

Claim 2

Photography apparatus comprising: range sensor means for sensing a range to an object, said range sensor means having a plurality of range sensing elements; and photometric sensor means, different from said range sensor means, for sensing photometric values of the object, said photometric sensor means having a plurality of photometric sensing elements, positions of said photometric sensing elements on said photometric sensor means corresponding to positions of said range sensing elements on said range sensing means, each photometric sensing element having an area which is larger than an area of the corresponding range sensing element.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising selecting means for selecting one of said range sensing elements and its corresponding photometric sensing element.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising: an objective lens; driving means for driving said objective lens; and processing means for causing said driving means to drive said objective lens to focus on the object in accordance with an output signal from the range sensing element selected by said selecting means.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said processing means includes: a plurality of driver circuits respectively coupled to said plurality of range sensing elements; memory means for storing output signals from said plurality of driver circuits; switch means for selecting one of the driver circuit output signals stored in said memory means; and control means for causing said switch means to select said one driver circuit output signal.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising: a plurality of amplifiers respectively coupled to said plurality of photometric sensing elements, for amplifying signals output by said photometric sensing elements; switching means for selecting an output signal from one of said plurality of amplifiers; and control means for providing an output signal when the output signal selected by said switching means reaches a predetermined level.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising: a light source for generating light which is reflected by the object and received by said photometric sensor means; wherein said control means provides its output signal to said light source to cause said light source to stop generating light.

Claim 8

Photography apparatus comprising: range sensor means, having a plurality of range sensing elements, for sensing a range to an object; photometric sensor means different from said sensor means and having a plurality of photometric elements, for sensing a light exposure for light reflected from the object, said photometric elements being disposed on said photometric sensor means at positions corresponding to positions at which said range sensing elements are disposed on said range sensor means, each photometric element having an area which is larger than an area of the corresponding range sensing element; and selecting means for selecting one of said range sensing elements and its corresponding photometric element.

Claim 9

Photography apparatus comprising: range sensor means, having a plurality of range sensing elements, for sensing a range to an object; photometric sensor means different from said sensor means and having a plurality of photometric elements, for sensing a light exposure for light reflected from the object, said photometric elements being disposed on said photometric sensor means at positions corresponding to positions at which said range sensing elements are disposed on said range sensor means, each photometric element having an area which is larger than an area of the corresponding range sensing element; and selecting means for selecting one of said range sensing elements and its corresponding photometric element.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising: a camera body supporting said range sensor means, said photometric sensor means, and said selecting means; an objective lens coupled to said camera body; driving means for driving said objective lens; and processing means for causing said driving means to drive said objective lens to focus on the object in accordance with an output signal from the range sensing element selected by said selecting means.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said processing means includes: a plurality of driver circuits respectively coupled to said plurality of range sensing elements; memory means for storing output signals from said plurality of driver circuits; switch means for selecting one of the driver circuit output signals stored in said memory means; and control means for causing said switch means to select said one driver circuit output signal.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising: a plurality of amplifiers respectively coupled to said plurality of photometric elements, for amplifying signals output by said photometric elements; switching means for selecting an output signal from one of said plurality of amplifiers; and controlling means for providing an output signal when the output signal selected by said switching means reaches a predetermined level.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising: a light source for generating light which is reflected by the object and received by said photometric sensor means; wherein said controlling means provides its output signal to said light source to cause said light source to stop generating light.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising an external operation member, coupled to said selecting means, for (1) causing said switching means to select the output signal from said one amplifier, and (2) causing said switch means to select the driver circuit output signal of the range sensing element corresponding to said one amplifier.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said range sensor means comprises five range sensing elements, and wherein said photometric sensor means comprises five photometric elements.

Claim 16

A camera comprising: an objective lens; a movable reflector for reflecting light passing through said objective lens; range sensor means, having a plurality of range sensing areas, for receiving the light reflected from said movable reflector means; a film holder adapted to hold a film; and photometric sensor means, having a plurality of photometric sensing areas, for receiving light which has passed through said objective lens, bypassed said movable reflector when said reflector is moved, and been reflected from the film held by said film holder, said photometric sensing areas being arranged on said photometric sensor means in positions corresponding to positions that said range sensing areas are disposed on said range sensor means, to cause a light beam which is incident on one photometric sensing area to be incident on the corresponding range sensing area, each photometric sensing area having a greater surface area than a surface area of the corresponding range sensing area.

Claim 17

A camera comprising: an objective lens; a movable reflector for reflecting light passing through said objective lens; range sensor means, having a plurality of range sensing areas, for receiving the light reflected from said movable reflector means; a film holder adapted to hold a film; and photometric sensor means, having a plurality of photometric sensing areas, for receiving light which has passed through said objective lens, bypassed said movable reflector when said reflector is moved, and been reflected from the film held by said film holder, said photometric sensing areas being arranged on said photometric sensor means in positions corresponding to positions that said range sensing areas are disposed on said range sensor means, to cause a light beam which is incident on one photometric sensing area to be incident on the corresponding range sensing area, each photometric sensing area having a greater surface area than a surface area of the corresponding range sensing area.

Claim 18

A camera according to claim 14 further comprising selecting means for selecting one of said range sensing areas and its corresponding photometric sensing area.

Claim 19

A camera according to claim 15 further comprising processing means for providing a focus signal based on an output signal from the selected range sensing area, and an exposure signal based on an output signal of the selected photometric sensing area.

Claim 20

A camera according to claim 16 further comprising a light source for generating light, and wherein the exposure signal causes said light source to stop generating light.