Camera having an automatically operated built-in strobe

Abstract

A strobe incorporated camera having a strobe light emitter which emits strobe light, a light emitter driving mechanism which moves the light emitter between a retracted position in which the light emitter is retracted in a camera body and an operative position in which the light emitter emits the strobe light, a photometering device for obtaining an exposure factor when a first switch is turned ON, and an exposure device for performing a predetermined exposure when a second switch is turned ON. The camera includes a strobe judging device for determining whether the strobe should be used, in accordance with the exposure factor, and a strobe controller for moving the strobe light emitter to the operative position when the strobe judging device determines that the strobe should be used when the first switch or the second switch is turned ON.

I claim: 
     
       1. A strobe incorporated camera having a strobe light emitter which emits strobe light, a light emitter driving mechanism which moves said light emitter between a retracted position in which said light emitter is retracted in a camera body and an operative position in which said light emitter emits said strobe light, a photometering means for obtaining an exposure factor when a first switch is turned ON, and an exposure means for conducting an exposure operation when a second switch is turned ON, said camera comprising: means for judging whether said strobe light emitter should be used, in accordance with said exposure factor obtained by said photometering means; and   means for controlling said light emitter driving mechanism to move said strobe light emitter to said operative position when said judging means judges that said strobe should be used and said second switch is turned ON.   
     
     
       2. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 1, wherein said camera has a normal photographing mode and a self timer photographing mode. 
     
     
       3. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 1, wherein said means for controlling said light driving mechanism to move said strobe light emitter to said operative position when said strobe judging means determines that said strobe light emitter should be used is operable when said first switch is turned ON. 
     
     
       4. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 1, further comprising a release button associated with said camera body in association with said first switch and said second switch, so that when said release button is depressed halfway, said first switch is turned ON, and when said release button is fully depressed, said second switch is turned ON, respectively. 
     
     
       5. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 2, wherein said photometering means operates to calculate said exposure factor immediately before an exposure operation and after a self timer operation starts in said self timer photographing mode. 
     
     
       6. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 5, wherein said strobe judging means determines whether said strobe light emitter should be used in accordance with said exposure factor in said self timer photographing mode. 
     
     
       7. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 6, wherein said light emitter driving mechanism controlling means further operates to control said light emitter driving mechanism to move said strobe light emitter to said operative position when said strobe judging means determines that said strobe light emitter should be used in said self timer photographing mode. 
     
     
       8. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 7, wherein said light emitting driving mechanism operates to move said strobe light emitter to said operative position when said strobe judging means determines that said strobe light emitter should be used and said second switch is turned ON when said camera is in said normal photographing mode. 
     
     
       9. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 1, further comprising means for effecting a compulsive light emitting operation that causes said light emitter driving mechanism controlling means to move said strobe light emitter to said operative position, regardless of said exposure factor obtained by said photometering means. 
     
     
       10. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 9, further comprising means for indicating a use of said strobe light emitter when said strobe judging means determines that said strobe light emitter should be used. 
     
     
       11. A strobe incorporated camera having a strobe light emitter which emits strobe light, a light emitter driving mechanism which moves said strobe light emitter between a retracted position in which said strobe lighter emitter is retracted in a camera body and an operative position in which said strobe light emitter emits said strobe light, a photometering means for obtaining an exposure factor when a first switch is turned ON, and an exposure control means for performing a predetermined exposure when a second switch is turned ON, said camera comprising: means for judging whether said strobe light emitter should be used, in accordance with said exposure factor obtained by said photometering means;   means for controlling said light emitter driving mechanism to move said strobe light emitter to said operative position when said strobe judging means determines that said strobe light emitter should be used and said second switch is turned ON;   a self timer photographing mode;   an automatic focusing device; and   an automatic focus control means for controlling said automatic focusing device.   
     
     
       12. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 11, wherein said automatic focus control means actuates said automatic focusing device to perform a focusing operation before said predetermined exposure is performed and after a self time operation is started when said camera is in said self timer photographing mode. 
     
     
       13. A strobe incorporated according to claim 11, wherein said automatic focus control means actuates said photometering means and said automatic focusing device before said predetermined exposure is performed and after a self time operation starts when said camera is in said self timer photographing mode. 
     
     
       14. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 13, wherein said strobe light emitter comprises an auxiliary light emitting member for emitting auxiliary strobe light towards an object to be photographed and wherein said exposure control means operates said photometering means to obtain said exposure factor before said predetermined exposure after said self timer operation commences. 
     
     
       15. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 13, wherein said strobe judging means determines whether said strobe light emitter should be used in accordance with said exposure factor, wherein said light emitter driving mechanism controlling means actuates said automatic focusing device after said strobe light emitter is moved to said operative position and an auxiliary light emitting means emits auxiliary strobe light, when said strobe judging means determines that said strobe light emitter should be used. 
     
     
       16. A strobe incorporated camera having a strobe light emitter which emits strobe light, a light emitter driving mechanism which moves said strobe light emitter between a retracted position in which said strobe light emitter is retracted in a camera body and an operative position in which said strobe light emitter emits said strobe light, a photometering means for obtaining an exposure factor when a first switch is turned ON, and an exposure means for performing a predetermined exposure when a second switch is turned ON, said camera comprising: a hot shoe to which an external strobe can be detachably attached;   means for judging whether said strobe light emitter should be used, in accordance with said exposure factor obtained by said photometering means, and whether an external strobe, when attached to said hot shoe, interferes with said movement of said strobe light emitter to said operative position;   means for controlling said light emitter driving mechanism to move said strobe light emitter to said operative position when said strobe judging means determines that said strobe light emitter should be used and said second switch is turned ON.   
     
     
       17. A strobe incorporated camera according to claim 16, further comprising means for indicating interference when said strobe judging means determines that said external strobe interferes with said movement of said strobe light emitter. 
     
     
       18. A camera having an automatically operating built-in strobe, comprising: means for obtaining an exposure factor when a first switch is activated;   means for performing an exposure operation when a second switch activated;   means for determining whether said built-in strobe should be used to illuminate an area that is to be photographed, based upon said exposure factor obtained by said exposure factor obtaining means; and   means for moving said built-in strobe from an accommodated position, in which said built-in strobe is retracted into a portion of said camera, to an operative position, in which said built-in strobe can emit strobe light, in response to an activation of said second switch and a determination of said determining means that said built-in strobe should be used.   
     
     
       19. The camera of claim 18, further comprising: means for effecting a compulsive light emitting operation that causes said built-in strobe to be moved to said operative position, regardless of said exposure factor obtained by said photometering means.   
     
     
       20. The camera of claim 18, further comprising: means for selectively attaching an external strobe to said camera;   means for determining whether said selectively attached external strobe interferes with said moving of said built-in strobe to said operative position; and   means for indicating whether said selectively attached external strobe interferes with said moving of said built-in strobe to said operative position. .Iadd.   
     
     
       21.  A strobe incorporated camera having a strobe light emitter which emits strobe light, a light emitter driving mechanism which moves said strobe light emitter between a retracted position in which said strobe light emitter is retracted in a camera body and an operative position in which said strobe light emitter emits said strobe light, and an exposure control means for performing a predetermined exposure when a switch is turned ON, said camera comprising: means for judging whether said strobe light emitter should be used;   means for controlling said light emitter driving mechanism to move said strobe light emitter to said operative position when said strobe judging means determines that said strobe light emitter should be used and said switch is turned ON;   a self timer photographing mode;   an automatic focusing device; and   an automatic focus control means for controlling said automatic focusing device. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. The strobe incorporated camera of claim 21, further comprising a photometering device that obtains an exposure factor. .Iaddend..Iadd.23. The strobe incorporated camera of claim 22, wherein said automatic focus control means actuates said photometering device and said automatic focusing device before said predetermined exposure is performed and after a self timer operation starts when said camera is in said self timer photographing mode. .Iaddend..Iadd.24. The strobe incorporated camera of claim 23, wherein said strobe light emitter comprises an auxiliary light emitting member for emitting auxiliary strobe light towards an object to be photographed, and wherein said exposure control means operates said photometering means to obtain said exposure factor before said predetermined exposure after said self timer operation commences. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. The strobe incorporated camera of claim 23, wherein said strobe judging means determines whether said strobe light emitter should be used in accordance with said exposure factor, said light emitter driving mechanism controlling means actuating said automatic focusing device after said strobe light emitter is moved to said operative position and an auxiliary light emitting means emits auxiliary strobe light when said strobe judging means determines that said strobe light   
     
     
        emitter should be used. .Iaddend..Iadd.26.  A camera, comprising: a self-timer photographing mode in which an exposure operation is performed a predetermined period of time after a release switch of said camera is activated;   an object distance detector unit that performs a focus operation to obtain an in-focus condition of a lens of said camera upon a substantial passage of said predetermined period of time after said release switch is actuated when said camera is set to said self-timer photographing mode;   a strobe light emitter for providing auxiliary light when a calculated shutter speed is below a predetermined value; and   means for driving said strobe light emitter between a retracted position in which said strobe light emitter is retracted into said camera, and an operative position in which said strobe light emitter emits said strobe light, wherein said strobe light emitter is driven to said operative position just prior to said object distance detector unit performing said focus operation to obtain said in-focus condition. .Iaddend.