NEW CAMERA

The New Camera Exclusive – Nikon is working on completely new technology. We have spotted a Nikon Lens with Touch and Pressure Sensor.  So, you can now zoom your lens with the touch of your hand. Future DSLR/ Mirrorless lenses may carry advance sensor controls.

Description: (Translated Version) To allow a lens position when a hand is released from a lens barrel to be held.SOLUTION: A lens barrel 10 of a digital camera 1 comprises: a barrel that houses an imaging optical system 20; and touch sensors 12, 14 and 16 that are provided in a periphery of the barrel, and detect a state where an operator contacts with respect to the barrel or a contactless state. When the touch sensors 12, 14 and 16 detect the contact, a CPU 32 allows a zoom lens 21, a focus lens 23 and an aperture stop 25 which correspond to each sensor to move or open/close, and when the touch sensors 12, 14 and 16 do not detect the contact, the CPU 32 locks the movement of the zoom lens 21 and the focus lens 23 or the opening/closing of the aperture stop 25 via a locking section 34.

Application number: JP20130049952 20130313
Priority number(s): JP20130049952 20130313

(Translated version ) In a digital camera equipped with a retractable lens, when a pressure sensor is attached to the grip portion of the digital camera and it is detected by the pressure sensor that the camera is in a non-gripping state from the state of gripping the camera, the camera is falling (For example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 11-94926). In this technique, the lens is collapsed to prevent breakage.

[0009] The zoom ring 11 is an operation ring that manually moves the zoom lens in its optical axis direction. The zoom ring touch sensor 12 is a sensor that detects contact of an object by detecting changes in electrostatic capacitance and electric resistance. The zoom ring touch sensor 12 is provided on the zoom ring 11 and can detect contact with the zoom ring 11. It should be noted that the zoom ring touch sensor 12 may be provided in the vicinity of the zoom ring 11 with a high possibility of being touched when operating the zoom ring 11.

[0010] The focus ring 13 is an operation ring for manually moving the focus lens in its optical axis direction. Similarly to the zoom ring touch sensor 12, the focus ring touch sensor 14 is a sensor for detecting contact of an object. The focus ring touch sensor 14 is provided on the focus ring 13 and can detect contact with the focus ring 13. It should be noted that the focus ring touch sensor 14 may be provided in the vicinity of the focus ring 13 with a high possibility of being touched when operating the focus ring 13.