Electronic still video camera having electro-developing recording medium

I claim:

1. An electronic camera having an electro-developing recording medium, said camera comprising:

a photographing unit that forms an optical image on said electro-developing recording medium to record said optical image in said recording medium;

a line image sensor that optically and electronically senses said recorded optical image;

a drive unit that intermittently moves said line image sensor with respect to said recorded optical image such that sensing of said recorded optical image by said line image sensor is carried out in a scanning manner to output a series of image data from said line image sensor at scanning step intervals;

an image processor that successively processes said series of image data outputted from said line image sensor, to produce a series of image reproduction data; and

a printer that successively reproduces an image on a basis of said series of image reproduction data produced by said image processor, said printer comprising a writing device that writes said image on an image-carrying sheet, a feeding device that feeds said image-carrying sheet, and a synchronizing device that synchronizes a feeding of said image-carrying sheet with said scanning step intervals of said line image sensor,

wherein the outputting of said series of image data by said line image sensor, the processing of said series of image data by said image-processor and the reproduction of said image by said printer are sequentially repeated until said recorded optical image is completely sensed by said line image sensor.

2. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein said printer generates dots on a basis of said series of image reproduction data, to write said image on said image-carrying sheet.

3. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising a drive source that intermittently moves said line image sensor by said scanning step intervals, said feeding device of said printer being driven by said drive source through said synchronizing device.

4. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

an operation-mode selector that selects one of a first operation mode and a second operation mode, said first operation mode including a formation of said optical image by said photographing unit, said second operation mode excluding a formation of said optical image by said photographing unit; and

a printing operation mode selector that determines whether a writing of said image on said image-carrying sheet by said printer is performed,

wherein said writing of said image on said image-carrying sheet by said printer is enabled in both said first operation mode and said second operation mode, and said writing of said image on said image-carrying sheet by said printer is selectively disabled when said printing operation mode selector determines a disablement-condition.

5. The electronic camera of claim 4, wherein said first operation mode further includes the sensing of said recorded optical image by said line image sensor from said electro-developing recording medium after said formation of said optical image by said photographing unit, so that said series of image reproduction data is stored in a memory medium, said writing of said image on said image-carrying sheet by said printer being executed when said printing operation mode selector determines an enablement-condition.

6. The electronic camera of claim 4, wherein said first operation mode further includes the sensing of said recorded optical image by said line image sensor from said electro-developing recording medium after said formation of said optical image by said photographing unit, so that said writing of said image on said image-carrying sheet by said printer is executed when said printing operation mode selector determines an enablement-condition.

7. The electronic camera of claim 4, wherein said second operation mode includes the sensing of said recorded optical image by said line image sensor from said electro-developing recording medium, so that said series of image reproduction data is stored in a memory medium, said writing of said image on said image-carrying sheet by said printer being executed when said printing operation mode selector determines an enablement-condition.

8. The electronic camera of claim 4, wherein said second operation mode includes the sensing of said recorded optical image by said line image sensor from said electro-developing recording medium, so that said series of image reproduction data transfers to an external device, said writing of said image on said image-carrying sheet by said printer being executed when said printing operation mode selector determines an enablement-condition.

9. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein said electro-developing recording medium comprises:

an electrostatic information recording medium; and

an electric charge keeping medium.

10. The electronic camera of claim 9, wherein said electrostatic information recording medium comprises:

a photoconducting layer; and

an inorganic oxide material layer, and said electric charge keeping medium comprises:

a liquid crystal display.

11. The electronic camera of claim 10, wherein said liquid crystal display comprises a memory type liquid crystal display.

12. An electronic camera having an electro-developing recording medium, said camera comprising:

a photographing unit that forms an optical image on said electro-developing recording medium to record said optical image in said recording medium;

a line image sensor that optically and electronically senses said recorded optical image;

a drive unit that intermittently moves said line image sensor with respect to said recorded optical image such that sensing of said recorded optical image by said line image sensor is carried out in a scanning manner to output a series of image data from said line image sensor at scanning step intervals;

an image processor that successively processes said series of image data outputted from said line image sensor, to produce a series of image reproduction data;

a video-processor that processes said series of image data outputted from said line image sensor, to produce a video signal;

a printer that successively reproduces an image on a basis of said series of image reproduction data produced by said image processor, and

a disabling unit that disables said printer during outputting of said video signal from said video-processor,

wherein the outputting of said series of image data by said line image sensor, the processing of said series of image data by said image processor and the reproduction of said image by said printer being sequentially repeated until said recorded optical image is completely sensed by said line image sensor.

13. An electronic camera having an electro-developing recording medium, said camera comprising:

a photographing unit that forms an optical image on said electro-developing recording medium to record said optical image in said recording medium;

a line image sensor that optically and electronically senses said recorded optical image;

a drive unit that intermittently moves said line image sensor with respect to said recorded optical image such that sensing of said recorded optical image by said line image sensor is carried out in a scanning manner to output a series of image data from said line image sensor at scanning step intervals;

a scanning step varying device that selectively varies said scanning step interval of said line image sensor;

an image processor that successively processes said series of image data outputted from said line image sensor, in accordance with a variation of said scanning step interval obtained by said scanning step varying device, to produce a series of image reproduction data; and

a printer that successively reproduces an image on a basis of said series of image reproduction data produced by said image processor, said printer comprising a writing device that writes said image on an image-carrying sheet, a feeding device that feeds said image-carrying sheet in accordance with the variation of said scanning step interval obtained by said scanning step varying device, and a synchronizing device that synchronizes a feeding of said image-carrying sheet with said scanning step intervals of said line image sensor,

wherein the outputting of said series of image data by said line image sensor, the processing of said series of image data by said image processor and the reproduction of said image by said printer are sequentially repeated until said recorded optical image is completely sensed by said line image sensor.

14. An electronic camera having an electro-developing recording medium, said camera comprising:

a photographing unit that forms an optical image on said electro-developing recording medium to record said optical image in said recording medium;

an image sensor that successively senses said recorded optical image in a scanning manner to output a series of image data at scanning step intervals;

an image-processor that successively processes said series of image data outputted from said image sensor, to produce a series of image-reproduction data;

an image-reproducing unit that reproduces an image on a basis of said image-reproduction data outputted from said image-processor; and

an operation-mode selector that selects one of an auto-printing mode and a manual-printing mode, said auto-printing mode including a formation of said optical image by said photographing unit, the sensing of said recorded optical image by said image sensor from said electro-developing recording medium after said formation of said optical image by said photographing unit, so that said series of image reproduction data is stored in a memory medium, and the reproduction of said image by said image-reproducing unit, and said manual-printing mode including the sensing of said recorded optical image by said image sensor from said electro-developing recording medium, and the reproduction of said image by said image-reproducing unit.

15. An electronic camera having an electro-developing recording medium, said camera comprising:

a photographing unit that forms an optical image on said electro-developing recording medium to record said optical image in said electro-developing recording medium;

an image sensor that successively senses said recorded optical image in a scanning manner to output a series of image data at scanning step intervals;

an image-processor that successively processes said series of image data outputted from said image sensor, to produce a series of image-reproduction;

an image-reproducing unit that reproduces an image on a basis of said image-reproduction data outputted from said image-processor;

an operation-mode selector that selects one of a first operation mode and a second operation mode, said first operation mode including formation of said optical image by said photographing unit, said second operation mode excluding formation of said optical image by said photographing unit; and

an image-reproduction mode selector that determines whether said image is reproduced by said image-reproducing unit,

wherein said image is reproduced by said image-reproducing unit in both said first operation mode and said second operation mode, and said image is not reproduced by said image-reproducing unit when said image-reproduction mode selector determines a disablement-condition.

16. The electronic camera of claim 15, wherein said first operation mode includes the sensing of said recorded optical image by said image sensor from said electro-developing recording medium after said formation of said optical image by said photographing unit, so that said series of image reproduction data is stored in a memory medium, said image being reproduced by said image-reproducing unit when said image-reproduction mode selector determines an enablement-condition.

17. The electronic camera of claim 15, wherein said first operation mode includes the sensing of said recorded optical image by said image sensor from said electro-developing recording medium after said formation of said optical image by said photographing unit, said image being reproduced by said image-reproducing unit when said image-reproduction mode selector determines an enablement-condition.

18. The electronic camera of claim 15, wherein said second operation mode includes the sensing of said recorded optical image by said image sensor from said electro-developing recording medium, so that said series of image reproduction data is stored in a memory medium, said image being reproduced by said image-reproducing unit when said image-reproduction mode selector determines an enablement-condition.

19. The electronic camera of claim 15, wherein said second operation mode includes the sensing of said recorded optical image by said image sensor from said electro-developing recording medium, so that said series of image reproduction data transfers to an external device, said image being reproduced by said image-reproducing unit when said image-reproduction mode selector determines an enablement-condition.

20. The electronic camera of claim 15, wherein said electro-developing recording medium comprises:

an electrostatic information recording medium; and

an electric charge keeping medium.

21. The electronic camera of claim 20, wherein said electrostatic information recording medium comprises:

a photoconducting layer and an inorganic oxide material layer, and said electric charge keeping medium comprises a liquid crystal display.

22. The electronic camera of claim 21, wherein said liquid crystal display comprises a memory type liquid crystal display.

23. An electronic camera having an electro-developing recording medium, said electro-developing recording medium comprising:

a photographing unit that forms an optical image carrying color information on said electro-developing recording medium to record said optical image in said electro-developing recording medium;

an image sensor that successively senses said recorded optical image in a scanning manner to output a series of image data carrying said color information at scanning step intervals; and

an image-processor that successively processes said series of image data outputted from said image sensor, to produce a series of image-reproduction data carrying different color information different than the color information of the optical image, said different color information being reconstituted on a basis of said color information, wherein said color information carried by said recorded optical image comprises red, green, and blue, and said different color information comprises cyan, yellow, magenta, and black.

24. An electronic camera having an electro-developing recording medium, said electro-developing recording medium comprising:

a photographing unit that forms an optical image carrying color information on said electro-developing recording medium to record said optical image in said electro-developing recording medium;

an image sensor that successively senses said recorded optical image in a scanning manner to output a series of image data carrying said color information at scanning step intervals; and

an image-processor that successively processes at least two series of image data outputted from said image sensor, to produce a series of image-reproduction data carrying color information different than the color information of the optical image, the different color information being reconstituted on a basis of said color information, wherein said color information carried by the recorded image comprises red, green, and blue, and said different color information comprises cyan, yellow, magenta, and black.

Description Submit all comments and votes

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic still video camera having an electro-developing recording medium in which an optical image obtained through a photographing lens system is electronically and directly recorded and developed as a visible image a short period of time.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, silver halide photographic material is generally used as a material for recording an optical image. Silver halide photographic material has a high optical sensitivity and high resolution, and the economical efficiency thereof is excellent. However, silver halide photographic material has drawbacks in that not only is the developing process cumbersome, but also a visible image cannot be obtained at the same time as photography. A dry-type developing method has been developed to simplify the developing process. However, a simultaneous development in which a visible image is obtained upon photography is impossible in the dry-type developing method.

On the other hand, as non-silver-halide photographic materials, there are known electrophotographic materials, diazotype photographic materials and free-radical photographic materials, and so on. In these materials, however, there is no material which has advantageous characteristics like silver halide photographic material, while being able to simultaneously develop and keep a visible image. Note that, electrophotographic materials have been used mainly in copying machines, since they can perform dry-type development and can simultaneously develop an electrostatic latent image, which is obtained by exposure, using toner.

In such electrophotographic materials, recently, a photographic material has been developed, in which an optical image can be electronically and directly recorded and developed as a visible image in no time, the image so developed being similar to one obtained in a silver halide photographic material. A recording medium formed of such a recording material, in which a visible image is electronically and directly recorded and developed, is referred to as an electro-developing recording medium hereinafter.

For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-2280 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,156 disclose one type of electro-developing recording medium comprising an electrostatic information recording medium and an electric charge keeping medium. The electrostatic information recording medium includes a photoconducting layer and an inorganic oxide material layers and the electric charge keeping medium includes a liquid crystal display, both mediums being combined to face each other with a small gap therebetween. In use, a voltage is applied between the electrostatic information recording medium and the electric charge keeping medium, and an optical image is formed on the electrostatic information recording medium during the application of the voltage. An electric charge distribution is produced over the electrostatic information recording medium in accordance with a light intensity distribution of the optical image formed thereon, so that the intensity of an electric field acts on the liquid crystal of the electric charge keeping medium in accordance with the electric charge distribution. Thus, an image derived from the optical image is reproduced in the electric charge keeping medium as a visible image. Namely, as soon as the optical image is formed on the electrostatic information recording medium, the image is developed in the electric charge keeping medium.

When the electric charge keeping medium is constituted as a memory type liquid crystal display, the developed visible image can be kept therein even if the electric field is eliminated from the electro-developing recording medium. In the memory type liquid crystal display, the developed image can be erased by heating it at a given temperature. In this case, the same electro-developing recording medium can be repeatedly used for photographing.

In an electronic still video camera having the electro-developing recording mediums there may be provided an image reader comprising a CCD line sensor for electronically reading image signals from a developed image of the electro-developing recording medium, and the read image signals obtained from the CCD image sensor may be processed in various manners. For example, the read image signals may be stored in a second recording medium, such as an IC memory card, a floppy disk, a hard disk or the like. Also, the read image signals may be transferred from the camera to an external processing device, such as a computer, a TV monitor and so on.

Also, in such an electronic still video cameras it is desirable that the developed image is erased after the read image signals are stored in the second recording medium so that the same electro-developing recording medium can be repeatedly used for photographing. In this case, the developed image cannot be erased from the electro-developing recording medium by an erroneous switching operation of the camera.

Furthermore, it is desirable to incorporate a printer in the electronic still video camera such that the developed image can be reproduced and printed on a sheet of paper.

Under these circumstances, in the electronic still video camera as mentioned above, various modes are desired in operating the camera. Accordingly, the manipulation of the camera has a tendency towards being frequently complicated due to execution of operations based upon the various modes.

Furthermore, in the electronic still video camera, when the image signals read from the developed image of the electro-developing recording medium are transferred from the camera to the external device, such as a computer, a TV monitor or the like, the transfer of the image signals to the external device should not be executed without establishing a connection between the camera and the external device, so that an electric poser source of the camera can not be wastefully consumed. On the other hand, the electric power source of the camera should be arranged such that the complete transfer of the image signals to the external device can be ensured without interrupting the transfer of the image signals due to a consumption of the power source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still video camera having an electro-developing recording medium and a printer, and constituted such that a manipulation thereof for executing operations in various modes can be easily carried out.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still video camera having an electro-developing recording medium and a printer, and constituted such that an execution of at least two operations can be positively prevented in those modes which are inconsistent with each other.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic still video camera having an electro-developing recording medium, comprising: photographing means for forming an optical image on the electro-developing recording medium to record the optical image therein; image-sensing means for successively sensing the recorded image of the electro-developing recording medium in a scanning manner to output a series of image data at an interval of scanning steps; and image-processing means for successively processing the series of image data outputted from the image-sensing means, to produce a series of image-reproduction data therefrom.

The electronic still video camera may further comprise image-reproduction means for reproducing an image on the basis of the image-reproduction data outputted from the image-processing means. Preferably, the image-reproduction means comprises dot-matrix printer for reproducing the image by generating dots on the basis of the series of image-reproduction data. Also, the image-reproduction means may comprise writing means for writing the image on an image-carrying medium, feeding means for feeding the image-carrying medium, and synchronization means for synchronizing a feeding of the image-carrying medium with the scanning steps of the image-sensing means. The electronic still video camera may further comprise video-processing means for processing the series of image data outputted from the image-sensing means, to produce a video signal therefrom; and disabling means for disabling the image-reproduction means during outputting of the video signal from the video-processing means. Preferably, the electronic still video camera further comprises means for varying intervals of the scanning steps of the image-sensing means.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic still video camera having an electro-developing recording medium, comprising: photographing means for forming an optical image on the electro-developing recording medium to record the optical image therein; image-sensing means for successively sensing the recorded image of the electro-developing recording medium in a scanning manner to output a series of image data at an interval of scanning steps; image-processing means for successively processing the series of image data outputted from the image-sensing means, to produce a series of image-reproduction data therefrom; image-reproduction means for reproducing an image on the basis of the image-reproduction data outputted from the image-processing means; operation-mode selection means for selecting one of the first operation mode and a second operation mode, the first operation mode involving the formation of the optical image by the photographing means the second operation mode excluding the formation of the optical image by the photographing means; and printing operation mode selection means for determining whether the reproduction of image by the image-reproduction means is enabled, wherein an execution of the reproduction of images by the image-reproduction means is enabled in both the first and second operation modes, but the execution is disabled in accordance with a disablement-determination of the printing operation mode selection means.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic still video camera having an electro-developing recording medium, comprising: photographing means for forming an optical image carrying color information on the electro-developing recording medium to record the optical image therein; image-sensing means for successively sensing the recorded image of the electro-developing recording medium in a scanning manner to output a series of image data carrying the color information at an interval of scanning steps; and image-processing means for successively processing the series of image data outputted from the image-sensing means, to produce a series of image-reproduction data carrying different color information reconstituted on the basis of the color information. The color information carried by the recorded image may comprise red, green, and blue color information, and the different color information may comprise cyan, yellow, magenta, and black color difference information.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic still video camera having an electro-developing recording medium, comprising: photographing means for forming an optical image carrying color information on the electro-developing recording medium to record the optical image therein; image-sensing means for successively sensing the recorded image of the electro-developing recording medium in a scanning manner to output a series of image data carrying the color information at an interval of scanning steps; and image-processing means for successively processing at least two series of image data outputted from the image-sensing means, to produce a series of image-reproduction data carrying different color information reconstituted on the basis of the color information. The color information carried by the recorded image may comprise red, green, and blue, and the different color information may comprise cyan, yellow, magenta, and black.

In the present invention, preferably, the electro-developing recording medium comprises an electrostatic information recording medium and an electric charge keeping medium. The electrostatic information recording medium may include a photoconducting layer and an inorganic oxide material layer, and the electric charge keeping medium includes a liquid crystal display. Also, preferably, the liquid crystal display comprises a memory type liquid crystal display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These objects and other objects of the present invention will be better understood from the following descriptions with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an appearance of a first embodiment of an electronic still video camera according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a scanning mechanism and a printer used in the electronic still video camera shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing an electro-developing recording medium used in the electronic still video camera shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a timing chart for explaining a whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing an appearance of a second embodiment of an electronic still video camera according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a scanning mechanism and a printer used in the electronic still video camera shown in FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view enlargedly showing a part of a regular arrangement of different color filter elements of a color filter shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view enlargedly showing a part of an ink ribbon shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view showing an operation mode selection switch provided on a camera body of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining a function of a printing mode selection switch provided on a camera body of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining a function of the operation mode selection switch shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a schematic plan view showing a scanning mode selection switch provided on the camera body of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 15 is a table representing relationships between respective scanning modes designated by the characters [1], [2], [3], [4], and [5]; the respective numbers of horizontal-scanning lines in the modes; and the numbers of pixel signals included in each scanning line obtained in each mode;

FIG. 16 is an electric circuit of a thermal erasing device shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a connector-connection detecting circuit together with output terminal connectors associated therewith and provided in the camera body of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 18 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 17, showing a part of the elements at different positions;

FIG. 19 is a schematic view showing another embodiment of the connector-connection detecting circuit;

FIG. 20 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 19, showing a part of the elements at different positions;

FIG. 21 is a a schematic view throwing yet another embodiment of the connector-connection detecting circuit;

FIG. 22 illustrates a block diagram of a main power source circuit of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 23 is a timing chart for explaining an operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 24 is a timing chart for explaining another operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 25 is a part of a flowchart for explaining a whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 26 is another part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 27 is yet another part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 28 is still yet another part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 29 is still yet another part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 30 is still yet another part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 31 is still yet another part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 32 is still yet another part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 33 is still yet another part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 34 is still yet another part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 35 is still yet another part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 36 is a remaining part of the flowchart for explaining the whole operation of the electronic still video camera shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 37 is an enlarged schematic view showing a part of a regular arrangement of different color filter elements of another color filter;

FIG. 38 is a schematic perspective view showing a scanning mechanism and a color-separation prism used in a third embodiment of an electronic still video camera according to the present invention;

FIG. 39 is a schematic view showing the color-separation prism shown in FIG. 38;

FIG. 40 is a schematic perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of an electronic still video camera according to the present invention;

FIG. 41 is a schematic perspective view showing an arrangement of main parts of the fourth embodiment of FIG. 40; and

FIG. 42 is a block diagram of the electronic still video camera shown in FIGS. 40 and 41.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is an external view of a first embodiment of an electronic still video camera according to the present invention. The camera comprises a camera body 11 having a box-like configuration, and a photographing optical system 12 provided on approximately a center portion of the front face thereof. An electronic flash (not visible) is provided at a suitable location of the front face of the camera body 11, and a view finder 15 is provided at a center location of a top surface of the camera body 11.

The camera comprises a printer provided in the camera body 11, and a photographed image can be printed on a suitable paper by the printer. In FIG. 1, reference 403 indicates a removal lid for closing an opening through which a roll of printing paper is inserted in the camera body 11. A printed paper is discharged from the camera body 11 through a discharge port (not visible) formed in a lower portion of the front face thereof.

A release switch 14 is provided at a side of the view finder 15, and three switches 18, 19 and 401 are provided on the side opposite to the release switch 14. The switches 18, 19, and 401 are referred to as an operation mode selection switch, a scan mode selection switch, and a printing mode selection switch, respectively, hereinafter.

An opening 11a is formed in a side wall of the camera body 11, and an output-terminal connector 17a is provided in the opening 11a for transferring image data from the camera to an external processing device such as a personal computer. Also, another output-terminal connector 17b is provided within the opening 11a adjacent to the output-terminal connector 17a, and is used to directly output a video signal to an external TV monitor. The opening 11a is usually closed by a slidable cover plate 73 provided within the camera body 11, whereby the output-terminal connectors 17a and 17b can be protected by the slidable cover plate 73. The slidable cover plate 73 is manually moved between a closed position and an open position, and is shown at the open position in FIG. 1. The slidable cover plate 73 can be held at each of the closed and open positions by a suitable click mechanism (not shown).

A display device 68 is provided on a rear surface of the camera body 11 at a suitable location thereof to display various setting conditions of the still video camera and messages necessary to operate the camera, and may be constituted as an LCD (liquid crystal display) panel.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the still video camera as mentioned above, in which a system control circuit 20 including a micro-computer or micro-processor is provided to control the still video camera as a whole.

The photographing optical system 12 has a plurality of lens groups and an aperture 12a. An electro-developing recording medium 30 is disposed-behind the photographing optical system 12, and a quick return mirror 21 is placed between the photographing optical system 12 and the electro-developing recording medium 30. A shutter 22 is provided between the quick return mirror 21 and the electro-developing recording medium 30. The view finder 15 has a view finder optical system 23 including a focusing glass 23a which is disposed above the quick return mirror 21.

The aperture 12a, the quick return mirror 21 and the shutter 22 are driven by an iris drive circuit 24, a mirror drive circuit 25 and a shutter drive circuit 26, respectively. These drive circuits 24, 25 and 26 are controlled by an exposure control circuit 27 which is energized in accordance with a command signal outputted by the system control circuit 20.

When an exposure is controlled, an opening degree of the aperture 12a is adjusted by the iris drive circuit 24 under the control of the exposure control circuit 27, based on an output signal of a photometry sensor 28.

The quick return mirror 21 is usually set to a down position (an inclining position shown by the solid line in the drawing), and thus, a light beam passing through the photographing optical system 12 is led to the view-finder optical system 22, so that an object to be photographed can be observed by a photographer. When a photographing operation is carried out, the quick return mirror 21 is rotated upward by the mirror drive circuit 25, and is then set to an up position (a horizontal position shown by the broken line in the drawing), so that the light beam is directed to the shutter 22.

Shutter 22 is usually closed, and upon performing a photographing operation, the shutter 22 is opened over a given period of time by the shutter drive circuit 26 under the control of the exposure control circuit 27. Thus, the light beams passing through the photographing optical system 12 and the shutter 22 are led to a light receiving surface of the electro-developing recording medium 30, resulting in the forming a two-dimensional optical image thereon.

A voltage is applied to the electro-developing recording medium 30 under the control of a recording medium drive circuit 41. By exposing the electro-developing recording medium 30 while applying the voltage, an optical image formed by the photographing optical system 12 is developed on the electro-developing recording medium 30 as a visible image. Note that th