1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens information display apparatus and, more particularly, to a lens information display apparatus that displays lens information as being superimposed on an image being taken on a viewfinder of a television camera system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, known lens apparatuses used with television camera systems for broadcasting include box-shaped EFP lenses primarily used in studios, or portable ENG lenses primarily used in the field and the like. For an EFP lens, lens information such as the position of a zoom lens (zoom position), the position of a focus lens (focus position), or the position of an aperture (F-number) is indicated on indicators on the side of the cover of the lens apparatus, and for an ENG lens, such information is indicated with scales marked on operation rings.
A television camera system typically uses a small monitor called a viewfinder for a cameraman to see an image being taken. The viewfinder is connected to a camera body, and a real-time image outputted from the camera body is displayed on the screen of the viewfinder so that the cameraman can check the image currently being taken by the camera.
Conventionally, cameramen have had such a problem in shooting that, since they typically carry out lens manipulations such as zooming or focusing while checking an image on the viewfinder, they have difficulty in manipulating the lens in parallel with checking both lens information indicated on the indicator or the like and the image on the viewfinder.
The invention is made in view of such a situation, and has an object of providing a lens information display apparatus that allows a cameraman to see desired lens information on a viewfinder.
To attain the object, the present invention is directed to a lens information display apparatus which displays predetermined lens information for use in a camera system, the camera system comprising a lens apparatus having a taking lens which focuses light from a subject, a camera body which picks up the subject light focused by the taking lens to convert the subject light to image signals, and a viewfinder which displays an image taken by the camera body, the lens information display apparatus comprising: a lens information obtaining device which obtains predetermined lens information from the lens apparatus; and a lens information display device which displays the lens information obtained by the lens information obtaining device as superimposed on the image displayed on the viewfinder.
Preferably, the lens information display device comprises a transmissive display panel which allows light to pass, the display panel positioned in front of an image display screen of the viewfinder; and the lens information is superimposed on the image displayed on the image display screen of the viewfinder by displaying the lens information on the display panel.
Preferably, the display panel is detachable from the viewfinder.
According to the present invention, since lens information is displayed as superimposed on the image displayed on the viewfinder, the cameraman can check lens information while looking at the image displayed on the viewfinder.