1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film image input system and, in particular, to a film image input system which forms an image of a developed still photo film on a light receiving surface of an image pickup element through a taking lens, converting the image into an image signal photo-electrically by the image pickup element, and outputting the image signal to a monitor TV, thereby reproducing the film image on the screen of the monitor TV.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a film image input system which picks up an image of a developed still photo film by an image pickup element such as a CCD or the like, converts the image into an image signal, and outputs the image signal to a monitor TV.
In other words, as shown in FIG. 42, the conventional film image input system 1 includes a lighting unit 4 to project an illuminating light to the developed still photo film 2, a taking lens 6 and the image pickup element (CCD) 8 which are all disposed on the same axis. In particular, the film 2 is disposed on the optical axis of the lighting unit 4 and taking lens 6, and the light projected from the lighting unit 4 illuminates the image recorded in the film 2. The light that has transmitted through the film is condensed by the taking lens 6 and is focused on the CCD 8, in which the image recorded on the film 2 is converted into the image signal and is then output. In this manner, the film image can be reproduced on the monitor TV connected to the film image input system 1.
Also, according to the prior art, there are known other types of film image input systems which respectively include a zoom mechanism used to vary an image magnification, a film scan mechanism (X-Y moving mechanism), an image sensor rotating mechanism and the like (U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,924, U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,406, U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,300 and so on).
Further, there has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,419 patent publication a film image input system which uses a single focus lens as a taking lens, moves the single focus lens to vary an image magnification, and also moves a CCD to thereby achieve a focusing action.
However, due to the fact that the conventional film image input system 1 is constructed in such a manner that the lighting unit 4, taking lens 6 and CCD 8 are arranged in a line, the whole system is large in size and long and narrow in shape which results in the limited freedom of design of the system. Also, if the system is constructed in such a manner that the single focus lens and CCD can be moved to thereby vary the image magnification, the whole system becomes further larger in size. Further, if the CCD is moved, it is difficult to provide wires within the system without performing signal processings such as amplification and the like, because a signal from the CCD is faint. For this reason, in this case, a signal process circuit must be moved together with the CCD.
Also, when only an image within a necessary range is taken out from one frame of a film and the image is displayed (trimmed) on the entire screen of the monitor TV, it is necessary to select the image magnification properly and at the same time to move (scan) the film 2 or taking lens 6 in the longitudinal and transverse directions by use of an X-Y moving mechanism 9. Therefore, it is necessary to secure a space to move the film 2 and taking lens 6 with respect to each other within the range of one frame of the film image, which increases the size of the film image input system.
Further, when the trimming is executed in this type of film image input system, it is necessary to zoom the taking lens and to scan the film. However, when the trimming is executed once, because the portion of the film that is not displayed on the monitor TV is not known, zoomings and scannings must be performed very frequently in a fine adjustment time when the portion to be looked at is searched or the framing is executed, which results in the complicated operations. Also, to find out the frame to be looked at from a film having a large number of frames, the frame must be found by feeding the film frame by frame, which requires much time and takes pains.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds