The present invention relates to an image sensing apparatus and a recording/reproduction apparatus having a protection cover such as an electronic still camera and a video camera.
Recently, there have been proposed a type of digital still cameras and video cameras having a lens-protection cover which is open to expose an objective lens during image-capturing and is closed to protect the lens during non image capturing. Such lens-protection cover is referred to as xe2x80x9cbarrierxe2x80x9d hereinafter.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a digital camera equipped with such barrier.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 60 denotes an operation lever for opening and closing a barrier (not shown). A user operates this operation lever 60 to open the barrier connected thereto.
With the spread of personal computers, it has been desired to control a digital camera from a computer.
In the prior arts set forth above, an operation to open or close the barrier is made at the camera body side. The prior arts have not paid any attentions to how and when to open and close the barrier when the camera is controlled by the external computers,
The present invention has been made in consideration of the aforementioned problem involved in the prior art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image sensing apparatus having a protection cover, such as a digital still camera and video camera, that can be controlled depending on whether an external controller such as a PC and workstation is connected to the apparatus.
The above object is achieved by providing an image sensing apparatus comprising: a protection cover which is openable and closable, and protects an image sensing optical system; a cover driving device driving the protection cover; and a determination device determining whether the image sensing apparatus is set into a image sensing mode, or into an external control mode in which the apparatus is controlled by an external controller unit, wherein the determination device determines an operation of the cover driving device in accordance with a determination result.
According to the apparatus thus constructed, in a case where the image sensing apparatus is controlled by the external controller unit, opening and closing operations of the cover are suitably controlled.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.