MXPA97010531A - Electronic viewer illuminated against - Google Patents

Abstract

A video recorder camera (10) is provided with a liquid crystal display (50) to display camera image information, partially illuminated by ambient light (A) and having a control to vary an intensity of illumination to maintain an intensity previously determined luminous and / or color balance. A sensor that may include image collection circuits of the camera, captures the intensity or temperature of the ambient light color (A) or emitted by the light by the illuminated display (LCD), and is coupled to a controller (99). ) that varies the intensity of one or more supplemented light sources (D1, D2) as LEDs. In a backlit mode, ambient light (A) and supplementary light (SUP) are collisioned and directed towards the viewer. The ambient light (A) can also be dimmed, to maintain one or both of a previously determined luminous intensity and a predetermined color balance or color temperature of the light emitted from the display (LCD), while minimizing the energy consumption

Description

ELECTRONIC VIEWER LIGHTED BACKWARD This invention is directed to the field of portable electronic recording cameras and in particular to the reduction of energy consumption in an electronic viewfinder with a liquid crystal display, optimizing the illumination of the display.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Video recorder cameras, or camcorders, typically employ a variable optical magnification-reduction lens coupled to a solid-state imager. The imager generates an image signal that is processed to provide a video signal for viewing or recording it on television. The video signal can be seen in a viewer, at least during recording, to help properly steer the camera and compose the video program. For a monochrome display, the viewer may comprise, for example, a cathode ray tube or a liquid crystal display to generate an image that is to be supervised by the user. In a color display viewer, a liquid crystal display is typically used, because the displays of miniature cathode ray tubes are unduly complicated and comparatively expensive. The cathode ray tubes provide an active source of light due to the emission of light from their phosphors. A liquid crystal display, however, is a passive device and requires illumination to make the image visible. A microprocessor control system can control various video processing parameters, the operation of the servomechanism control motors of the lenses, and the average recording transport. The recording section may use a recording medium of magnetic tape, magnetic disk, solid-state memory or other means. The camera and the recorder and all its parts are preferably energized by battery for mobility, often by means of a rechargeable battery, for example, having a nickel-cadmium structure. Many video recorder cameras can function as a camera recorder, or as a video tape recorder player device. The power consumption of the battery is greater when recording, and increases with the frequency of operation of the variable optical magnification-reduction lens due to the power consumption by the servomechanism motors of the lens. It is desirable that the energy consumption of the video recorder camera be minimized. A reduction in power consumption increases the available operating time with a specific battery size, type and / or load condition. A reduction in energy consumption could allow the use of physically smaller and lighter batteries, or allow operation, for example, with less expensive non-rechargeable batteries such as alkaline cells. Changes in electronic circuits may offer some opportunities for energy reduction. However, the higher energy dissipation charges are the head drum and drive roller motors, and the electronic viewfinder. A typical monochrome viewfinder with a cathode ray tube display can consume approximately 800 milliwatts. A typical color viewer with a. Liquid crystal display, or LCD, typically consumes 1200 milliwatts. Approximately 50 percent of the energy consumed by the deployment of the typical color liquid crystal display is dissipated by the lighting device which provides a source of illumination. Typically, the lighting device comprises an illuminated panel that backlit the display of liquid crystal over its area. The individual image elements of the liquid crystal display are switched off or on to pass or block an increasing area of light in one of the primary colors, displaying the image together. It would be advantageous to maximize the efficiency in the use of this backlit, energized lighting, as well as to reduce or eliminate the unnecessary use of backlit, energized lighting, for example if ambient light is available for illumination. It would also be advantageous to maximize the efficiency of use of the ambient light, which can affect from various angles and can vary widely in intensity and color distribution, while substantially maintaining the nominal operation of the viewer.

COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION A camera such as a video camera recorder includes a viewfinder display with a liquid crystal display attached to the camera to receive image information. A first source of illumination directs the light onto the display of liquid crystal, preferably as backlighting, to display the image information by varying the operation of the image elements arranged in an array in the display. A second source of illumination also directs light onto the liquid crystal display to augment the first source when necessary. Media for the second source is coupled to control an intensity of the second source in the case of a variation in illumination from the first source. This control of the intensity of the second source can be carried out as a function of one or more of a level captured from the first source, which preferably includes ambient light, an intensity of captured light that passes through the crystal display liquid (that is, the intensity of the display), a color attribute of the first source (for example ambient light) or the output output, and manual controls. The video recorder camera has a viewer with an associated liquid crystal display coupled to the camera that encodes an image, the liquid crystal display presents image information of the camera. An ambient light collector receives ambient lighting and directs the illumination towards the liquid crystal display to facilitate the display of the image information. A supplementary source of illumination also attaches to the display of liquid crystal. A control element is coupled to the supplementary source and controls the intensity thereof to maintain the luminous intensity of the camera image according to previously determined criteria, for example, maintaining the intensity substantially constant. According to another inventive aspect, the control element can control the degree to which the ambient lighting is coupled to the liquid crystal display, namely, by blocking a portion of the available ambient lighting if the illumination is brighter than necessary. In yet another inventive arrangement, the control element responds to means for capturing the color balance between one or more of the incident light in the camera, the image information signal produced by the camera, and the image produced by the viewfinder display. of liquid crystal. A color enhancing light source having a controllable color temperature, or a plurality of proportionally controllable colored magnifying sources, is coupled to the control element and maintains a previously determined color temperature or color balance in the image produced by the display of the viewer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Figure 1 is a block diagram of a video recorder camera employing various inventive arrangements. Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of a liquid crystal display that employs a backlighting arrangement of the invention. Figure 3 illustrates an advantageous configuration of a viewfinder display, as seen through the visual part of the viewer of the invention of Figure 2. Figure 4 depicts a simplified block diagram of a rear lighting arrangement embodiment. of the invention. Figure 5 depicts a simplified block diagram of another embodiment of a backlight illumination arrangement of the invention. Figure 6 illustrates a viewer of the invention with a direct view screen employing certain advantageous deployment positions and controls. Figure 7 depicts a simplified block diagram of a backlighting array for a type of view directly of liquid crystal display. Figure 8 depicts a simplified block diagram of a further backlighting arrangement of the invention. Figure 9 represents a simplified block diagram of another backlighting arrangement of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 represents a video recorder camera or camcorder and its most important functional blocks. A variable optical magnification-reduction lens 100 captures the illumination of the scene and focuses an image on an image forming device 205. The variable optical magnification-reduction lens may include a controllable iris diaphragm 120 to adjust the f-stop of the lens and thereby control the illumination intensity of the focused image. The variable optical magnification-reduction lens also has mechanically controllable or preferably electromechanical magnification mechanisms - variable optical reduction and focusing, shown generally as the F element.

The image forming device 205 can be, for example, a CCD charge or array coupled device of discrete light collection semiconductor elements, coupled to a video camera processor 200 to convert the variations in illumination through the image in a convenient video signal to record. The image forming device 205 and the video camera processor 200 are preferably color units and together process the red, green and blue illumination components to form the video signal. The processor 200 preferably stabilizes the black and white levels, automatically controls the white balance, and gamma corrects the generated video signal so that it can be recorded, displayed and reproduced for visual display, for example in CRT or other visual display. In the embodiment shown, a control microprocessor 400 is bidirectionally coupled to the processor of the video camera and also controls the iris mechanisms of the variable optical magnification and zoom lens. Automatic enhancement of image sharpness and other functions are provided by the control microprocessor 400, which can automatically vary the iris for the appropriate light level, focus for precision, variable optical magnification-reduction to maintain a particular aspect of image and the like, these automatic functions are selectable by the user via switching inputs (not shown). The microprocessor 400 provides control signals that determine the functional modes of various blocks of the complete video recorder camera. Thus the microprocessor 400 is coupled to a servomechanism and mechanism controller 560 which provides specific control of the recording mechanism and its motors 525, 527 and other triggers. The microprocessor 400 is coupled to the processor of the video camera 200 and receives signals representative of the image via the connection 201. The representative image signals can be digitized if necessary to facilitate computing and the generation of various output control signals . For example, the signal 202 coupled to the processor of the video camera 200 can be included to control individual or coed gain control of red, green and blue image signal levels in order to maintain a white balance, for example using as a reference the minimum colored area found in the scene of the image, or a selectable reference area under user control. This control signal 202 can be considered indicative of the color temperature of the incident illumination of the image scene. For example, with a colder or lower color temperature illumination the scene tends toward red, a warmer or higher color temperature tends to produce a more blue scene rendition. Thus the control signal 202 provides an element by which the color temperature can be normalized and a substantially colorless white rendition is achieved. The microprocessor 400 generates a signal 121 which is coupled to the control iris motor 120 to increase or decrease the size of the optical aperture of the iris to regulate the amount of light focused on the imager 205. A cycle can be formed. feedback control closed because the microprocessor can determine the level of luminance or amplitude of the video signal at least to a reference area of the scene represented in image, and can vary the iris opening to increase or decrease the amount of light collected and thereby maintain the amplitude of the video image at a predetermined value. Thus, both the video signal and the iris control signal 121 are representative of the intensity of the incident illumination in the imager 205. This incidence level of illumination in the lens of the video recorder camera is also indicative of the incident level of illumination in the viewfinder. The microprocessor 400 is preferably coupled to user control inputs to set operating modes, and may generate display of status and warning status messages based on the user inputs and / or indicate the modes of operation performed by the microprocessor 400. or detected by signals coupled to the microprocessor 400. These status and warning messages are coupled by convenient connections for display by the display 50. In addition to the indications of recording and playback modes, messages can be generated to indicate inadequate incident light ( that is, lower than a pously determined threshold), a condition of discharged batteries 600 or something similar. The video signals processed from the camera processor 200 are coupled to the encoder 300, which produces a standard color signal for television viewing, for example, in the PAL or NTSC video color signal format. In addition, at least one video signal is advantageously generated and coupled to the viewer 50 to display for the operator, preferably together with status indicators and warnings as discussed in more detail below. The luminance and color signals are likewise generated to be recorded in the medium by the video / audio recorder / player amplifier 505, which is coupled to the heads located in the head drum 510. The illustrated recorder 500 is a video recorder. magnetic tape, which uses an assembly or drum with a rotating recording and playback head 510, operated by the motor 527, and the driving roller 520 with a pick-up roller 530 activated by the motor 525. The driving roller and the pick-up roller advance the medium of recording. The recorder 500 is shown loaded and screwed with the tape 504 removed from the tape cassette 501 and threaded around the periphery of the head drum 510 to facilitate either recording or playback. Figure 1 shows the color viewer 50 generally, namely, which includes an eye cup 59 at one end, through which the user sees an image that is presented adjacent to the windows 51, 52 at an opposite end, preferably but not necessarily looking in the same direction as where the camera is pointing. Figure 2 illustrates a display with color liquid crystal display 50, which employs a backlighting arrangement of the invention, using the same reference numbers throughout all the drawings to illustrate comparable elements. Figure 3 illustrates the view with respect to the operator, namely from the right in Figure 2. The viewer can be attached to the camera body of the video recorder at a mounting point 56 which can provide electrical interconnections through the point of assembly, for example by compensating the signal conductors or by means of connectors. A display of color image is formed which can be seen via an optical adjustment of ocular piece 58 and cup or flexible cover 59. The deployment is provided by a color liquid crystal panel with backlighting and a control having various aspects inventive The structure and operation of a liquid crystal display is well known. In simple terms, a liquid crystal display functions as an electrically controlled optical attenuator with discrete addressing zones that define picture elements (pixels). An instantaneous video amplitude value for each of the image pixels determines the light intensity transmitted through each liquid crystal display cell. The liquid crystal display can be illuminated by a light source placed on the opposite side of the liquid crystal display from the observer. Typical liquid crystal display display deployments employ a cold cathode fluorescent tube or CCFT, as a back-side lighting source. This light source requires a high voltage supply and can represent between 30 percent to 60 percent of the viewer's energy consumption. The visor 50 advantageously employs incident ambient illumination on the surfaces of the windows 51 and 52 to provide illumination against light. The coupling of incident ambient illumination is explained with reference to Figures 4, 5, 8 and 9. Figure 3 illustrates the color liquid crystal display viewer of the invention of Figure 2, seen via flexible cup 59 and the adjustable eye piece 58. A deployment image advantageously comprises a video display area 53, and one or more state display areas or warnings 54. The areas 53 and 54 may be part of a single liquid crystal display device which has multiple discreetly addressable deployment areas. For example, the video display area 53 is capable of displaying a signal derived from the video image. The state display or warning 54 areas may be capable of illuminating the area or occluding words or symbols previously determined in a negative manner on a background. These deployment areas may, in addition to occlusion or illumination, also provide color changes as indicators of status change or alert conditions, for example using red for alerts, or orange against red to distinguish alerts of different critical levels . Deployment areas 53 and 54 can be constructed from multiple liquid crystal displays, for example with video displayed in area 53 and state or warning display areas 54 being formed by a plurality of individual liquid crystal displays, which may be of reduced resolution compared to that of the display 53. The liquid crystal display deployment areas 53 and 54 may be advantageously illuminated by a common source of backlighting. For example, liquid crystal display areas may be illuminated by a transparent backlighting (TBS) substrate with ambient illumination, a transparent backlit illumination substrate with enhanced ambient illumination, a CCFT, a transparent substrate of backlit illumination with controlled feedback and / or color-compensated ambient lighting capable of adding or reducing ambient lighting levels, or a solid-state illuminator. Figure 4 is a simplified block diagram showing a first embodiment of a backlighting arrangement of the invention. The block diagram illustrates the incident ambient light 'A' in window 51 located at the rear of the viewer. The incident illumination is collected by a transparent substrate of backlighting or TBS which collimates the illumination so as to direct light substantially normal to the plane of the display over the liquid crystal display area which is lengthened in length and width (shown in FIGS. edges), to provide a luminous surface that backlit the display of liquid crystal. The collimation provided by the transparent substrate of backlighting can be determined, for example by the geometry of its surfaces, and can be adjusted during manufacture to impart a divergence angle fa the light output so that all points on the screen are illuminated from the user's perspective. In the viewer illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the line of sight is essentially orthogonal to the deployment surface and there is little need for any significant angle of vision in this example. Therefore, the divergent vertical and horizontal angles can be small and a large proportion of the ambient lighting energy is applied in a useful way. So the one-piece eyepiece viewfinder, illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, with a transparent backlit illumination substrate can improve the energy efficiency, brightness of the display, and / or provide a reduction in energy dissipation necessary to illuminate the viewfinder display. A side-mounted pivot viewer is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. This type of viewer can be seen over a range of viewing angles, and therefore during fabrication the collimation provided by the transparent substrate of backlighting is You can adjust for greater divergence and provide a previously determined field of vision. The increased viewing angle produces a consequential reduction in display intensity. Several types of flat collimators can be used as transparent substrates for backlighting. One type of collimator has a plurality of facets or edges that act as refractive prisms to redirect the light that is incident over a range of angles to less divergent rays directed towards the observing eye. This collimator is available, for example from Clio Technologies, Inc. t / a BriteView Technologies, 1810 Eber Road, Unit C, Holland, Ohio 43528. In Figure 4, the collimated light C from the transparent substrate of backlighting is coupled directly to the LCD liquid crystal display, the operation of which is well known and described above. The deployment of color liquid crystal produces three color images, red, green and blue, which when seen appear essentially superimposed one on the other. The use of collimated environmental backlighting for a liquid crystal display offers simply savings in terms of energy dissipation. However, ambient lighting is variable and sometimes the level of ambient light is insufficient for one or both of the imager and the display to capture and visibly reproduce an image. The camera's imaging system is usually equipped with an element to compensate for the effects of the variant lighting. For example, the electronic gain in each of the processing channels of the video camera R, G, and B can be varied to maintain a nominally constant amplitude of video and therefore a visible and recordable image. The lenses may contain an iris diaphragm controlled by servomechanism that adjusts to obtain an approximately constant video amplitude. These electrical and optical settings are not available in connection with the viewfinder. Thus to compensate for the variation of ambient illumination in the viewer an energized magnifying illumination source is provided, which may for example comprise a light emitting diode or a cold cathode fluorescent tube arranged to supplement ambient illumination. Figure 4 illustrates a first control method where the ambient lighting is coupled via the window 52 to a light sensor SI, for example a photodiode positioned so as to capture the ambient light level. The SI sensor is coupled to an auxiliary brightness controller which may comprise a purchaser and a controllable source of electric power for coupling with the magnifying light source. The sensor signal is coupled to the comparator and compared against a predetermined voltage value. The comparator output signal is applied to control the power source which can, for example, employ set width modulation and switching elements to set a desired average brightness of the magnifying light source. A reduction in ambient lighting produces a corresponding change in the output signal from the SI sensor. At a previously determined level of ambient illumination, the output signal of the sensor causes a change of state in the output of the comparator, initiating the coupling of energy with the increase of the light source. As the ambient lighting of the liquid crystal display progressively falls, the energy for the light source increases progressively, thus increasing the brightness of the display as necessary to maintain the brightness of the viewfinder display. The magnifying light source may be coupled to a transparent backlighting substrate edge of the type having collimation facets or edges as discussed above and available from Clio Technologies, Inc. t / a BriteView Technologies. The edge coupling is designed to produce a luminous surface, with collimated light in both horizontal and vertical directions. The internal reflections of the relatively thin backlit transparent substrate panel distributes the edge illumination throughout the panel material, with the light incident on the respective prismatic edges and efficiently directed towards the observer eye. Figure 5 illustrates another control method where the ambient lighting is coupled via the window 51 and the display of liquid crystal to a sensor S2, for example a photodiode. According to this modality, the light sensor responds to the light emitted by the deployment, for which both ambient and auxiliary lighting can contribute. The sensor S2 is coupled with an auxiliary brightness controller which may comprise circuits similar to those of Figure 4. In this embodiment, the sensor signal is coupled to a comparator as described above, but compared against a given voltage value. by the user set by the brightness control of the display 57. Thus the user can control the display brightness to the desired brightness. A closed control cycle is formed by the sensor, the energy controller, the supplementary light source and the liquid crystal display. The sensor S2 captures the light intensity transmitted through the liquid crystal display that is the result of the combination of the ambient lighting and the supplementary light source. The sensor S2 may be placed in an area of the liquid crystal display that is maintained in a complete transmission condition and is independent of variations in the intensity of the video display. For example, the sensor can measure an electronically generated "white" block that can be added to the video signal of the display to occupy a non-obstructing deployment position, or a position that is masked or otherwise outside the portion of the display. display seen by the observer.

Alternatively, the sensor can capture a fully transmissive area of a liquid crystal display of status or warning that is illuminated by the combined light source. The lighting control cycle of the liquid crystal display maintains the display brightness determined by the user as the ambient lighting varies. The increase in ambient lighting can also be compensated by progressively decreasing the energy of the increasing light source. However, when the light source is extinguished, the brightness regulation of the display ceases. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate another display of color liquid crystal display that advantageously illuminates against backlight with ambient lighting and magnification. The screen 53 provides direct vision capability of the signal of the video camera deployment. Located on the periphery of the video display screen 53 are the state and warning displays 54 which are advantageously illuminated by the ambient and magnifying illumination. The color liquid crystal display also includes a manual control 60 for varying the intensity of an incident ambient illumination in the backlight illumination window of the viewfinder 51 (a). As described for Figure 5, the closed cycle control of the augmentation lighting source has a limited capacity to compensate for increases in ambient lighting levels, for example moving from the shade to full sunlight. Therefore, various methods can be employed to provide additional control of the brightness of the liquid crystal display. Figure 7 illustrates a simplified mechanical blind arrangement 60-66, which provides an element for manually adjusting the intensity of the deployment by controllably admitting or blocking the ambient light. The shutter blades 61 are pivotally mounted on the support 62 and each engages with a control rod 63 that moves vertically as indicated by the arrow V. This vertical movement causes the shutter blade to rotate with respect to their pivot axes as indicated by the arrow T. The control rod 63 can be moved vertically by a helical worm gear 64 attached thereto, which is matched to a similar gear 65 formed as a quadrant portion of the lever 60 The lever 60 is pivotally mounted on the support 66. Therefore the lateral movement of the lever 60, as indicated in Figure 6, results in the rotation and vertical movement of the rod 63 which a it tilts the shutter blades and controls the intensity of the incident ambient lighting. This blind structure can also be constructed inside the body of the visor as opposed to, on its outer surface. Figure 7 also illustrates the closed cycle control of the augmentation lighting source as described for Figure 5. Another ambient lighting control method can use neutral density filters that are interposed in the ambient lighting path to provide a reduction in lighting intensity. These neutral density filters can also be configured in the form of blinds that extend through the rear lighting window 51, 51 (A). For example, neutral density filters can be selected manually by the user or can be selected automatically by activating media that responds to a high level of incident light capture. This automated pickup can be coupled to the iris control signal of the ICS lens, or another sensor coupled to a controller can be generated within the viewfinder and operates in a manner similar to that of the auxiliary brightness controller. Other methods can also be used to provide control of excess ambient lighting, for example windows 51 and 51 (A) can be fabricated from photochromic material which has optical transmission properties that can vary in response to the intensity of incident lighting. These photochromic materials can provide a variation of between one and two "f" stops or between 6 to 12 decibels of incident lighting control. The level of illumination can also be controlled using polarized filters and means to rotate the polarized filters in relation to each other to pass or block the light depending on the degree to which the filters are aligned. Another method of controlling ambient lighting may use the iris control signal of the ICS lens. As discussed above, the iris of the lens can be controlled to maintain a substantially constant video signal amplitude. Thus the iris control signal is indicative of incident lighting levels and can be used to provide a similar light control function for a viewer illuminated by ambient lighting. An iris mechanism and control motor could be incorporated in the viewfinder, but this method of control can offset the cost and energy savings gained from the use of ambient backlighting instead of backlit, energized lighting. Since the iris control signal is indicative of the incident lighting levels, iris control signals can be used as an input or feedback signal for use in controlling the increase of the light source. In Figure 4, for example, the Si sensor can be removed and the ICS iris control signal replaced to provide controlled correction of the intensity of the liquid crystal display. Figure 8 illustrates a magnifying light source provided by a cold cathode fluorescent tube CCFT. The auxiliary brightness control circuit operates as described above for Figure 4. The drop in ambient light levels produces a corresponding change in the output of the SI sensor, which results in the illumination of the cold cathode fluorescent tube CCFT for auxiliary brightness control. The cold cathode fluorescent tube may not be controllable in intensity other than to turn it on and off, therefore the increase in illumination provided by the cold cathode fluorescent tube may be balanced by the attenuation of the ambient illumination, for example, as shown in FIG. discussed earlier. Figure 9 illustrates another method for increasing a light source of ambient lighting. In Figure 9 there is shown a magnifying light source having two light emitting diodes DI, D2, which can be coupled to the transparent substrate of backlighting TBS. The two light-emitting diodes DI, D2, can generate illumination having different wavelengths, for example red and green or yellow or blue. The light emitting diodes can be advantageously energized individually to provide an increase in illumination having a controllable color temperature. For example, during the day, the color temperature of the ambient backlight may be high, having a predominantly blue whiteness. The use of red magnifying light will tend to compensate for any wrong coloration of the viewfinder image display. The camera preferably automatically maintains a color-free, balanced target, so that the control signal can advantageously be coupled to further control the intensity of a red light-emitting diode to achieve the required balance. In the evening, for example, the color temperature of the environmental backlighting is reduced, progressively becoming more red, therefore the use of a green, yellow or blue magnifying light source can compensate for the incorrect coloring of the display of the image of the viewfinder due to environmental backlighting. Thus the automatic white balance signal or the signals that provide a color balanced imager video signal can be coupled to the viewer to advantageously provide the color temperature control that can be employed in addition to the intensity methods of deployment already discussed.

Claims (22)

1. A camera (10) with a viewer (50), comprising: a liquid crystal display (LCD) coupled with the camera (10) to receive information of the image to be displayed by the viewfinder (50); a first illumination source (A) coupled to backlight to the liquid crystal display (LCD) to display said image information, the first illumination source having a variable level; a second light source (DI) coupled with the liquid crystal display (LCD); and, a control element (99) that varies an intensity of the second source (DI) inversely responsive to the level of the first source (A). The camera (10) with a viewfinder display of claim 1, wherein the first light source (A) is ambient illumination and is variable in at least one of intensity and color temperature. The camera with a viewfinder display of claim 1, wherein the second light source (DI) comprises a light emitting diode. The camera with a viewfinder display of claim 1, wherein the second illumination source comprises a cold cathode fluorescent tube (CCFT). The camera with a viewfinder display of claim 1, further comprising a collimation element (TBS) operable to collimate the illumination of the first source (A), the collimation element (TBS) that couples the illumination to said liquid crystal display (LCD), through which the collimated light is directed along an angle of view (f). The camera with a viewfinder display of claim 5, wherein the collimation element (TBS) is operable to collimate the illumination (SUP) from the second source (DI), whereby the light collimated from the second source ( DI) is directed along said viewing angle (f). The camera (10) with a display viewer of claim 1, further comprising a lighting sensing element (S1, S2,200), coupled to the control element (99), to capture at least one of the illumination emitted by said display of image information and illumination from this incident source in the liquid crystal display. The camera (10) with a viewfinder display of claim 7, wherein the illumination sensor element (SI, S2, 200) responds to at least one of the light intensity and the color temperature. The camera (19) with a display display of claim 8, wherein the control element (99) is coupled to vary the second source (DI) of illumination to maintain a predetermined level of illumination emitted by the display. The camera (10) with a viewfinder display of claim 9, wherein the illumination sensor element (S1, S2,200) responds to a color temperature, and wherein the control element (99) is operable to vary a color temperature of illumination (LUM) emitted by the display (LCD) increased by at least one color level in the second source (D1, D2) of illumination. The camera (10) with a viewer display of claim 10, further comprising an image collection element (205) operable to collect color information with respect to a scene, and wherein the light sensor element comprises ( 200) the image collection element (205). The camera (10) with a display viewer of claim 1, wherein the first light source (A) comprises the ambient light, and further comprises controllable elements (62,63) to attenuate the first source of illumination to maintain the substantially stable display of the image information by reducing the illumination of the ambient light (A). The camera with a viewer display of claim 1, wherein the image information further comprises at least one operational status message of the controllable camera (54) disposed adjacent to a edge of a deployment field (53), showing the field an image collected by the camera. The camera with a viewer display of claim 1, wherein the image information further comprises at least one controllable operational status message display (54) disposed adjacent to a liquid crystal display edge (53) , said message display is coupled for illumination by the first and second sources of illumination. The camera with a viewer display of claim 13, wherein the camera's operational status message indicates at least one of the power supply capacity, exposure time, and recording duration. 16. A video recording camera (10) with a viewfinder display (50) comprising: a liquid crystal display (LCD) coupled with the camera to display information of the camera image; an element (TBS) for receiving both ambient and generated illumination, said ambient illumination being subject to variation, and a receiver element coupled to the liquid crystal display (LCD) for backlighting to facilitate the display of image information of the camera, and, an element (99,62,63) for controlling the incident illumination on a rear side of the liquid crystal display to vary an intensity (LUM) thereof to maintain at least one of a previously determined luminous intensity of the display of camera image information, and a previously determined color balance of the display of camera image information. The video recorder camera (10) with a viewfinder display (50) of claim 16, wherein the element for controlling the illumination of the liquid crystal display includes a supplementary light source (D1, D2) coupled to a controller (99) which responds to a sensor (S2) operable to capture a luminous intensity in at least one color, one of the incident illumination in the liquid crystal display and the light (LUM) emitted by the liquid crystal display as illuminates The video camera (19) with a viewfinder display (50) of claim 16, wherein the element for controlling the illumination of the liquid crystal display includes a supplementary light source (D1, D2) coupled to a controller (99) responding to an image pickup circuit (200,205) of the video recorder camera (10), the image pickup circuit (200,205) captures the intensity of the illumination of at least a portion of a scene in at least one color, and the controller (99) operating the supplementary light source (D1, D2) to maintain at least one of an intensity and color of the liquid crystal display during the scene lighting variations. 19. The video recorder camera (10) with a display display (50) of claim 16, wherein the element receiving environmental lighting (A) comprises a collimator (TSB) for coupling the ambient illumination (A) to the display of Liquid crystal (LCD) along a path of backlit illumination facing an observer. 20. The video recorder camera (10) with a display display (50) of claim 16, further comprising at least one sensor (S1, S2) that responds to at least one of a light intensity and a color balance of at least one of the ambient illumination (A) and light (LUM) emitted from the display, the sensor (Sl, S2) being coupled to the element (99) coupled to the controllable source of illumination (D1, D2) to vary the intensity (LUM), and being operable to control the controllable source (D1, D2) to maintain at least one of a previously determined luminous intensity and a previously determined color balance of the light emitted from the deployment. 21. The video recorder camera (10) with a viewfinder display (50) of claim 20, wherein the element for capturing (S2) the light intensity is coupled to a predetermined area of the liquid crystal display (53). The video recorder camera (10) with a viewfinder display (50) of claim 16, wherein the element (99) coupled to the controllable source (62,63) of illumination for varying the intensity comprises a controllable attenuator ( 62,63) to reduce a luminous intensity of ambient light (A).