JP4499258B2 - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic camera having a bracket photographing function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The so-called bracket photography, in which the exposure conditions for photography are changed little by little, and so-called bracket photography is a well-known photography method for silver halide cameras. The reason for performing the bracket photographing is that the exposure value as intended by the photographer may not be obtained with the set value in the automatic exposure (AE). Therefore, this bracket shooting is employed in order to perform a plurality of shootings almost simultaneously while changing the shooting conditions (for example, the exposure conditions), and to select an optimally exposed photo after the shooting.
[0003]
The electronic camera can change the color balance (ratio of RGB) in addition to exposure in addition to the silver salt camera. In other words, the electronic camera incorporates an auto white balance (AWB) function that automatically determines the color balance, and at the time of shooting, performs AWB processing from the shooting data and records the image data on a medium.
[0004]
However, the AE and AWB functions in the electronic camera do not always reproduce the target color. This is because the target color is based on the subjectivity of the photographer.
[0005]
Therefore, a white balance bracket function (WBB) is also proposed for electronic cameras, in addition to the exposure bracket function (AEB) described above, in which shooting is performed by changing the conditions relating to white balance.
[0006]
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-125185 has been proposed as a method for displaying a plurality of images shot by auto bracket shooting. In this proposal, when a plurality of captured images are displayed, they are displayed in the order of exposure values, not in the order of shooting, and the degree of change can be seen at a glance. In normal shooting, since shooting starts from the center value, the present proposal is suitable for selecting an image with proper exposure as compared with arranging images in the shooting order.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Evaluation of an image shot under two shooting conditions of exposure and color balance is highly subjective, but on the other hand, it is also a condition that greatly affects the quality of the shot image. The two shooting conditions are originally set independently, but have a characteristic that they are apparently influenced by each other.
[0008]
The above-mentioned conventional proposal discloses means for displaying an image of bracket shooting under one shooting condition. However, as described above, the two shooting conditions of exposure and color balance are important conditions, and there is a display form in which an appropriate image can be easily selected from images obtained by bracket shooting based on these two shooting conditions. is necessary.
[0009]
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic camera capable of displaying such that an appropriate image can be easily evaluated from an image obtained by bracket shooting based on two shooting conditions in an electronic camera capable of bracket shooting based on two shooting conditions. Objective.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has taken the following measures.
[0011]
An electronic camera according to a first aspect of the present invention is an electronic camera that records a subject image as image data, bracket imaging means for performing imaging by independently changing the first imaging condition or the second imaging condition, A plurality of images acquired by shooting with the first shooting condition changed by the bracket shooting means are arranged in a row in the vertical direction, and acquired by shooting with the second shooting condition changed. A plurality of images is provided with display control means for controlling to arrange and display in a row in a horizontal direction, and display means for displaying images in accordance with instructions from the display control means .
An electronic camera according to a second aspect of the present invention is an electronic camera that records a subject image as image data. The first camera condition or the second image capturing condition is changed independently. Shooting under all shooting conditions configured by combining any one of a plurality of conditions constituting a shooting condition and any one of a plurality of conditions constituting the second shooting condition; And when the first photographing condition or the second photographing condition is changed independently by the bracket photographing means, the first photographing condition is changed. A plurality of images acquired in all shootings are arranged in one column in the vertical direction, and a plurality of images acquired in shootings while changing the second shooting condition are arranged in one row in the horizontal direction. I will display All controlled and configured by combining any one of a plurality of conditions constituting the first imaging condition and any one of a plurality of conditions constituting the second imaging condition When shooting is performed under the above shooting conditions, the conditions constituting the first shooting condition are the same, and the conditions constituting the second shooting condition are acquired by shooting under different shooting conditions. The images obtained by photographing under the photographing conditions that are different in the conditions that constitute the first photographing condition and that are the same as the conditions that constitute the second photographing condition are arranged in the vertical direction. It is characterized by comprising display control means for controlling the display so as to be arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, and display means for displaying an image in accordance with an instruction from the display control means .
[0013]
In each of the above electronic cameras,
(1) The display control means instructs to arrange images in an order according to shooting conditions.
(2) The first and second bracket photographing conditions are an exposure condition and a color balance condition.
Is preferred.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0015]
The image of the subject that has passed through the lens unit 11 is converted into an electrical signal by the imaging device (CCD) 12. The electric signal converted by the image pickup device 12 is converted into an analog image signal by the image pickup circuit 13 and then converted into a digital image signal by the A / D converter 14. The digital image signal is temporarily stored in the SRAM 15 which is an input buffer, and then subjected to predetermined processing via the data bus 10, for example, an detachable detachable which is an external memory which is respectively mounted in a card slot (not shown). The data is recorded in the memory 20 (for example, a compact flash memory, smart media, etc.) via an interface (I / F) (not shown). In addition, the electronic camera has a high-speed built-in memory 25 (for example, a random access memory (RAM) or the like), and is used as a working memory for image compression / decompression or as a high-speed buffer as a temporary image storage means. used. When an image is stored in the removable memory, the image is stored after the compression / decompression unit 47 compresses the image in order to reduce the memory capacity. The compression / decompression unit 47 also has a function of decompressing (decompressing) a compressed image.
[0016]
Further, the electronic camera is equipped with a normal image display LCD 30 (liquid crystal display device), and this image display LCD 30 confirms the image recorded in the removable memory 20 and displays an image to be taken. The image to be displayed is encoded by the encoder 33 and D / A converted, and then the image display LCD 30 is controlled by the LCD driver 31 to display the image. Further, the video signal controlled by the normal LCD driver 31 is also output to a video output terminal (not shown), and an image can be output to a video display device (not shown) connected to the video output terminal. Yes.
[0017]
The image processing circuit 40 includes a color signal generation circuit 41, a γ correction circuit 42, a matrix circuit 43, and the like, and is a circuit for performing various processes on the image signal. Since the detailed function of this image processing circuit is the same as that of a normal electronic camera, detailed description is omitted.
[0018]
The AE unit 45 is a circuit for automatically adjusting exposure. The AWB unit 46 is a circuit for automatically adjusting the color balance.
[0019]
The main CPU 50 has a function of performing overall control of each device of the electronic camera. The main CPU 50 outputs an unillustrated electronic shutter opening / closing and electronic shutter speed control signal from the main CPU 50 to the imaging circuit 13, and bracket control is possible by this control. A program for controlling the electronic camera is stored in the electrically rewritable flash memory 55, and each unit is controlled by this program.
[0020]
The sub CPU 60 receives an input from the SW input unit 65 (for example, an input from a release switch or an input from a cross button described later in detail) and gives an instruction corresponding to the input to each unit of the electronic camera.
[0021]
With the above configuration, the operation of the electronic camera according to the present invention will be described. In the following description, description will be made on the condition that bracket shooting is performed. First, referring to FIG. 2, a description will be given of a change in conditions when bracket shooting is performed while changing two shooting conditions. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of changes in parameters when bracket shooting is performed while changing two shooting conditions.
[0022]
In the case of performing bracket shooting while changing these conditions using exposure and color balance as parameters, it is a general rule to start shooting from a setting value that is the center of each condition. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, (1) The exposure is set to a center value (referred to as “0EV”), and the color balance is determined from the center value (referred to as “C”). Images are taken in order under three conditions: B (BLUE) side (referred to as “B”), and center value to R (RED) side (referred to as “R”).
(2) The exposure is set to a value one step lower than the center value (referred to as “−1EV”), and the color balance is photographed in order under the three conditions of C, B, and R.
(3) The exposure is set to a value one step higher than the center value (referred to as “+ 1EV”), and the color balance is photographed in order under the three conditions of C, B, and R.
[0023]
Bracket photography is sequentially performed in the order as described above. In this case, in the present invention, for example, an image obtained by photographing the center image of the collective image with exposure and color balance as the center value is arranged, and an image obtained by bracket photographing with the color balance being changed in the vertical direction is arranged (arranged). The images taken by bracketing by changing the exposure in the horizontal direction are arranged (arranged) to obtain a collective image. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
[0024]
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the first embodiment according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example when nine images are obtained by bracket shooting. FIG. 3 shows an example in which nine images are displayed on the display screen 90. FIG. 3A is an example in which bracketed images with different exposures are arranged in the horizontal direction, and bracketed images with changed color balance are arranged in the vertical direction. FIG. 3B is an example in which the arrangement in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction is different from that in FIG. 3A, in which the horizontal direction is color balance and the vertical direction is exposure. In FIGS. 3A and 3B, as the center image of the image, an image having the respective center value (that is, an image having an exposure of 0 EV and a color balance of C) is arranged, and −1 EV And +1 EV images and R and B images are arranged adjacent to the center image.
[0025]
Thus, for example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the horizontal direction is an image obtained by performing bracket photographing with the exposure changed, and the vertical direction is an image obtained by performing bracket photographing with the color balance changed. Since the photographed images are arranged and the photographed conditions are changed by 1 (that is, -1EV, + 1EV, R, or B), the photographed images are arranged adjacent to each other. Therefore, it is possible to easily determine or select the optimum values of exposure and color balance.
[0026]
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a second embodiment according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an image display example when bracket shooting is performed while changing only one of the exposure conditions and the color balance. 4A is a display example when bracket shooting is performed while changing only the exposure, and FIG. 4B is a display example when bracket shooting is performed while changing only the color balance. .
[0027]
In the present embodiment, when bracket shooting is performed while changing only one shooting condition, the direction in which an image is arranged is changed according to the shooting condition. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, when bracket shooting is performed by changing only the exposure, the image is arranged in the horizontal direction, and the image is not displayed in other parts (for example, By using the blue background 95, it is possible to intuitively understand that the bracket shooting with only the exposure changed. FIG. 4B shows an example in which images are arranged and displayed in the vertical direction during bracket shooting with only the color balance changed.
[0028]
Thus, when bracket shooting is performed with only one shooting condition changed, which shooting condition is changed to perform bracket shooting by changing the image display direction according to the shooting condition to be changed. Since only the image display can be understood, it is possible to easily determine or select the optimum values in bracket photographing when only exposure or color balance is changed. In FIG. 4, the horizontal direction is exposure and the vertical direction is color balance. However, as in the first embodiment, any shooting condition may be set to the vertical direction, and any shooting condition is set to the horizontal direction. Anyway.
[0029]
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the third embodiment. In the first and second embodiments described above, the case of performing bracket shooting in which the shooting condition changes only one by one from the center value has been described, but in the third embodiment, one or more shooting conditions are changed. The display method in case is described. FIG. 5 shows a case where the exposure conditions are changed to −1 EV, −2 EV, +1 EV, and +2 EV with 0 EV as the center. In this case, as in the second embodiment, since the bracket shooting is performed with the exposure conditions changed, they may be arranged in the horizontal direction. However, when the image display surface 90 is small as in an electronic camera, if 3 × 3 (= 9) or more images are displayed, there is a problem that the image becomes too small to be seen. Therefore, when the shooting condition is changed by one or more, as shown in FIG. 5, three images are displayed on the image display unit and displayed by, for example, scrolling with a cross key or the like. What is necessary is just to display the image of conditions different from a thing.
[0030]
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display example when bracket shooting is performed while simultaneously changing one or more of two shooting conditions in FIG. Even in this case, a 3 × 3 image may be displayed on the display surface, and a photographed image according to another photographing condition may be displayed, for example, by scrolling with a cross key.
[0031]
5 and 6, images adjacent to the images are obtained by changing only the shooting condition by one.
[0032]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in each of the above embodiments, an example in which images based on changes in exposure conditions in the horizontal direction and color balance conditions in the vertical direction are arranged side by side has been shown. However, changes in the color balance conditions in the horizontal direction, Of course, the images based on the change of the exposure conditions may be arranged side by side. Note that the conditions to be changed in bracket shooting can be arbitrarily set without being limited to the exposure conditions and the color balance conditions. Further, regarding the process before displaying the image on the image display LCD 30, the LCD driver 31 may control the display and display the image on the image display LCD 30 according to a command for arranging the thumbnail images in a predetermined order. Alternatively, the group image may be created and the created group image may be displayed on the image display LCD 30. Of course, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
[0034]
In bracket shooting where shooting is performed while changing two shooting conditions, an image obtained under the first shooting condition and an image obtained under the second shooting condition are displayed, for example, under the first shooting condition. Since the obtained images are displayed side by side and the images obtained under the second shooting conditions are displayed side by side in the vertical direction, it is easy to determine which shooting condition is changed for the shot image. Since it can be understood, it is possible to easily determine or select an optimum value in the first and second imaging conditions. Even when bracket shooting is performed with only one shooting condition changed, the direction in which images are arranged is determined according to the shooting condition. It is easy to determine what has been done.
[0035]
In addition, since the arrangement of the images is arranged according to the shooting conditions instead of the shooting order, the change of the shooting conditions can be easily understood.
[0036]
Furthermore, the exposure condition and the color balance condition are selected as the shooting conditions for bracket shooting. The two conditions of the exposure condition and the color balance condition are conditions in which the appropriate value is greatly influenced by the subjectivity of the photographer. In addition, since there are conditions that are preferably evaluated together, a desired image can be obtained by bracket photography by changing these two conditions.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows an example of changes in parameters when bracket shooting is performed while changing two shooting conditions.
FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a first embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a second embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a third embodiment;
6 is a diagram showing a display example when bracket shooting is performed while changing one or more of two shooting conditions at the same time in FIG. 5;
[Explanation of symbols]
10: Data bus,
11 ... Lens part,
12 ... Image sensor (CCD),
13: Imaging circuit,
14 ... A / D converter,
15 ... SRAM,
20 ... removable memory,
25. Built-in memory,
30 ... LCD,
31 ... LCD driver,
32 ... D / A converter,
33 ... Encoder,
40. Image processing circuit,
41. Color signal generation circuit,
42 .gamma. Correction circuit,
43 ... Matrix circuit,
45 ... AE section,
46 ... AWB unit 47 ... compression / extension unit,
50 ... CPU,
55 ... Flash memory,
60 ... sub CPU,
65: SW input section.

Claims (3)

In an electronic camera that records a subject image as image data,
Bracket imaging means for performing imaging by independently changing the first imaging condition or the second imaging condition ;
A plurality of images obtained by photographing with the bracket photographing means changing the first photographing condition are arranged in a row in the vertical direction and obtained by photographing with the second photographing condition changed. Display control means for controlling the plurality of images to be arranged and displayed in a row in the horizontal direction ;
Display means for displaying an image in accordance with an instruction of the display control means;
An electronic camera characterized by comprising: The display control means includes
When the number of images acquired by shooting by the bracket shooting means exceeds the number that can be displayed on a single screen, the image acquired by shooting with the first shooting condition changed is The control is performed so that all the images are displayed by scroll display in a direction and a scroll display in a horizontal direction for an image acquired by shooting while changing the second shooting condition. The electronic camera according to 1. In an electronic camera that records a subject image as image data,
Shooting by changing the first shooting condition or the second shooting condition independently, or configuring any one of a plurality of conditions constituting the first shooting condition and the second shooting condition Bracket photographing means for performing photographing under all photographing conditions configured by combining any one of a plurality of conditions,
When the first photographing condition or the second photographing condition is changed independently by the bracket photographing means, the first photographing condition is changed and the first photographing condition is obtained. A plurality of images are arranged in one column in the vertical direction, and a plurality of images acquired by photographing with changing the second photographing condition are controlled to be arranged and displayed in one row in the horizontal direction, All imaging conditions configured by combining any one of a plurality of conditions constituting the first imaging condition and any one of a plurality of conditions constituting the second imaging condition When shooting is performed, images obtained by shooting under the same shooting conditions are used for the conditions that constitute the first shooting conditions and for the conditions that constitute the second shooting conditions. Arranged side by side in the vertical direction, Control is performed so that images acquired by shooting under the shooting conditions that are different for the conditions that constitute the first shooting condition and that are the same for the conditions that constitute the second shooting condition are arranged side by side and displayed. Display control means;
Display means for displaying an image in accordance with an instruction of the display control means;
An electronic camera comprising:

Images