JP5401930B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus.

  A camera having a slow motion mode in which a moving image for slow playback is obtained by capturing an image at a frame rate higher than a frame rate during normal moving image shooting is known (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-136754 A

  In the conventional technique, when switching to the slow motion mode during imaging in the normal mode (or vice versa), the connection of the mode switching portion at the time of playback becomes discontinuous, giving the viewer an uncomfortable feeling of the playback image There was a problem.

An image pickup apparatus according to the present invention includes an image pickup unit that picks up a subject image at a predetermined frame rate and acquires a plurality of frames, and starts image acquisition at the first frame rate, and acquires an image at the first frame rate. The imaging unit is configured to acquire an image at a second frame rate higher than the first frame rate for a predetermined time in accordance with an operation signal from the operation member, acquire an image at the first frame rate again, and then end the image acquisition. The frame rate control means for controlling , the frame interval is maximized at the start and end points of the period when the image is acquired at the second frame rate, and the frame interval is minimized behind the intermediate point of the period when the image is acquired at the second frame rate. as the extraction means for extracting an image of a predetermined frame from image sequence of a plurality of frames acquired at a second frame rate, the extracted frame Aligning means for rearranging an image sequence composed of images to a first frame rate on a time axis, and after aligning an image sequence acquired at a second frame rate among images of a plurality of frames acquired by an imaging means by the aligning means and recording the image generating means for generating a recording image by replacing the image sequence, characterized in that it comprises a.

  In the imaging apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to generate an image for recording that appropriately links the images acquired at the first frame rate and the images acquired at the second frame rate.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an electronic camera includes an objective lens 1, an image sensor 2, an image processing circuit 3, a timing generator (TG) 4, a speaker driving circuit 5, a speaker 6, a display device 7, and an audio processing circuit. 8, a microphone 9, a buffer memory 10, a camera control circuit 11, an operation member 12, and an external memory interface (I / F) 13, and an external memory 50 is configured to be detachable.

  The camera control circuit 11, the buffer memory 10, the sound processing circuit 8, the external memory interface 13, the image processing circuit 3, the speaker driving circuit 5, and the display device 7 are connected via a bus 15.

  The objective lens 1 forms a subject image on the imaging surface of the image sensor 2. The image sensor 2 is configured by a CCD image sensor, a CMOS image sensor, or the like. The image sensor 2 photoelectrically converts the subject image to generate an analog image signal. The timing generator 4 generates timing signals necessary for the image sensor 2 and the image processing circuit 3. The frame rate at the time of recording, which will be described later, is controlled by changing the period of the timing signal supplied to the image sensor 2 and the image processing circuit 3.

  The analog image signal is input to the image processing circuit 3. The image processing circuit 3 performs analog processing such as gain adjustment, and A / D converts the image signal after analog processing into digital image data. The image processing circuit 3 further performs predetermined image processing on the digital image data. Image data before and after image processing is temporarily recorded in the buffer memory 10.

  The camera control circuit 11 controls an operation performed by the electronic camera by executing a program stored in a built-in nonvolatile memory (not shown). The camera control circuit 11 inputs a signal output from each block, performs a predetermined calculation, and outputs a control signal based on the calculation result to each block.

  The camera control circuit 11 in the shooting mode sends a control signal necessary for moving image shooting (recording) to each part of the camera. The external memory 50 is configured to be detachable from the electronic camera. The camera control circuit 11 records data in the external memory 50 and reads data recorded in the external memory 50 via the external memory interface 13. The audio processing circuit 8 amplifies the audio signal collected by the microphone 9 in accordance with an instruction from the camera control circuit 11, and A / D converts the amplified signal to convert it into digital audio data. The audio data is recorded in the external memory 50 in association with the image data recorded in the buffer memory 10.

  In the playback mode, the camera control circuit 11 reads the image file recorded in the external memory 50, converts the resolution to an appropriate size by the image processing circuit 3, and temporarily records it in the buffer memory 10. The camera control circuit 11 reads the image data from the buffer memory 10 and generates display data based on the image data. A display device 7 disposed on the back of the electronic camera displays a reproduced image based on display data.

  The camera control circuit 11 in the reproduction mode further reads out audio data associated with the image file, causes the speaker drive circuit 5 to amplify the signal, and reproduces sound from the speaker 6 in synchronization with the display of the reproduction image.

  The operation member 12 includes a recording switch and a slow motion mode switch, which will be described later, and sends an operation signal corresponding to each switch operation to the camera control circuit 11.

  Since the present embodiment is characterized by switching from the normal mode to the slow motion mode and moving from the slow motion mode to the normal mode during moving image shooting (recording), the following description will be made focusing on these. Here, the normal mode refers to recording at a frame rate of, for example, 30 frames / second (30 fps), and the slow motion mode refers to recording at, for example, 120 frames / second (120 fps).

<Shooting mode>
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing executed by the camera control circuit 11 in the shooting mode. The camera control circuit 11 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG. 2 in the shooting mode. In step S101 in FIG. 2, the camera control circuit 11 determines whether or not recording start is instructed. The camera control circuit 11 makes an affirmative decision in step S <b> 101 and proceeds to step S <b> 102 when an on operation signal is input from a recording switch (not shown) constituting the operation member 12. If the ON operation signal is not input from the recording switch, the camera control circuit 11 makes a negative determination in step S101 and ends the process of FIG.

  In step S102, the camera control circuit 11 starts imaging in the normal mode (30 fps) by the imaging device 2 and processing for sequentially storing the obtained image data in the buffer memory 10, and proceeds to step S103. Note that the audio processing by the audio processing circuit 8 and the process of accumulating the audio data in the buffer memory 10 are also started.

  In step S103, the camera control circuit 11 determines whether or not a slow motion instruction has been given. When an ON operation signal is input from a slow motion mode switch (not shown) that constitutes the operation member 12, the camera control circuit 11 makes an affirmative determination in step S103 and proceeds to step S104. If the on-operation signal is not input from the slow motion mode switch, the camera control circuit 11 makes a negative determination in step S103 and proceeds to step S111.

  In step S104, the camera control circuit 11 sends an instruction to the timing generator 4, increases the frame rate to 120 frames / second (120fps), and proceeds to step S105. In step S <b> 105, the camera control circuit 11 determines whether or not a slow motion cancellation instruction has been issued. When the off operation signal is input from the slow motion mode switch, the camera control circuit 11 makes a positive determination in step S105 and proceeds to step S106. If the ON operation signal is continued from the slow motion mode switch, the camera control circuit 11 makes a negative determination in step S105 and repeats the determination process.

  In step S106, the camera control circuit 11 sends an instruction to the timing generator 4, lowers the frame rate to 30 frames / second (30fps), and proceeds to step S107.

  In step S107, the camera control circuit 11 determines whether or not a recording stop instruction has been issued. The camera control circuit 11 makes an affirmative decision in step S107 and proceeds to step S108 when an off operation signal is input from a recording switch (not shown) constituting the operation member 12. If the ON operation signal is continued from the recording switch, the camera control circuit 11 makes a negative determination in step S107 and repeats the determination process.

  In step S108, the camera control circuit 11 stops the imaging by the image sensor 2 and the accumulation process in the buffer memory 10, and proceeds to step S109. It should be noted that the audio processing by the audio processing circuit 8 and the process of storing the audio data in the buffer memory 10 are also stopped.

  In step S109, the camera control circuit 11 performs a process on the image data stored in the buffer memory 10 and the audio data stored in the buffer memory 10, and the process proceeds to step S110. Details of the processing will be described later.

  In step S110, the camera control circuit 11 converts the image data and audio data into files in a predetermined format and sends an instruction to the external memory interface 13 to record the image file and audio file in the external memory 50 so that the processing shown in FIG. Exit.

  The camera control circuit 11 that has made a negative determination in step S103 described above continues recording in the normal mode. In step S111, the camera control circuit 11 determines whether or not a recording stop instruction has been issued. The camera control circuit 11 makes an affirmative determination in step S <b> 111 and proceeds to step S <b> 112 when an off operation signal is input from a recording switch (not shown) constituting the operation member 12. If the ON operation signal is continued from the recording switch, the camera control circuit 11 makes a negative determination in step S111 and repeats the determination process.

  In step S112, the camera control circuit 11 stops the imaging by the image sensor 2 and the accumulation process in the buffer memory 10, and proceeds to step S110. Note that the audio processing by the audio processing circuit 8 and the process of accumulating the audio data in the buffer memory 10 are also stopped.

<Processing>
Details of the processing will be described below. FIG. 3 shows the acquisition timing of a plurality of frames of image data (hereinafter referred to as an image data sequence) accumulated in the buffer memory 10 when the frame rate is changed during recording, and the sound level (amplitude range of the audio signal). FIG. In FIG. 3, at time t1 and time t2 after the start of recording, image data captured at (1/30) second intervals is read from the image sensor 12.

  From time t2 to time t3, an image data sequence captured at (1/120) second intervals is read from the image sensor 12. Then, at time t3 and time t4, image data is read from the image sensor 12 at (1/30) second intervals.

  The audio signal is acquired at a constant sampling rate regardless of the frame rate at the time of recording. In FIG. 3, the sound level is shown with a constant amplitude because the input sound is handled with the same gain from the start of recording to the end of recording without adjusting the volume such as fade-in and fade-out. means.

  The camera control circuit 11 determines the time tm that should be reproduced in the slow motion most from the time (time t2−time t3) in which the image is taken in the slow motion mode. Specifically, a time tm is set behind the intermediate point tc between time t2 and time t3 (for example, the intermediate point between time tc and time t3 between time t2 and time t3).

  The camera control circuit 11 stores necessary image data in a buffer memory so that the frame interval gradually becomes narrower from time t2 to time tm (in other words, the motion speed during reproduction is gradually decreased). 10 is extracted from the image data sequence stored in the image data 10. On the other hand, the camera control circuit 11 obtains necessary image data so that the frame interval gradually becomes coarse from time tm to time t3 (in other words, the motion speed during reproduction is gradually increased). Extracted from the image data sequence stored in the buffer memory 10.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the image data to be extracted and the sound level. The extracted image data string is represented by the readout timing from the image sensor 2 for easy comparison with FIG. In FIG. 4, the image data corresponding to times t1 and t2 recorded in the normal mode are extracted as they are. The image data sequence recorded from the time t2 to the time t5 recorded in the slow motion mode is extracted while changing the thinning interval so that the interval is gradually narrowed toward the time tm.

  Further, the image data sequence recorded from the time tm to the time 3 recorded in the slow motion mode is extracted while changing the thinning interval so as to gradually widen the interval toward the time t3. Then, the image data corresponding to times t3 and t4 recorded in the normal mode are extracted as they are. According to FIG. 4, image data is extracted from the image data sequence photographed in the slow motion mode at a high decimation rate in the vicinity of time t <b> 2 and time t <b> 3. On the other hand, the closer the time tm is, the lower the thinning rate is, and the image data is extracted, and the adjacent image data is extracted without being thinned out near the time tm.

  The camera control circuit 11 creates a file using the extracted image data sequence. In the present embodiment, for example, the file is formed in a motion picture format. Specifically, the arrangement of the extracted image data sequence as shown in FIG. 4 is rearranged at intervals of (1/30) seconds (frame rate conversion) corresponding to the frame rate at the time of reproduction (for example, 30 frames / second). To do). The camera control circuit 11 uses the image data sequence rearranged at the frame rate at the time of reproduction as recording image data.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the image data sequence and the sound level after rearrangement on the time axis, and shows an enlarged portion corresponding to time tm in FIG. Image data corresponding to time tm in FIG. 4 is located in the vicinity of time tm ′ in FIG. 5.

  According to FIG. 5, the intervals between the image data strings that are narrow in FIG. 4 are extended so as to be equal intervals in FIG. By rearranging in this way, the frame interval is extended from (1/120) seconds to (1/30) seconds up to four times near time tm ′ in FIG. The playback time required for playback at 30 frames / second is longer than the original recording time. Therefore, in order to fill the difference between the reproduction time and the recording time (= recording time), the vicinity of time tm ′ is set as a silent part in FIG.

  In order to create a silent portion, the camera control circuit 11 separates the audio data corresponding to the time tm in FIG. 4 into Sa and Sb (the amplitude of the audio signal is Sa = Sb), and corresponds before the time tm in FIG. The audio data is reproduced by time tm in FIG. 5, and the corresponding audio data after time tm in FIG. 4 is reproduced from time tx in FIG.

  Further, the camera control circuit 11 performs a fade-out process on the audio data from a predetermined time before the time tm so that the sound level is gradually lowered during reproduction and the silent part is started at the time tm. Then, fade-in processing is performed on the audio data during a predetermined time from the time tx so that the silent part is terminated at the time tx during reproduction and the sound level is gradually increased and returned to the original sound level at a predetermined time. . The camera control circuit 11 uses the audio data subjected to the fade-out process and the fade-in process in this way as recording audio data.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an image data sequence acquired (captured), an extracted image data sequence, and an image example used at the time of reproduction according to the embodiment described above. In FIG. 6, the wheel that is the main subject moves at a constant speed from left to right. The extracted image data are images acquired at times t1, t2, tb, ..., tc, ... tm, ..., t3, t4, respectively. FIG. 6 illustrates the reproduced images of the frame F1, the frame Fb, the frame Fc, the frame Fm, and the frame F3 among them.

  In the playback mode, the playback image based on the extracted image data string is displayed at 30 frames / second, whereby the frame Fm corresponding to the time tm and the frame image in the vicinity thereof are displayed in the slowest playback. Then, before and after the frame Fm corresponding to the time tm, slow playback is performed gradually so as to alleviate the discontinuity between the frame F2 (not shown) corresponding to the time t2 and the frame F3 corresponding to the time t3. The degree of changes. A reproduced image based on the image data string acquired in the normal mode is displayed as it is at 30 frames / second.

According to the embodiment described above, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(1) The electronic camera includes an image sensor 2 that captures a subject image at a predetermined frame rate to acquire a plurality of frames, starts image acquisition at a frame rate of 30 fps, and acquires images at 30 fps. According to the operation signal from the slow motion switch, an image is acquired at 120 fps higher than the 30 fps for a predetermined time, and the image pickup device 2 is controlled to end the image acquisition after acquiring the image again at 30 fps, and acquired at 30 fps. An image of a predetermined frame is extracted from an image sequence of a plurality of frames acquired at 120 fps so that the frame interval is changed stepwise at the boundary between the image sequence and the image sequence acquired at 120 fps. The image sequence is rearranged to 30 fps on the time axis, and among the images of multiple frames acquired by the image sensor 2, the image sequence acquired at 120 fps is replaced with the aligned image sequence to generate a recording image That. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the image data is gradually slowed down during reproduction toward the image data acquired (read) at the time tm to be reproduced in the slowest motion, and the subsequent image data is gradually reproduced during reproduction. Since the speed is increased, it is possible to prevent the viewer of the reproduced image from feeling uncomfortable at the boundary of switching between the acquired image at 30 fps and the acquired image at 120 fps.

(2) The camera control circuit 11 maximizes the frame interval at the start point (time t2) and end point (time t3) of the period when the image is acquired at 120 fps, and is tm behind the intermediate point tc of the period when the image is acquired at 120 fps. In order to minimize the frame interval, the image is extracted from the image sequence. By setting the time tm to be reproduced in the slow motion most behind the intermediate point tc, the slow motion reproduction can be performed so as to make the observer feel the most speed.

(3) In FIG. 5, since the sound data before and after the time tm ′ is set as a silent part and the sound data before and after is played back at a normal speed, the playback sound is extended low due to the change in the sound playback speed. Because there is no, there is no sense of discomfort to the observer.

(4) Since the fade-out process and the fade-in process are performed before and after the silent part, it is possible to reduce a sense of incongruity due to sudden interruption of reproduction sound or sudden reproduction.

(Modification 1)
A reproduced image for one frame may be displayed based on image data of a plurality of frames. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an image data sequence acquired (captured) according to the first modification, an extracted image data sequence, and an image example used during reproduction. In FIG. 7, the wheel that is the main subject moves at a constant speed from left to right. The extracted image data are images acquired at times t1, t2, tb,..., Tc,... Tm,. FIG. 7 illustrates the reproduced images of the frame F1, the frame Fb, the frame Fc, the frame Fm, and the frame F3 among them.

  The difference from the above embodiment is that a reproduced image is generated by superimposing and synthesizing unextracted image data on the extracted image data. For example, the reproduced image of frame Fb is composed of the image acquired from time t2 to time tb with the image acquired at time tb. That is, the image data sequence acquired after the previously extracted image data is combined with the next extracted image data. At this time, density adjustment is performed so that an image with a newer acquisition time has a higher image density after synthesis.

  In the playback mode, by displaying the playback image based on the composite image data at 30 frames / second, the frame Fm corresponding to the time tm and the frame image in the vicinity thereof are displayed in the slowest playback, and the blurring of the ring is minimized. Then, in the frame Fb corresponding to the time tb and the frame F3 corresponding to the time t3, the vibration of the wheel becomes the maximum. The reproduced images F1, F2 (not shown) and F4 (not shown) based on the image data sequence acquired in the normal mode are not to be combined, and therefore no blurring occurs.

  According to the first modification, the movement trajectory of the main subject (ring) recorded in the image data sequence that has not been extracted is observed together with the extracted image as an afterimage by superimposing and superimposing. The person can feel the moving speed of the object. Further, by performing the density adjustment, an image with a new acquisition time is displayed at a higher image density, and the moving direction of the object can be displayed in an easy-to-understand manner.

  Furthermore, since the blurring of the object is minimized at the frame Fm corresponding to the time tm that is most slowly reproduced and displayed, the object can be clearly observed without an afterimage.

(Modification 2)
When displaying a playback image for one frame based on image data of a plurality of frames, the section in which the image data is superimposed and synthesized may be different from that in the first modification.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an image data sequence acquired (captured) according to the second modification, an extracted image data sequence, and an image example used at the time of reproduction. Similar to the first modification, the wheel as the main subject moves from left to right at a constant speed. The extracted image data are images acquired at times t1, t2, tb, ..., tc, ... tm, ..., t3, t4, respectively. FIG. 8 illustrates the reproduced images of the frame F1, the frame Fb, the frame Fc, the frame Fm, and the frame F3 among them.

  The difference from the first modification is that the image data to be combined is reduced as the image data acquisition timing is away from time tm, and the image data to be combined is increased as the image data acquisition timing is closer to time tm. That is, the number of image data to be combined is determined in inverse proportion to the number of non-extracted image data existing between the image data to be extracted.

  For example, in the reproduced image of the frame Fb, one image acquired before time tb is synthesized with the image acquired at time tb. On the other hand, the reproduced image of frame Fm is composed of a plurality of (for example, four) images acquired before time tm with the image acquired at time tm. Similar to the case of the first modification, the density adjustment is performed so that the image density after synthesis is increased as the image has a new acquisition time.

  In the playback mode, the playback image based on the composite image data is displayed at 30 frames / second, whereby the frame Fm corresponding to the time tm and the frame image in the vicinity thereof are displayed in the slowest playback and the blurring of the wheel is maximized. Then, in the frame Fb corresponding to the time tb and the frame F3 corresponding to the time t3, the blurring of the wheel is minimized. The reproduced images F1, F2 (not shown) and F4 (not shown) based on the image data sequence acquired in the normal mode are not to be combined, and therefore no blurring occurs.

  According to the second modification, the movement trajectory of the main subject (ring) recorded in the image data string that has not been extracted is observed together with the extracted image as an afterimage by superimposing and combining the images. The person can feel the moving speed of the object. Further, by performing the density adjustment, an image with a new acquisition time is displayed at a higher image density, and the moving direction of the object can be displayed in an easy-to-understand manner.

  Furthermore, since the blurring of the object is maximized in the frame Fm corresponding to the time tm displayed and displayed in the slowest reproduction, the object with a more emphasized moving speed of the object can be observed.

(Modification 3)
In the above embodiment, the maximum frame rate during playback is fixed at 120 frames / second (120 fps). Instead, the frame rate during playback varies depending on the length of time taken in slow motion mode. You may let them.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the on-operation time of the slow motion switch and the frame rate. The upper part of FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the acquisition timing of the extracted image data sequence. The first is when the on-operation time of the slow motion switch (ie, the time taken in the slow motion mode) is long, and the second is the on operation time of the slow motion switch (ie, the time taken in the slow motion mode). Is short.

  The lower part of FIG. 9 is a curve showing the relationship between the on-operation time of the slow motion switch (that is, the time taken in the slow motion mode) and the frame rate. A curve 91 corresponds to a case where the on operation time is long, and a curve 92 corresponds to a case where the on operation time is short.

  In the above-described processing (step S109), when the ON operation time is longer than the predetermined time, the camera control circuit 11 determines the highest frame rate (for example, 120 fps) at the time tm to be reproduced in the slow motion. . Then, necessary image data is extracted from the image data sequence stored in the buffer memory 10 so that the frame interval gradually becomes closer toward time tm. On the other hand, the camera control circuit 11 extracts necessary image data from the image data sequence stored in the buffer memory 10 so that the frame interval gradually becomes coarse from time tm.

  On the other hand, when the on operation time is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time, the camera control circuit 11 sets the maximum value of the frame rate at the time tm to be reproduced in the slowest motion to 30 fps to 120 fps depending on the length of the on operation time. Decide within the range. Then, necessary image data is extracted from the image data sequence stored in the buffer memory 10 so that the frame interval gradually becomes closer toward time tm. On the other hand, the camera control circuit 11 extracts necessary image data from the image data sequence stored in the buffer memory 10 so that the frame interval gradually becomes coarse from time tm.

  By controlling as described above, the maximum frame rate can be made different as shown by the curve 91 and the curve 92. If the frame rate of the highest speed (120 fps) is used when the time taken in the slow motion mode is short, slow motion playback with a large speed difference is performed within a short playback time. In such a case, the movement of the reproduced image becomes jerky and difficult to observe, which may cause the viewer to feel uncomfortable. Therefore, by controlling to limit the upper limit of the frame rate according to the length of the on operation time as in Modification 3, it is possible to automatically determine the frame rate of slow motion playback that is easy to observe.

(Modification 4)
Markers may be combined with the image of the frame corresponding to the start point and end point of the slow motion part so that the original data before processing can be restored from the image file data processed for slow motion playback. . This marker is similar to a cut mark for movie film editing.

<Audio restoration>
FIG. 10 shows from an audio signal for slow motion reproduction subjected to fade-out processing and fade-in processing (corresponding to the acoustic level waveform in the lower part of FIG. 5) to a normal audio signal before processing (corresponding to the acoustic level in the lower part of FIG. 4) It is a figure explaining restoration of. The camera control circuit 11 performs slow motion playback from the frame where the start point marker is recorded to the frame where the end point marker is recorded in the image sequence for slow motion playback (corresponding to the playback frame rate in the lower part of FIG. 5). The real time of recording in the slow motion mode is calculated by taking the difference between the time and the silent part time of the audio signal for slow motion playback.

  The restoration to the normal audio signal is performed by connecting the audio data Sa and Sb and returning the volume reduced for the fade-out process and the fade-in process to the original level, contrary to the process of creating a silent part.

<Image restoration>
FIG. 11 shows a slow video data sequence for slow motion playback (corresponding to the playback frame rate in the upper part of FIG. 5) processed for slow motion playback, and a slow video data stream before processing (corresponding to the extracted image in the upper part of FIG. 4). FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining restoration to a normal video data sequence (image data sequence required for playback in a normal mode (eg, 30 fps)) from the restored slow video data sequence.

  Contrary to the processing to the image data sequence for slow motion playback, the camera control circuit 11 gradually decreases the frame interval from the start point of the slow motion part to the frame at the time tm for playback in the slow motion, By rearranging the slow moving image data sequence (upper part of FIG. 11) on the time axis so that the frame interval from the frame at time tm to the end point of the slow motion portion gradually becomes coarse, the slow moving image data sequence before processing ( The middle part of FIG. 11 is restored.

  Further, the camera control circuit 11 extracts an image data sequence corresponding to a predetermined time interval (for example, 1/30 seconds) from the slow moving image data sequence (middle portion of FIG. 11) (lower portion of FIG. 11).

  According to the modified example 4, in the playback mode, the playback image based on the extracted image data string is displayed at 30 frames / second, so that the entire period including the period recorded in the normal mode and the period recorded in the slow motion mode is displayed in the normal mode. Can be played back. Note that if the restoration process described above is performed, there may be deterioration in the course of the restoration process. Therefore, the restoration process is not performed on the original of the audio signal for slow motion playback or the original slow video data sequence for slow motion playback. Instead, the restoration process may be performed on the copied audio signal or data string.

  The above description is merely an example, and is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment.

It is a schematic block diagram of the electronic camera by one embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which illustrates the flow of the process which the camera control circuit performs at the time of imaging | photography mode. It is a figure explaining the acquisition timing and sound level of an image data sequence. It is a figure explaining the image data and sound level to extract. It is a figure explaining the image data sequence and sound level after rearrangement. It is a figure explaining the example of an image used at the time of the image data sequence acquired, the image data sequence extracted, and reproduction | regeneration. It is a figure explaining the example of an image used at the time of reproduction, and the image data sequence acquired by modification 1 and the extracted image data sequence. It is a figure explaining the example of an image used at the time of reproduction, and the image data sequence acquired by modification 2 and the extracted image data sequence. It is a figure explaining the relationship between the ON operation time of a slow motion switch, and a frame rate. It is a figure explaining restoration to the normal sound signal before processing. It is a figure explaining the decompression | restoration to the slow moving image data sequence before a process, and extraction of a normal moving image data sequence.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Image sensor 3 ... Image processing circuit 5 ... Speaker drive circuit 7 ... Display apparatus 8 ... Audio | voice processing circuit 9 ... Microphone 10 ... Buffer memory 11 ... Camera control circuit 12 ... Operation member

Claims (8)

Imaging means for capturing a subject image at a predetermined frame rate to obtain a plurality of frames;
Starting image acquisition at a first frame rate, acquiring an image for a predetermined time at a second frame rate higher than the first frame rate in response to an operation signal from an operation member during image acquisition at the first frame rate, Frame rate control means for controlling the imaging means so as to end image acquisition after acquiring an image again at the first frame rate;
The frame interval is maximized at the start point and end point of the period when the image is acquired at the second frame rate, and the frame interval is minimized behind the intermediate point of the period when the image is acquired at the second frame rate. Extracting means for extracting an image of a predetermined frame from an image sequence of a plurality of frames acquired at a second frame rate;
Aligning means for rearranging the image sequence composed of the extracted frame images to the first frame rate on a time axis;
A recorded image generating means for generating a recording image by replacing an image sequence acquired at the second frame rate with an image sequence after being aligned by the aligning unit among a plurality of frames of images acquired by the imaging unit; An imaging apparatus comprising: Imaging means for capturing a subject image at a predetermined frame rate to obtain a plurality of frames;
Starting image acquisition at a first frame rate, acquiring an image for a predetermined time at a second frame rate higher than the first frame rate in response to an operation signal from an operation member during image acquisition at the first frame rate, Frame rate control means for controlling the imaging means so as to end image acquisition after acquiring an image again at the first frame rate;
Wherein the frame interval so as to stepwise change at the boundary between the first frame rate and the second frame rate, and extracts an image of a predetermined frame from image sequence of a plurality of frames obtained in the second frame rate, the Extracting means for synthesizing the image of the previous frame not extracted in the image sequence before extraction with the extracted frame image ;
An aligning means for rearranging an image sequence composed of at least one of the frame image extracted by the extracting means and the frame image synthesized by the extracting means to the first frame rate on a time axis;
A recorded image generating means for generating a recording image by replacing an image sequence acquired at the second frame rate with an image sequence after being aligned by the aligning unit among a plurality of frames of images acquired by the imaging unit; An imaging apparatus comprising: The imaging device according to claim 2 ,
The extracting means, the image pickup apparatus characterized by synthesizing a frame image in which the extracted with darker density of the image than the image of the previous frame. In the imaging device according to claim 2 or 3 ,
The image pickup apparatus, wherein the extraction unit increases the number of frames of the image to be combined as the frame interval of the image sequence including the extracted frame images is small. In the imaging device according to any one of claims 2 to 4 ,
The image pickup apparatus, wherein the extraction unit decreases the number of frames of the image to be combined as the frame interval of the image sequence including the extracted frame images is smaller. In the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
The image pickup apparatus, wherein the extraction unit determines a maximum value of the frame interval in proportion to a length of a period during which an image is acquired at the second frame rate. In the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
The extraction device further includes start point information and end point information added to frame images corresponding to a start point and an end point of a period in which an image is acquired at the second frame rate, respectively. In the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
Audio acquisition means for acquiring audio information during image acquisition by the imaging means;
Recording audio information generating means for generating recording audio information based on the acquired audio information; and
The recording audio information generating unit performs fade-in and fade-out processing on recording audio information corresponding to the sorted image sequence in the recording image.

Images