JPH08317425A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an electronic camera capable of photographing a stereoscopic still picture and an ordinary still picture and recording image information. etc., in a form in which it is mixed in a recording medium. CONSTITUTION: This camera is equipped with first and second photographing optical systems arranged in parallel with the horizontal direction of a camera main body and capable of making object light incident simultaneously, first and second image pickup means(CCDs 3L, 3R) which output respective object light image-formed by the first and second photographing optical systems by converting to image signals corresponding to the first and second photographing optical systems, a stereoscopic still picture photographing mode in which image signals in accordance with an image for right eye and the one for left eye as a complementary pair capable of comprising the stereoscopic still picture by driving both the first and second image pickup means are outputted from respective image pickup means, an ordinary photographing mode in which an ordinary image signal is outputted by driving either of the first and second image pickup means, and a mode switching means(changeover switch 18) which sets by switching the stereoscopic photographing mode and the ordinary photographing mode.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic camera, and more specifically to stereoscopic photography and normal photography,
The present invention relates to an electronic camera adapted to record image information and the like obtained at the time of shooting on a recording body such as an IC memory card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a subject light imaged by a photographing optical system is output as an image signal or the like by an image pickup means, and image information such as an image signal or photographing information output from the image pickup means is recorded by a recording means. A so-called digital electronic still camera (Digital El
ectronic Still Camera; hereinafter referred to as electronic camera. )
In the above, as a recording body for recording the above image information,
For example, various types of IC memory cards, hard disks, and the like have been proposed and put to practical use.

On the other hand, two photographing cameras arranged at a predetermined interval are used to photograph the same subject at different angles at the same time, and a pair of image information obtained thereby is separately recorded on a recording medium. When recording and reproducing the pair of image information and the like, a stereoscopic image is obtained by separately reproducing the pair of image information and the like for the left and right eyes. Various proposals have been made for a photographing device, a stereoscopic image reproducing device, and the like. In such a stereoscopic photographing device for performing stereoscopic photographing, for example, when general ordinary photographing is desired or when normal photographing is performed. There may be a case where the user wants to shoot a stereoscopic image from the middle.

Further, with respect to the above-described stereoscopic photographing device and stereoscopic image reproducing device, it is possible to perform more accurate stereoscopic photographing, and to perform photographing and reproduction of higher quality stereoscopic images. Request is considered.

[0005]

However, at present, the electronic camera is adapted to record the respective image information obtained by performing the stereoscopic photography and the normal photography in a mixed form in a single recording medium. Has not been made.

Further, in the electronic camera, when information recording such that image information obtained by performing stereoscopic photography and normal photography is mixed on the recording medium, information is recorded for the left eye and the right eye. There arises a problem that the vertical shift of the pair of image information for the eye becomes remarkable due to the odd-even of the field image obtained at the time of shooting.

An object of the present invention is to enable selective recording and recording of stereoscopic still images and normal still images, and
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic camera capable of recording various image information and the like in a mixed form in a single recording medium.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera capable of obtaining a good stereoscopic still image with a higher degree of accuracy with respect to a pair of image information for the left eye and the right eye obtained by photographing a stereoscopic still image. To provide.

[0009]

An electronic camera according to the present invention is provided with first and second photographing optical systems which are arranged side by side in a horizontal direction of a camera body and are capable of simultaneously entering subject light. And first and second image pickup means corresponding to the second image pickup optical system, for converting the respective subject light formed by the first and second image pickup optical systems into image signals and outputting the image signals. Image signals corresponding to the left-eye image and the right-eye image as complementary pairs capable of driving both the first and second image pickup means to form a stereoscopic still image are output from the respective image pickup means. 3D still image shooting mode, a normal shooting mode in which at least one of the first and second imaging means is driven to output a normal image signal, the 3D still image shooting mode, and Normal shooting mode Characterized by comprising a mode switching setting means for setting switching and.

In the electronic camera according to the present invention, each of the two complementary image signals that can form a stereoscopic still image corresponds to one field image in the 2: 1 interlaced image signal. Recording means for processing each field image signal output from the second image pickup means in a form suitable for recording and recording on a recording medium applied; and when a stereoscopic still image photographing mode is set by the mode switching setting means. Along with each one field image signal which the recording means can form the stereoscopic still image, left / right identification information of the field image, odd or even field identification information, and pair information indicating which field image forms a complementary pair. And recording control means for controlling to record together, and two complementary pairs capable of forming a stereoscopic still image from the recording medium. The image display means to which the field image signal is applied is further provided with a reproducing means for reproducing and outputting based on the left-right identification information, the field odd-even identification information, and the pair information recorded together so as to be displayed as a stereoscopic still image. Is characterized by.

In the electronic camera according to the present invention, when the stereoscopic still image photographing mode is set by the mode switching setting means, the recording control means is further continuously output from the first and second image pickup means. One of the field images for forming the three-dimensional still image is controlled so that any field image similarly limited to an odd field or an even field is recorded as a recording target image.

The electronic camera according to the present invention further comprises first and second image display means arranged side by side in the horizontal direction of the camera body, wherein the reproducing means stereoscopically displays the selected field image to be reproduced. When it corresponds to one of the field images that can form a still image, both field images are output to the corresponding first and second image display means together with the paired field images, and stereoscopic images are presented to the observer. The feature is that it is displayed as a still image.

In the electronic camera according to the present invention, when the selected field image to be reproduced corresponds to a field image based on the normal photographing mode, the reproducing means displays the field image as the first and second field images. It is characterized in that output display is performed on both of the image display means.

In the electronic camera according to the present invention, even if the selected reproducing field image corresponds to one of the field images which can form a stereoscopic still image, the reproducing unit can reproduce the field image from the normal field image. It is characterized by further comprising means for setting as a reproduction output.

The electronic camera according to the present invention is characterized by further comprising display means for allowing an observer to identify whether the image reproduced and output by the reproducing means is a stereoscopic still image or a normal still image.

In the electronic camera according to the present invention, when the stereoscopic still image photographing mode is set by the mode switching setting means, both the first and second image pickup means are supplied with electric power to set the normal photographing mode. When
A power supply control means for supplying power to at least one of the image pickup means is further provided.

The electronic camera according to the present invention further comprises an automatic focus adjusting means for performing automatic focus adjustment for one of the first and second taking optical systems, and the automatic focusing is provided. It is characterized in that the focus of the other photographing optical system is adjusted based on the information on the distance to the subject obtained by the adjusting means.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic camera of the present embodiment has a left-eye and right-eye taking lenses 1L and 1R for forming an image of a subject light, and left-eye and right-eye inside the electronic camera. Optical low-pass filters (LPF) 2L, 2R, etc. are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction of the camera body, and first and second photographing optical systems that simultaneously enter subject light, and the first and second photographing optical systems. Corresponding to the photographic optical system, the first and second image pickup devices (first and second image pickup devices) which convert the respective subject light formed by these into image signals such as electric signals and output the image signals ( CCD) 3L, 3R and this CC
Imaging processes 4L and 4R that perform signal processing of the image signals output by D3L and 3R, and this imaging process 4
A / D (analog / digital) conversion (circuits) 5L and 5R for converting image information of analog signals processed by L and 4R into image information of digital signals
A component such as a memory control 11 including a memory which is a reproducing means for temporarily recording image information of a digital signal converted by the D / D conversion (circuits) 5L and 5R and reproducing and outputting the image information is provided. It is arranged.

Further, compression / expansion (circuit) for performing signal processing such as compression or expansion on the image information of the digital signal temporarily recorded in the memory control 11.
13, an IC (memory) card 15 which is a detachable recording body applied to record image information and the like which is signal-processed by the compression / expansion (circuit) 13, and this IC
Components such as a card interface 14 for connecting the card 15 to the electronic camera body are provided for recording and the like. In this embodiment, the compression / expansion (circuit) 13 is configured as a part of recording means for processing the image signal into a form suitable for recording.

Then, a D / A (digital / analog) conversion (circuit) 6L for converting the image information or the like of the digital signal temporarily recorded in the memory control 11 which is the reproducing means into the image information or the like of the analog signal. 6R and this D
Image information and the like of analog signals converted by the / A (circuit) conversions 6L and 6R are independently displayed, and the first and second image display means 20L and 20L are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction of the electronic camera body. 20R and constituent members relating to reproduction and the like of external (video signal) output terminals 7L and 7R which are output means for outputting the image information and the like as video signals.

The image display means 20L, 20R are for displaying recorded image information and the like, and are also electronic viewfinders for framing by capturing a subject or the like during photographing and recording.

Further, C for controlling the entire electronic camera
A control means 16 including a PU and the above CCDs 3L, 3
R, imaging process 4L, 4R, A / D conversion (circuit) 5
A power supply unit 17 for supplying power to L, 5R, etc., and this power supply unit 1
7, a power feeding control circuit 22 which is a power feeding control means for controlling the power feeding, a component member for controlling the lens controls (circuits) 12L, 12R, etc. for controlling the driving of the first and second photographing optical systems, and the like. A changeover switch (SW) 18, which is a mode switching setting means (switching means) for switching and setting "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" and "normal shooting mode", and a trigger signal which is a shooting start signal when shooting and recording are performed. Trigger switch (SW) which is an image recording unit to be generated
23, an operating member such as a display unit 19 including a liquid crystal display (LCD) and the like are provided for displaying information such as the state of the electronic camera and the photographing conditions.

In the electronic camera of the above embodiment, the CCD 3L, 3 serving as the first and second image pickup means are provided.
By driving R together, image signals corresponding to the left-eye image and the right-eye image as complementary pairs capable of forming a stereoscopic still image are output from the respective CCDs 3L and 3R,
It has a "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" capable of shooting a stereoscopic still image, and drives at least one of the first and second imaging means CCD3L, 3R to drive a normal image. It has a "normal photographing mode" in which a signal is output and a normal still image can be photographed.

When shooting and recording are performed by performing a switching operation by the switching SW 18 which is mode switching setting means (switching means), the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" and the "normal shooting mode" are arbitrarily set. When performing reproduction (display), the "stereoscopic still image reproduction mode" and the "normal reproduction mode" can be arbitrarily set.

The operation of the electronic camera having the above-described structure according to the first embodiment will be briefly described below. In the case where shooting and recording are performed by the electronic camera, first, prior to the shooting operation, the selection of whether to shoot in the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" or in the "normal shooting mode" is performed by the switch SW18. Select one of the shooting modes by switching.

Next, by operating the trigger SW 23, a trigger signal which is a photographing start signal is generated. Then, this trigger signal is transmitted to the control means 16 described above.
Is output to the electronic camera, and based on this, the electronic camera starts the shooting and recording operation.

That is, the control means (CPU) 16 controls the left-eye and right-eye lenses 1L and 1R through the lens controls (circuits) 12L and 12R, for example, focus adjustment operation and zooming. A desired subject light is made incident on the first and second photographing optical systems under desired photographing conditions and the like by performing operations such as operations.

The subject light which is made incident on the first and second photographing optical systems at the same time and formed an image is the CCD 3 described above.
The image signals are converted by L and 3R and output to the imaging processes 4L and 4R. This imaging process 4L, 4
In R, signal processing such as gamma (γ) correction is performed on the image signal, and the image information (analog signal) processed by the signal is converted into a digital signal image in the A / D conversion (circuits) 5L and 5R. It is converted into information or the like and temporarily recorded in the memory control 11.

Image information of the digital signal temporarily recorded in the memory control 11 is recorded in the IC card 15 or the like, or the image display means 20.
L, 20R, or the external output terminals 7L, 7
It is output to R and displayed by an external display device (not shown) or the like connected to it.

Here, the image information and the like are stored in the IC card 15.
The operation in the case of being recorded in will be described below. When the above image information and the like are recorded in the IC card 15,
First, image information (digital signal) or the like temporarily recorded in the memory control 11 is output from the memory control 11 to the compression / expansion (circuit) 13. Then, in the compression / decompression (circuit) 13, the data compression processing of the image information and the like is performed, processed into a form suitable for recording, and output to the card interface 14.

Then, the card interface 14
It is recorded on the IC card 15 via the. Regarding the image information and the like recorded in the IC card 15 at this time, when the shooting mode set at the time of shooting is the “stereoscopic still image shooting mode”, a pair of left and right image information, that is, stereoscopic still image While two complementary image signals that can form an image are simultaneously recorded, the image information of a normal still image is recorded when the shooting mode set at the time of shooting is the "normal shooting mode". Becomes

Next, the image information and the like are displayed on the image display means 20.
The operation of reproducing (displaying) L, 20R, etc. will be described below.

The image information and the like are displayed on the video display means 20L, 2
When reproducing (displaying) to 0R or the like, first, the image information of the digital signal temporarily recorded in the memory control 11 is converted into the D / A conversion (circuit) 6L, 6L.
It is output to R and is converted into image information of an analog signal by the D / A conversion (circuits) 6L and 6R.

Then, the image display means 20L, 20R
Output to the video display means 20L, 20R, or the external output terminal 7L,
The data is output to the 7R and displayed by an external display device or the like connected to the 7R.

When reproducing (displaying) the image information or the like recorded in the IC card 15 on the video display means 20L, 20R or the like, first, the image information or the like is transferred from the IC card 15 to the card. It is output to the compression / decompression (circuit) 13 via the interface 14.

The image information recorded on the IC card 15 is processed in the compression / expansion (circuit) 13 in a form suitable for recording on the recording medium when recording the information. That is, data compression processing has been performed. Therefore, this is compressed / decompressed (circuit) 1
On the contrary, the data decompression process is performed by 3 to restore the state suitable for reproduction, and thereafter the data is output to the memory control 11 and temporarily recorded in the memory control 11.

The image information and the like written in the memory control 11 is converted into image information of analog signals in the D / A conversion (circuits) 6L and 6R as described above, and the image display means 20L and 20R. Displayed by the external output terminal 7 as a video signal.
The data is output to L and 7R, and is displayed by an external display device or the like connected thereto.

When the image information or the like reproduced (displayed) at this time is the image information or the like obtained when the shooting mode at the time of shooting is set to the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode", The stereoscopic still image is reproduced (displayed) by simultaneously reproducing a pair of left and right image information and the like, and image information obtained when the shooting mode at the time of shooting is set to the “normal shooting mode” In this case, reproduction (display) of image information of a still image is normally performed.

With this structure, according to the above-described embodiment, the switching SW 18 arbitrarily switches between the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" and the "normal image shooting mode" to set the shooting mode, and the shooting is performed. By recording,
It is possible to selectively capture and record a stereoscopic still image and a normal still image.

By the way, in the electronic camera, when the "stereoscopic still image photographing mode" is set and the photographing and recording are performed, and the pair of left and right image information thus obtained is reproduced, the stereoscopic effect is naturally reproduced. In order to reproduce such a good stereoscopic still image, it is necessary to accurately correspond the pair of left and right image information to the left and right eyes of the observer who observes (views) this. For example, when the pair of left and right image information is displayed in reverse with respect to the left and right eyes of the observer, it is displayed as a visually unnatural image and is reproduced as a good stereoscopic still image. Will not be done.

Therefore, in the electronic camera of the above-described embodiment, when reproducing (displaying) a stereoscopic still image,
In order to always be reproduced (displayed) as a normal and good stereoscopic still image, each of two complementary image signals capable of forming a stereoscopic still image is converted into one field image in the 2: 1 interlaced image signal. It corresponds to each.

Then, the pair of left and right image information obtained when the "stereoscopic still image photographing mode" is set by the changeover switch 18, which is the mode changeover setting means, is referred to as I above.
When recording on the C card 15, the card interface 14 as the recording means, together with each field image signal that can form the stereoscopic still image, is, for example, image information for the left eye or for the right eye. Information for identifying whether or not it is image information, that is, the above IC card 15
The image display means 20 to which two field image signals forming a complementary pair capable of forming a stereoscopic still image are applied.
Left and right identification information and the like for displaying as a stereoscopic still image on L and 20R are recorded together with the image information of the field image. Therefore, the image information of the stereoscopic still image recorded in the IC card 15 is always configured to be accompanied by the left-right identification information.

Further, when field image shooting of a normal still image is performed, one image information is recorded in one field. At this time, when an interlaced image signal is output, odd number and There will be an even number of two field image information.

In such two field image information of odd number and even number, it is assumed that two odd and even fields are recorded without being managed, and when reproducing this image information, the odd field is recorded. Either the image or the even field image will be reproduced.

Therefore, in the electronic camera of the above-described embodiment, when recording the image information or the like obtained when the image is taken, the image information or the like is recorded by either the odd or even field image. The odd-even identification information and the like are recorded in association with the image information so that it can be determined. Therefore, the image information recorded in the IC card 15 is always accompanied by the odd-even identification information.

Further, as described above, the electronic camera can arbitrarily select the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" and the "normal shooting mode" by the switching operation of the switching SW 18 to shoot. It is like this.
Therefore, regarding the image information and the like recorded in the IC card 15, the image information and the like of the stereoscopic still image and the normal still image are mixed.

Therefore, in the electronic camera of the one embodiment, when the image information recorded in the IC card 15 is reproduced, the desired image information reproduced on the electronic camera side is a stereoscopic still image. In this case, pair information indicating which field image forms a complementary pair is recorded in association with the image information. Therefore, the above I
The paired information is always included in the image information of the stereoscopic still image recorded in the C card 15.

FIG. 2 is a view conceptually showing a recording state of image information and the like in the IC card 15 which is a recording body applied to the electronic camera.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the IC card 15, each image information file A1, A2, A3, A
Each of A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 ... An is composed of a header section including a standard information section a and an information section b, an image information section c and the like.

In the standard information section b which constitutes the header section, for example, unified standard information for recording a still picture is recorded, and in the information section b, various kinds of information about the corresponding image information section c are recorded. , Information such as shooting conditions, shooting modes, left / right identification information, odd / even identification information, pair information, and the like, which are unique to each image information section c, are recorded.

The number of image information that can be recorded in the IC card 15, that is, the number of image information files A1, A2, A3 ...
It goes without saying that it varies depending on the recording capacity of the card 15, or the compression level when compressed by the compression / expansion (circuit) 13 and the capacity of image information and the like.

FIG. 3 shows the IC card 15 of the electronic camera.
5 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a recording state when image information and the like are recorded.

As shown in FIG. 3, here, each image information file B1L, B1R, B2 is stored in the IC card 15.
L, B2R, B3, B4, B5, B6L, B6R, B
It is assumed that image information of 7, B8L, B8R and the like are recorded.

Of the above-mentioned image information files, the image information file of the stereoscopic still image is the eight files B1L, B1R, B2L, B2R, B surrounded by dotted lines in FIG.
6L, B6R, B8L, B8R, and the image information file of the normal still image is the other four files B3.
It is shown by B4, B5, and B7.

The image information file of the stereoscopic still image is
The data are sequentially recorded as a pair of pairs (B1
L and B1R, B2L and B2R, B8L and B8R), for example, when a free area is formed in the IC card 15 after erasing any one image information file, in the stereoscopic still image shooting mode. When shooting and recording are performed, the image information files of the stereoscopic still images are not sequentially recorded as a pair. That is, in FIG. 3, it is shown by the image information files B6L and B6R.

In this case, one of the two image information files forming the stereoscopic still image, the file B6L
Will be recorded in the empty area formed after erasing as described above, but the other image information file B6L
Will be recorded in the last part of the recorded image information file or in the next empty area.

At this time, as described above, since information such as pair information corresponding to the field image information is recorded in the information part b (see FIG. 2) of the header part of each image information file, stereoscopic stillness is achieved. Images can be played (displayed) reliably.

The detailed operation at the time of reproduction in the electronic camera thus configured will be described below.

When reproducing the image information recorded in the IC card 15 in the electronic camera, first, the image information recorded in the IC card 15 is output to the card interface 14. At this time,
As the information read by the card interface 14, the image information of the field image signal and the left / right identification information, odd / even identification information, etc. corresponding to this image information are read simultaneously. Then, the left-right identification information, the odd-even identification information, etc. are output to the control means 16 and are output to the memory control 11 via the control means 16.

At the same time, the field image signal via the card interface 14 is output to the compression / expansion (circuit) 13 for the data conversion processing as described above, and this compression / expansion (circuit) is performed. ) 13, data expansion processing is performed, and the data is output to the memory control 11.

In the memory control 11 described above,
Since the field image signal is input from the compression / decompression (circuit) 13 and the left and right identification information, the odd-even identification information, and the like are input from the control means 16, based on the left-right identification information, the odd-even identification information, and the like. The image information read from the IC card 15 is identified as to whether it is a stereoscopic still image or a normal still image, and whether it is an odd field image or an even field image. .

If the image information read from the IC card 15 is one of the field image information forming a stereoscopic still image, it is complementary to the one field image information based on the pair information. The other field image forming a pair is continuously read from the IC card 15.

Then, the memory control 11 is
Left and right field image signals are output to the D / A conversion (circuits) 6L and 6R, respectively, and these are output to the image display means 20L and 20R or the external output terminal 7.
It will be output separately for L and 7R.

With such a configuration, according to the above-described embodiment, even if a pair of left and right field images are recorded in separate empty areas in the IC card 15, each image is recorded. Since the left and right identification information, the odd-even identification information, the pair information, and the like are recorded together in the header portion of the information file, even when the image information and the like are not sequentially recorded in a pair in the IC card 15. Therefore, it is possible to easily identify and reproduce (display) a stereoscopic still image with certainty.

On the other hand, when the electronic camera is set to the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" and the stereoscopic still image obtained by shooting and recording is reproduced, two field image signals are simultaneously output. Therefore, when the accuracy of the image information of the stereoscopic still image to be reproduced is required, for example, when comparing the above two field image information, if the odd field image and the even field image are reproduced differently, Since the interlaced image signal is output on the reproduction (display) screen on the monitor, there may be a case where a positional deviation of one line occurs in the vertical direction.

Therefore, in the electronic camera of the above-mentioned one embodiment, the control means 16 which is the recording control means, when the photographing and recording is performed by setting the "stereoscopic still image photographing mode" by the changeover switch 18, The memory control 11 is controlled to control the first and second image pickup means (CCD).
3L, 3R), each of the field images for constructing a stereoscopic still image continuously output is limited to an odd field or an even field as a recording target image, and the IC card 1
It is controlled to record to 5.

In the electronic camera of the above-described embodiment, the operation when the switching SW 18 sets the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" to perform shooting recording will be briefly described below.

When the "stereoscopic still image photographing mode" is set by the switching SW 18, the stereoscopic still image is photographed and recorded. At this time, two field images for continuously forming a stereoscopic still image are output from the CCDs 3L and 3R to the memory control 11.

Then, the memory control 11 is
Only the set field image information is output to the compression / expansion (circuit) 13 and this compression / expansion (circuit) 13 is output.
At, data compression processing of the input field image information is performed.

The data-compressed field image information and the like are transmitted via the card interface 14.
It will be recorded in the IC card 15. Therefore,
In this IC card 15, any field image of each field image is similarly limited to an odd field or an even field and is recorded as a recording target image.

Incidentally, FIG. 4 shows that in the above electronic camera,
It is a figure which shows notionally an odd field image and an even field image on a display screen at the time of reproducing image information.

With such a structure, according to the above embodiment, the image information and the like are sequentially recorded in the empty area in the IC card 15 which is the recording body. , The free space can be used effectively.

Further, when the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" is set by the switching SW 18 and shooting and recording are performed, the recording control means (control means 16) controls the memory control 11 to perform the first operation. , A recording target image in which any one of the field images for forming a stereoscopic still image continuously output from the second image pickup means (CCD 3L, 3R) is limited to an odd field or an even field As above I
Since the image information to be reproduced is recorded on the C card 15, the positional deviation in the vertical direction can be prevented, and the stereoscopic still image can be reproduced (displayed) favorably.

Further, in the electronic camera of the above-mentioned embodiment, two video display means 20L, 20R are provided for reproducing (displaying) the image information of the two field image signals. Therefore, after the shooting and recording is performed, the recorded image information or the like can be immediately reproduced (displayed) on the video display means 20L and 20R as a stereoscopic still image, and the shooting result can be confirmed. There is.

That is, as described above, the image information of the stereoscopic still image recorded in the IC card 15 is the field in which the selected field image to be reproduced in the memory control 11 can form a stereoscopic still image. When it corresponds to one of the images, it is output to the D / A conversion (circuits) 6L and 6R together with the image information of the field image to be paired based on the above-mentioned pair information, and the image information of the analog signal is separately provided. And so on. The first and second image display means 20L and 20R corresponding to the both field images, that is, the image information for the left eye is displayed on the image display means 20L, and the image information for the right eye is displayed on the image display means 20R.
To each of them and displayed as a stereoscopic still image to the observer.

When shooting and recording are performed by this electronic camera, the image information of the two field images obtained by the CCDs 3L and 3R is converted into the D / A (circuit) through the memory control 11. 6L,
The image information of the two analog signals is output to the image display unit 20L and the image information for the right eye is displayed on the image display unit 20R. Will be displayed for each.

With such a configuration, according to the above-described embodiment, the memory control 11 which is the reproducing means is arranged so that the selected field image to be reproduced is one of the field images which can form a stereoscopic still image. When it is applicable, based on the pair information, the field images to be paired together with the first and
Since the image information for the left eye and the image information for the right eye are output to the second video display units 20L and 20R and are displayed as stereoscopic still images for observation (viewing), without using a special device, It is possible to easily observe (appreciate) a stereoscopic still image.

Further, in the electronic camera of the above-mentioned one embodiment, as described above, it is possible to record and reproduce a stereoscopic still image, and by performing the switching operation by the switching SW 18, the normal still image can be displayed. Set to "Normal shooting mode" for shooting and recording,
It is possible to set the "normal reproduction mode" in which normal still images are reproduced.

Here, when a still image is normally taken, one of the pair of left and right image pickup optical systems and the pair of left and right image pickup means, that is, one of the CCD 3L and 3R, and one image pickup optical system. An image signal is obtained by an image pickup means (CCD). Therefore, the image information and the like obtained at this time is one.

Also, image information of a normal still image recorded in the IC card 15, that is, the IC information at the time of reproduction.
Although only one piece of image information or the like is read from the card 15 to the memory control 11, as shown in FIG. 1, two D / A conversions (circuits) 6L and 6R are connected to the memory control 11. In addition, the video display means 20L, 20R for displaying a reproduced image are also provided in a pair of left and right.
Two image display means are provided. Therefore, the reproduced image of the normal still image is displayed on only one of them.

Therefore, in the electronic camera of the above embodiment, when the "normal reproduction mode" is set, the selected field image to be reproduced corresponds to the field image based on the "normal photographing mode". Then, the field image is output (displayed) to both the first and second video display means.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an operation at the time of shooting and recording when the "normal shooting mode" is set in the electronic camera of the one embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 5, first, in step S1, the changeover switch 18 is set to the normal photographing mode. Then, in step S2, the control means (C
PU) 16 recognizes that the photographing mode of this electronic camera is set to the "normal photographing mode", and in step S3, the control means 16 outputs the photographing mode setting information and the like to the memory control 11. , And proceeds to the processing of the next step S4.

In step S4, the memory control 11 simultaneously outputs the image information of the normal still image, that is, one field image information to the two D / A conversions (circuits) 6L and 6R, and in step S6. In the above, the two D / A conversions (circuits) 6L and 6R perform the data conversion processing of the image information and the like of the digital signal into the image information and the like of the analog signal, and in step S6,
The image information of the converted analog signal is output (displayed) to the two video display means 20L, 20R or the two external (video signal) output terminals 7L, 7R, and the series of sequences is completed. Yes (RETURN).

With this arrangement, according to the above-described embodiment, when the "normal reproduction mode" is set, the memory control 11, which is the reproduction means, displays the selected field image to be reproduced as " When it corresponds to the field image based on the “normal shooting mode”,
By outputting (displaying) the field image to both the first and second video display means, the observer (viewer) observes (views) a normal still image of one field image with both eyes. can do. Therefore, it is possible to easily confirm image information and the like, and
It can contribute to the improvement of operability.

Further, in the electronic camera of the above-mentioned one embodiment, as described above, it is possible to record and reproduce a stereoscopic still image. However, it is required when photographing with an electronic camera or the like. The image information to be displayed is not limited to the stereoscopic still image, and a normal still image may be requested in some cases.

On the other hand, in the electronic camera of the above-described embodiment, a plurality of photographing modes such as "stereoscopic still image photographing mode" and "normal photographing mode" are prepared, and a switching switch 18 for switching the photographing modes is provided. By this,
The "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" and the "normal shooting mode" can be arbitrarily set to selectively shoot a stereoscopic still image and a normal still image.
By switching W18, it is possible to set a reproduction mode such as a "stereoscopic still image reproduction mode" and a "normal reproduction mode".

Then, in the image information file obtained when the photographing and recording are performed, the image information such as the subject image and the information such as the photographing condition such as the photographing mode are recorded.

Further, among the image information and the like obtained by the electronic camera, the stereoscopic still image is composed of two field images, while the normal still image is composed of one field image. ing. Therefore, if only one of the two field images of the stereoscopic still image is reproduced, it is possible to reproduce it as a normal still image.

Therefore, in the electronic camera of the one embodiment, when the reproduction (display) output of the image information or the like recorded in the IC card 15 or the like is performed, the switching SW1 is used.
When set to "normal playback mode" by 8,
Even if the selected field image to be reproduced by the reproduction means (memory control 11) corresponds to one of the field images that can form a stereoscopic still image,
The field image is set as a normal reproduction output.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation at the time of reproduction (display) output in the electronic camera of the above-mentioned embodiment, wherein a stereoscopic still image is reproduced (displayed) as a normal still image.
It is an example when outputting.

As shown in FIG. 6, first, in step S11.
In step 3, the switching operation of the switching switch 18 is performed to set the switching to the "normal reproduction mode". Then, in step S12, the control means (CP
U) 16 recognizes that the reproduction mode of this electronic camera has been set to the "normal reproduction mode" by the changeover SW 18, and in step S13, the control means (CP)
U) 16 outputs the reproduction mode setting information and the like to the memory control 11, and proceeds to the processing of the next step S14.

In step S14, the memory control 11 causes the two field images which can form a stereoscopic still image to be reproduced (displayed), for example, the image information files B1L and B1R of the stereoscopic still image shown in FIG. With respect to only one of the field image information (for example, the image information file B1L), the IC card 15
Further reading, the process proceeds to the next step S15.

In step S15, the memory control 11 converts the image information file B1L of the one field image into the two D / A conversion (circuit) 6
The signals are simultaneously output to L and 6R, and in step S16, data conversion processing from a digital signal to an analog signal is performed by the D / A conversion (circuit) 6L and R6, respectively, and the process proceeds to the next step S17.

Then, in step S17,
The image information converted into the analog signal is output (displayed) to the two video display units 20L and 20R or the two external output terminals 7L and 7R, and a series of sequences is ended (RETURN). .

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the operation at the time of reproduction (display) output in the electronic camera of the above-described one embodiment, in which a stereoscopic still image is reproduced (displayed) as a normal still image.
It is another example of outputting.

As shown in FIG. 7, first, step S21.
In step 3, the switching switch 18 is switched to switch to the "normal reproduction mode". Then, in step S22, the control means (CPU) 16 recognizes that the reproduction mode of the electronic camera is set to the "normal reproduction mode", and in step S23, the control means 16 reproduces the card interface 14. The mode setting information and the like are output, and the process proceeds to the next step S24.

In step S24, the card interface 14 makes one field image which can form a stereoscopic still image to be reproduced (displayed), for example, FIG.
The field image information of only the image information file B1L of the stereoscopic still image shown in is read from the IC card 15, and the process proceeds to the next step S25.

At the step S25, the card interface 14 compresses / compresses the file B1L.
The data is transferred to the decompression (circuit) 13, and in step S26,
After the data expansion processing by the compression / expansion (circuit) 13, the data is output to the memory control 11, and the process proceeds to the next step S27.

In step S27, the memory control 11 recognizes one field image information, that is, a normal still image, and in step S28,
The signals are simultaneously output to the two D / A conversions (circuits) 6L and 6R, and in step S29, data conversion processing from digital signals to analog signals is performed by the D / A conversions (circuits) 6L and R6. Then, the process proceeds to the next step S30.

Then, in step S30,
The image information converted into the analog signal is output (displayed) to the two video display units 20L and 20R or the two external output terminals 7L and 7R, and a series of sequences is ended (RETURN). .

With this configuration, according to the above-described embodiment, the switching SW as the mode switching setting means.
18 is switched to the reproduction mode at the time of reproduction, and even when the image information for reproduction (display) output of the image information recorded in the IC card 15 or the like is a stereoscopic still image, It is possible to forcibly reproduce (display) and output as a normal still image. Therefore, it is possible to easily compare the same photographed object between an image captured during normal photography and an image captured during stereoscopic still image capture, and a comparative study.

Further, when the image information or the like is read out from the IC card 15, only one of the image information files of the two field images of the stereoscopic still image is read out, and this one image is read. Since only the information file needs to be subjected to the data processing such as the decompression processing, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of the reproduction processing speed of the image information and the like.

By the way, when a stereoscopic still image is reproduced (displayed), it may be difficult to determine that the image is a stereoscopic image depending on the photographed and recorded subject. For example, when a stereoscopic still image is captured, a stereoscopic still image is likely to be established when the subject is on the near side and the background is far from the background, that is, when there is a perspective in the visual sense. However, when shooting a distant view, or when a flat subject such as a printed matter is shot on the entire screen, a good stereoscopic still image with perspective is obtained.
It may be difficult to establish it.

In such a situation, when reproducing (displaying) the image information obtained when the image is recorded in the "stereoscopic still image photographing mode", the photographing mode at the time of photographing is "stereoscopic still image photographing mode". ”And“ Normal shooting mode ”
There is a case in which it is not possible to determine in which mode the shooting was performed.

Therefore, in the electronic camera of the one embodiment, when the image information is reproduced (displayed), the photographing conditions such as the photographing mode of the reproduced image information and the like are displayed on the image display means 6L, 6R. , Or external output terminals 7L, 7R
It can be displayed together with image information and the like on an external display device or the like connected to the.

FIG. 8 shows a display example of image information and the like displayed on the video display means 6L, 6R and the like when the electronic camera is reproducing (displaying) the image information and the like. .

As shown in FIG. 8, the image display means 6 is provided.
Field image information is displayed on the entire L and 6R display screens, and shooting information such as the shooting mode of this image information, that is, "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" is set on a part of this display screen. Photographing information and the like indicating whether the image was captured and photographed or photographed with the "normal photographing mode" set is displayed on the display unit 31.

In the display example shown in FIG. 8, in the display section 31, the display indicating the stereoscopic still image is [3D].
In addition, the display indicating that it is a still image is normally indicated by [2D], and here, [2D] is displayed in reverse video (or bold character display, etc.) and the like. It indicates that the information is usually a still image.

Further, when reproducing (displaying) the image information or the like at this time, the operation for displaying the photographing information or the like such as the photographing mode on the display screen of the image display means 6L or 6R will be described below. Briefly explained.

First, the image information and the like recorded in the IC card 15 is read by the card interface 14 by the control means (CPU) 16. As described above, the shooting information such as the shooting mode is recorded in the header portion in the image information file such as the image information read at this time, and the shooting information is output to the control means 16. It has become.

Therefore, in the control means 16, it is judged whether the image information or the like to be reproduced (displayed) is a stereoscopic still image or a normal still image based on the photographing information or the like. The control means 16 outputs the information of the judgment result to the memory control 11, and the memory control 11 can easily judge the photographing mode etc. of the information of the judgment result of the control means 16. Character information consisting of pictograms and the like that can be shown is generated, and this character information and image information are superimposed and output to D / A conversion (circuits) 6L and 6R, where data conversion processing of image information and the like is performed. After doing
Playback (display) is performed on the video display means 20L, 20R and the like. The display screen at this time is the one shown in FIG. 8 described above.

At the same time, in the electronic camera of the above-mentioned one embodiment, information such as photographing conditions is displayed on the display means (LCD) 19 provided on the main body of the electronic camera. Has become.

FIG. 9 shows the display means (L
(CD) 19 shows a display example when information such as shooting conditions is displayed.

As shown in FIG. 9, the display means (LC
D) In the display unit 32 of 19, the display [3D] indicating that it is a stereoscopic still image and the display [2D] indicating that it is a normal still image are displayed in the same manner as described above. Indicates that [2D] is displayed in reverse video (or displayed in bold characters, etc.) and the field image information being reproduced is normally a still image.

The display operation at this time, that is, the operation for displaying information such as the photographing condition on the display means (LCD) 19 will be briefly described below.

First, the image data and the like recorded in the IC card 15 is read by the card interface 14 by the control means (CPU) 16. As described above, the shooting information such as the shooting mode is recorded in the header portion in the image information file such as the image information read at this time, and the shooting information is output to the control means 16. It has become.

Therefore, the control means 16 determines whether the image information or the like to be reproduced (displayed) is a stereoscopic still image or a normal still image based on the photographing information or the like. Become.

Then, the control means 16 displays the information of the judgment result and the information of other photographing conditions on the display means (L).
It will be directly output to the CD) 19 and displayed on this.

With this arrangement, according to the above-described embodiment, the video display means 20L, 20R, the display means (LCD) 19, etc. on which the image reproduced and output by the reproduction means is displayed, Since the information for identifying the stereoscopic still image or the normal still image is displayed, the observer (viewer) can easily identify the information such as the photographing condition.

By the way, in recent years, power saving has been promoted for all electric products, and even electronic cameras and the like are no exception. For example, there is a demand for reduction of power consumption of an imaging process processing circuit and the like. However, the situation is not sufficient.

Further, in a general video camera or the like, it is necessary to maintain the durability of the battery or the like which is the main power source.
Design that aims to reduce the power consumption of the device itself is emphasized.

On the other hand, in the electronic camera of the above-mentioned one embodiment, each of the constituent members related to photographing and recording is 2
Since it has two members, it consumes about twice as much power as a general electronic camera or the like that captures a normal still image.

That is, when the electronic camera is set to the “stereoscopic still image shooting mode” and shooting is performed, the two image pickup means CCD 3L and 3R and the two image pickup processes 4L and 4R are set. A / D conversion (circuit) 5
While it is necessary to operate all L and 5R, one field image can be obtained when shooting in the “normal shooting mode”. , The above two CCDs 3L, 3R
And one of the above two imaging processes 4
It is possible to obtain a normal still image by using either one of L and 4R and only one of the two A / D conversions (circuits) 5L and 5R.

Therefore, in the electronic camera of the above-described embodiment, when the "normal photographing mode" is set and photographing is performed, power is supplied to only one of the components related to photographing and recording, Power is saved by stopping power supply to the other component that is not used for shooting.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the photographing / recording operation in the "normal photographing mode" in the electronic camera of the one embodiment, in which power is supplied to one of the two photographing means. This is an example of the case of stopping.

As shown in FIG. 10, in step S31, first, by the switching SW 18 (switching means),
Set the shooting mode to "Normal still image shooting mode". Then, in step S32, the control means (CP
U) 16 recognizes that the photographing mode of this electronic camera is set to the "normal photographing mode", and in step S33, the control means 16 outputs information to that effect to the power source unit 17 and the like. , And proceeds to the processing of the next step S34.

In step S34, the power supply unit 17 controls the power supply control circuit 22 based on the photographing information such as the photographing mode, and the two CCDs 3 are operated.
One of L and 3R, one of the two imaging processes 4L and 4R corresponding to the CCD, and one of the two A / D conversions (circuits) 5L and 5R. The power supply to one side is stopped (OFF), and a series of sequences is ended (RETURN).

With this arrangement, according to the one embodiment, when the "stereoscopic still image photographing mode" is set by the switching SW 18, the first and second
Power is supplied to both of the image pickup means (CCD 3L, 3R) and the like, and when the "normal photographing mode" is set, at least one of the image pickup means is controlled by the power supply control circuit 22 which is the power supply control means. Since the power is supplied by the power supply, the power consumption can be the same level as that of a general electronic camera or the like for capturing a normal still image, which contributes to the power saving of the device.

By the way, when setting the "stereoscopic still image photographing mode" for photographing, it is necessary to obtain two field images at the same time. Therefore, in the electronic camera for photographing the stereoscopic still image, As described above, it has two photographing optical systems and the like. When the electronic camera is set to the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode", the two shooting optical systems and the like need to be set to simultaneously operate on the same subject. For example, in the case where the distance to a desired subject is measured (distance measurement) and focus adjustment is performed prior to shooting and recording, it is necessary to simultaneously operate the two shooting optical systems.

On the other hand, in recent years, with regard to a general video camera or the like which is generally popular, a camera having an automatic focus adjustment mechanism for automatically performing distance measurement and focus adjustment in its photographing optical system is practically used. Has been converted.

When such an automatic focus adjusting mechanism is applied to the electronic camera of the one embodiment, two automatic focus adjusting mechanisms are required for the two taking optical systems, but two taking optical systems are required. In order to control each of the systems by the two automatic focus adjustment mechanisms, it is necessary to perform arithmetic processing in the control means at the same time.

Then, based on the calculation processing result at this time, the lens control (circuit) or the like drives and controls the photographing optical system to perform the focus adjusting operation.

That is, the control means of the electronic camera for taking a stereoscopic still image requires about twice as much arithmetic processing as the arithmetic processing for automatic focus adjustment in a camera for normally taking a still image. Must be performed within the same time. Therefore, in order to capture a stereoscopic still image, the processing capability of the control means capable of performing higher-speed processing is required.

Therefore, in the electronic camera of the above-described one embodiment, shooting such as automatic focus adjustment when shooting is performed in the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode" without depending on the processing capacity of the control means 16. The control operation of the optical system is formed so as to be surely performed in a short time.

That is, the distance to the object obtained by the control means (CPU) 16 which is also the automatic focus adjusting means for one of the first and second taking optical systems (distance measurement result). ) And the like, the focus of the other photographing optical system is adjusted.

FIG. 11 shows the case where the electronic camera of the above embodiment is set to the "stereoscopic still image photographing mode".
6 is a flowchart showing an operation when controlling two photographing optical systems.

As shown in FIG. 11, first, in step S4
1, the trigger signal is generated by turning on the trigger SW23, which is a photographing and recording means of the electronic camera. Then, step S42
In response to the trigger signal, the control means 1
6 instructs the lens controls (circuits) 12L and 12R to control the automatic focus adjustment operation, and in step S43, the lens controls (circuits) 12L and 12R form a pair of left and right photographing lenses that constitute the two photographing optical systems. Only one of 1L and 1R is drive-controlled to perform the automatic focus adjustment operation, and the process proceeds to the next step S44.

In step S44, the one lens control (circuit) outputs the distance measurement (distance) information and the like obtained by the automatic focus adjustment operation to the control means 16, and in response thereto, in step S45. The control means 16 outputs the distance measurement (distance) information and the like to the other lens control (circuit).

Then, in step S46, the other lens control (circuit) performs the focus adjustment operation of the other photographing lens corresponding to the distance measurement (distance) information based on the distance measurement (distance) information, and the series of sequence is completed. Do (RETUR
N).

Therefore, after the processing relating to the automatic focus adjustment is performed in one of the photographing optical systems, the driving of the other photographing optical system is controlled based on the processing result (distance measurement information) and the like.

With this arrangement, according to the one embodiment, the control means (CPU) is also the automatic focus adjusting means for one of the first and second photographing optical systems. Since the focus adjustment of the other photographic optical system is performed based on the information on the distance to the subject (distance measurement result) obtained by 16, the process for automatic focus adjustment is performed once, and The focus adjustment operation of the photographing optical system can be reliably performed within a short time.

[0144]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the stereoscopic still image and the normal still image can be selectively and easily performed by switching the photographing modes.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the stereoscopic still image can be photographed and recorded, and when recording is performed on the applied recording body, the recording means records left and right identification information and field odd / even identification. Since the photographing conditions such as information and pair information are recorded, it is possible to easily reproduce (display) a three-dimensional still image by utilizing these information during reproduction.

According to the invention described in claim 3, any one of the field images for constructing the stereoscopic still image is limited to the odd or even field and is recorded as the recording target image. Therefore, it is possible to realize higher-precision shooting and recording and reproduction of a stereoscopic still image.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the two image display means are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction of the camera body, so that a stereoscopic still image can be easily reproduced without the need for a special device. Since it can be displayed (displayed) and the shooting result can be confirmed immediately after shooting and recording, it is possible to contribute to improvement of operability.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, when the selected field image to be reproduced corresponds to the field image based on the "normal photographing mode", 1 is set.
Since one field image is displayed on both video display means, the observer can usually see a still image with both eyes.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, even if the selected field image to be reproduced corresponds to one of the field images that can form a stereoscopic still image,
Since the reproduction mode can be arbitrarily selected by setting the "normal reproduction mode", the image information of the stereoscopic still image can be reproduced as a normal still image.

According to the invention described in claim 7, the information such as the photographing condition is displayed simultaneously on the reproduced image information, or the information such as the photographing condition is displayed on the display means of the camera body. By doing so, it is possible to easily confirm the shooting conditions such as whether the image being reproduced is a stereoscopic still image or a normal still image.

According to the eighth aspect of the invention, since the power supply to one of the image pickup means is stopped in the "normal photographing mode", the power consumption of the apparatus itself can be reduced.

According to the invention described in claim 9, in the "stereoscopic still image shooting mode", one of the two shooting optical systems is automatically focused.
Since the focus adjustment of the other photographic optical system is performed based on the information such as the distance measurement result, the process relating to the automatic focus adjustment can be simplified and the constituent members can be simplified.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to selectively record and record a stereoscopic still image and a normal still image, and to mix each image information obtained at this time in a single recording medium. Provided is an electronic camera capable of performing recording in the form of a stereoscopic still image, and obtaining a good stereoscopic still image with higher accuracy for a pair of left and right image information obtained by shooting and recording of a stereoscopic still image. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually showing a recording state of image information and the like in an IC card which is a recording body applied to the electronic camera of FIG.

3 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a recording state when image information and the like are recorded in the IC card of the electronic camera in FIG.

4 is a view conceptually showing an odd field image and an even field image on a display screen when reproducing image information in the electronic camera of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation during shooting and recording when the electronic camera of FIG. 1 is set in the “normal shooting mode”.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of reproduction (display) output in the electronic camera of FIG. 1, showing an example of reproducing (displaying) and outputting a stereoscopic still image as a normal still image.

7 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of reproduction (display) output in the electronic camera of FIG. 1, and another example in the case of reproducing (displaying) outputting a stereoscopic still image as a normal still image.

8 is a diagram showing a display example of image information or the like displayed on a video display unit or the like when image information or the like is being reproduced (displayed) in the electronic camera shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a display means (LC) in the electronic camera of FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example when information such as shooting conditions is displayed in D).

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a shooting / recording operation in the “normal shooting mode” in the electronic camera of FIG. 1 in the case of stopping the power supply to any one of the two imaging means. Example.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of controlling the two photographing optical systems when the electronic camera of FIG. 1 is set to the “stereoscopic still image photographing mode”.

[Explanation of symbols]

1L, 1R ... Left-eye and right-eye taking lenses (first and second taking optical systems) 2L, 2R ... Left-eye and right-eye optical LPFs (first and second taking optics) System) 3L, 3R ... First and second image pickup devices (CCD; first,
Second imaging means) 4L, 4R ... Imaging process (first and second imaging means) 5L, 5R ... A / D conversion circuit (first and second imaging means) 6L, 6R ... D / A conversion circuit 11 ... Memory control (playback means) 12L, 12R ... Lens control circuit (automatic focus adjustment means) 13 ... Compression / expansion circuit (recording means) 14 ... Card interface 15 ... IC card (recording body) ) 16 ... Control means (CPU; recording control means, automatic focus adjustment means) 17 ... Power supply 18 ... Changeover switch (SW; mode change setting means, changeover means) 19 ... Display means (LCD) 20L, 20R ... ... first and second image display means 22 ... power supply control circuit (power supply control means)

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A first and a second photographing optical system which are arranged side by side in a horizontal direction of a camera body and can simultaneously enter subject light, and the first and second photographing optical systems, which correspond to the first and second photographing optical systems. First
And first and second image pickup means for converting the respective subject light imaged by the second image pickup optical system into image signals and outputting the image signals, and driving the first and second image pickup means together to form a stereoscopic image. A stereoscopic still image shooting mode in which image signals corresponding to a left-eye image and a right-eye image as complementary pairs capable of forming a still image are output from the respective image pickup means, and the first and second A normal shooting mode in which at least one of the image pickup means is driven to output a normal image signal; and a mode switching setting means for switching and setting the stereoscopic still image shooting mode and the normal shooting mode. An electronic camera comprising: 2. Two complementary image signals capable of forming a stereoscopic still image are made to correspond to one field image in a 2: 1 interlaced image signal, respectively. Recording means for processing the output field image signals into a form suitable for recording and recording the applied recording material, and when the stereoscopic still image photographing mode is set by the mode switching setting means, the recording means Each one of the field image signals that can form the stereoscopic still image is recorded together with left and right identification information of the field image, odd or even field identification information, and pair information indicating which field image forms a complementary pair. And a recording control means for controlling the above-mentioned recording medium, and two field image signals forming a complementary pair capable of forming a stereoscopic still image from the recording medium. And a reproducing means for reproducing and outputting based on the left-right identification information, the field odd-even identification information, and the pair information recorded together so as to be displayed as a stereoscopic still image on the used video display means. The electronic camera according to claim 1. 3. When the stereoscopic still image photographing mode is set by the mode switching setting means, the recording control means further produces stereoscopic still images continuously output from the first and second imaging means. 3. The electronic camera according to claim 2, wherein control is performed so that any one of the field images to be configured is similarly limited to an odd field or an even field as an image to be recorded. 4. The camera further comprises first and second image display means arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction of the camera body, wherein the reproducing means comprises a field image to be reproduced which forms a stereoscopic still image. When it corresponds to one of the obtained field images, both field images are output to the corresponding first and second image display means together with the paired field images to be displayed to the observer as a stereoscopic still image. The electronic camera according to claim 2, wherein the electronic camera is configured as described above. 5. The reproducing means, when the selected field image to be reproduced corresponds to a field image based on a normal photographing mode, displays the field image on both the first and second video display means. The electronic camera according to claim 4, wherein the electronic camera is configured to output and display. 6. The reproduction means sets the field image as a normal reproduction output even if the selected field image to be reproduced corresponds to one of the field images that can form a stereoscopic still image. The electronic camera according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising means. 7. The display device further comprises display means for allowing an observer to identify whether the image reproduced and output by the reproduction means is a stereoscopic still image or a normal still image. The electronic camera according to claim 4, 5, or 6. 8. When the stereoscopic still image shooting mode is set by the mode switching setting means, power is supplied to both the first and second image pickup means, and when the normal shooting mode is set, at least one of them is set. The electronic camera according to claim 1, further comprising power supply control means for supplying power to one of the imaging means. 9. An automatic focus adjusting means for performing automatic focus adjustment for one of the first and second taking optical systems is provided, and is obtained by the automatic focus adjusting means. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the focus adjustment of the other photographing optical system is performed based on the information regarding the distance to the subject.