JP2001313865A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic camera that can compensate delays in photographing processing and recording timing produced with respect to photographing instruction operations by a photographer. SOLUTION: A control section 107 starts a photographing preparation operation according to a prescribed operation to photograph an object in advance for allowing a memory 200 to store images continuously prior to a photographing instruction. An EVF use liquid crystal panel 200 displays a display image generated on the basis of the store image as a finder image. When the photographing instruction is received, the image received with the same timing as that of a finder image displayed on the EVF use liquid crystal panel 200 is extracted from the memory 200 and recorded in a memory card 400.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic camera using, for example, a solid-state imaging device (CCD), and in particular, compensates for a time lag between a photographing timing operated by a user and a processing time of photographed video data. It is something that can be done.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the advance of semiconductor technology, the price of a DRAM (random write / read memory which requires a memory holding operation) or the like has been reduced and the speed of an image processor has increased. An electronic camera capable of continuous shooting has been provided.

[0003] However, even if the continuous shooting speed is increased and the number of images that can be continuously shot is increased, if the photographing timing of the photographer is not in time, an intended image cannot be obtained (delay due to human factors). Also, even if you think that the shooting timing is correct,
Due to the delay of the image reading timing of D, the photographing start time often shifts behind the timing intended by the photographer (delay due to hardware factors (hereinafter referred to as hardware delay)).

Further, in recent years, there has been an increase in the number of electronic cameras that display an EVF (electronic viewfinder) image from a peeping finder or a reproduction display liquid crystal panel on the rear surface, and a user performs a photographing operation while watching the EVF display. However, since the EVF image displays an image once subjected to exposure, CCD readout processing, and the like, in such a camera, the influence of the delay due to the above-described hardware factor is further increased.

[0005]

Under such circumstances, the present applicant has started capturing images one after another before a second release, which is a so-called shutter timing, in order to reliably obtain an image desired by a photographer. We are thinking of the technology of preceding photography that can be recorded. Then, the image at the time point closest to the shutter timing can be selected.

However, the prior photography technique does not prevent a hardware delay corresponding to the second release, but merely acquires an image at a timing before the second release as insurance. On the other hand, in the prior photography technique, since a large number of images are recorded by one release, if the capacity of a recording medium such as a memory card is small, it may be difficult to use the recording medium.

Therefore, there is a need for a technique that essentially prevents hardware delay with respect to the second release and does not cause a delay in shooting timing due to hardware factors even in the case of single shooting or normal continuous shooting. .

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides an electronic camera capable of compensating for a delay in photographing processing and recording timing caused by a photographer's photographing instruction operation. For that purpose.

[0009]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a photographing preparation operation is started by a predetermined operation, and at least a photographing instruction is issued in response to a photographing instruction after the start of the photographing preparation operation. In an electronic camera using a semiconductor imaging device in which an image is recorded, an image holding unit capable of holding a plurality of images taken by the semiconductor imaging device, after the completion of the shooting preparation operation and before the shooting instruction Electronic image display control means for causing the image holding unit to hold a captured image, and a display image created based on the image captured by the image capture control means being displayed and output as a finder image. Viewfinder display means, and a finder image displayed and output by the electronic viewfinder display means when the photographing instruction is received The images captured in the same timing, in which and a recording control means for recording the taken out recording medium from the image holding unit.

As a result, the following is obtained.
In other words, the timing delay for the second release
There is a response delay of the photographer and a delay (hardware delay) based on the photographing processing of the camera. The present invention eliminates the hardware delay. For this purpose, first, an image that can be recorded as a final image is temporarily stored in a buffer,
From the image in this buffer, the electronic viewfinder (EV
F) Generate and display an image. In addition, shooting processing (CCD exposure, output, A /
D) or the like, rather than selecting an image that matches the timing from the images stored in the buffer in advance, and recording the selected image on a recording medium (smart media). If you do this,
The above-mentioned hardware delay can be completely eliminated.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided image processing means for performing image processing on the captured image, wherein the photographing control means causes the image processing means to process the captured image and causes the image holding unit to hold the processed image. Things. Therefore, the display image displayed by the electronic viewfinder display means is generated from the image held in the image holding unit.

Further, in the present invention, when the photographing instruction is a continuous photographing instruction, the photographing control unit can continuously perform image capturing and image processing and holding operation in the image holding unit. Along with realizing continuous shooting, the recording control means may perform continuous shooting recording with the image displayed and output by the electronic viewfinder display means as a leading image when the shooting instruction is a continuous shooting instruction. it can. As a result, the image after the shooting instruction can be recorded even if the shooting timing is shifted, and the shift can be covered.

Further, according to the present invention, the recording control means includes:
When an image recorded on the recording medium in response to the photographing instruction is used as a reference image, an image held in the image holding unit before the reference image can also be recorded on the recording medium. Thus, by performing so-called preceding photographing in which an image before that is also recorded on the basis of the second release, a desired image can be reliably acquired even if the shutter timing is delayed.

Further, according to the present invention, the photographing control means includes:
When there is no free area for holding a captured image in the image holding unit, control can be performed so that the latest captured image is overwritten with the oldest captured image. As a result, the preceding continuous shooting is stably realized.

Further, in the present invention, the electronic viewfinder display means includes a first display image created by directly processing an image taken by the semiconductor image pickup device for viewfinder display, and holding the first display image in the image holding unit. And a second display image created based on the image processed image to be displayed and output as a finder image, one of which is set in advance, and the second display image corresponding to the first display image is displayed. When a photographing instruction is issued, the photographing control means starts image capturing and image processing in a state where recording is possible on the recording medium after the photographing instruction, and the recording control means The captured image and the processed image can be recorded on the recording medium.

[0016] Thus, for photographing while looking through the electronic viewfinder, a normal photographed image acquisition that matches the second release timing and a photographed image acquisition that compensates for the aforementioned photographing timing deviation of the second release timing are selectively used. it can.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an electronic camera according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a light beam from a subject enters a CCD 12 through a lens system 11,
Electric charges are accumulated in each element of the CCD 12.

The CCD 12 is connected to an imaging process unit 13. The imaging process unit 13 controls the CCD 1
2 is converted into a signal as an image. Here, the data read timing from the CCD 12 is generated by the timing generator 15. It is also possible to change the number of read pixels by controlling the read timing. Reference numeral 16 denotes an automatic iris (AE) and automatic focus (AF) unit (hereinafter, referred to as an AEAF unit) for controlling the lens system, and receives a control signal from a system controller 300 described later.

The output from the imaging process unit 13 is as follows:
The digital signal is converted into a digital signal by an analog-to-digital (A / D) converter 14,
01, the data is stored in a work area 201 of a memory 200 composed of a DRAM (a random write / read memory that requires a memory holding operation).

The photographing processor 100 includes an interface 10 with the A / D converter 14 on the data bus 101.
2. The image processing unit 103, the compression / decompression unit 104, the recording / reproducing interface 105, and the display control unit 106 are connected, and a control unit 107 for controlling the photographing process and the recording / reproducing process is provided.

The data bus 101 is also connected to the memory 200 and the system controller 300 via an interface (not shown).

The image stored in the work area 201 of the memory 200 is subjected to picture creation by the image processing unit 103, and is further compressed by the compression / decompression unit 104 (for example, J
(Compression processing by the PEG method) and stored in the captured image holding area 202 in the memory. This holding area 202
Is for temporarily storing an image after compression, and is configured to be able to record n images. This recordable number is
It depends on the image quality determined by the number of pixels and the compression ratio. In this area, the latest image is sequentially overwritten on the oldest image.

The image recorded in the photographed image holding area 202 is stored as it is via a recording / reproducing interface 105 in a removable memory card 400 using a flash memory. As the memory card 400, another recording medium such as a magneto-optical disk or a magnetic disk may be used.

The image recorded on the memory card 400 is
According to the operation of the operation key 502, the data can be read out from the memory card 400 via the recording / reproducing interface 105 and displayed. At this time, the read image is temporarily stored in the work area 201 of the memory 200, is decompressed by the compression / decompression unit 104, and is further displayed by the display control unit 106 on the display liquid crystal panel (TFT panel) 6 on the rear of the camera.
00 and then displayed and output.

The image processing unit 103 performs color matrix processing, white balance processing, color processing, gamma correction, sharpness adjustment, and the like.

The image processing unit 103 performs moving image processing on the input image and provides the image to the EVF liquid crystal panel 132 via the display control unit 131 as an image for EVF. There are two types of processing of this EVF display image.

First, a case where a through image read out by the timing generator 15 as an image for EVF from the beginning is processed as it is for an image for EVF display (normal EVF), and This is a case where an image once held in the shot image holding area 202 as a shot image is converted into an image for EVF display and output (preceding recording EVF). In the latter case (preceding recording EVF), it is necessary to perform an image thinning process or the like.

The compression / decompression unit 104 executes a compression process at a compression rate corresponding to the designated image quality. The image quality is determined by the number of pixels of the read image determined by the timing generator 15 and the compression ratio by the compression / expansion unit 104.

The EVF liquid crystal panel 132 is a viewing-type EVF display liquid crystal provided in the camera. This E
The VF (electronic viewfinder) is provided instead of the OVF (optical viewfinder). The display liquid crystal panel 600 is a large liquid crystal provided on the back of the camera. Each of the liquid crystal panels 132 and 600 has an attachment position, a size, and a main purpose of use, but both can display an EVF or a recorded image.

AE / AF connected to data bus 101
The processing unit 130 monitors the state of the fetched signal to generate iris control information and focus control information.
The data is taken into the E / AF control unit 301. The AE / AF control unit 301 performs aperture control for exposure and focus lens control for focusing based on the control information, and also notifies the end of exposure and the end of focusing by a preceding shooting notification unit 302.
Notify.

When the image signal from the CCD 12 is read with a small number of pixels, the timing generator 15
The timing is generated such that the lines are skipped and read out corresponding to the number of pixels without reading out all 12 lines. In addition, the number of pixels in the vertical direction does not decrease even if the skip reading is performed.
Is performed to reduce the number of pixels by performing averaging. Therefore, the image quality control is performed by the timing generator 15,
This is realized by controlling the image processing unit 103 and the compression / decompression unit 104.

The control unit 107 includes a timing generator 15,
Imaging process unit 13, A / D converter 14, image processing unit 1
03, the memory 200, the compression / decompression unit 104, and the like are controlled to manage the entire photographing process.

The memory 200, the compression / decompression unit 104,
Recording / playback interface 105, display control unit 106
And the like to control the recording and reproduction processing of the image. Further, not only normal single shooting and continuous shooting, but also preceding mode shooting (preceding continuous shooting) is realized.

Also, in this apparatus, the control unit 107
An F control unit 134 is provided, and the EVF control unit 134 will be further described later. In this apparatus, the system controller 300 is provided with a header generation unit 331 and a preceding recording EVF setting unit 332, which will also be described later.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a photographing operation.
FIG. 7A shows the time of preceding continuous shooting, and FIG. 7B shows the time of normal continuous shooting.

In the preceding continuous shooting of the camera of the present invention, when focusing by the first (1st) release is completed, image recording to the memory 200 is started regardless of the presence or absence of the second (2nd) release, and image processing and image compression are performed. There is a mode (photographing preparation operation before the start of photographing) in which images for which photographing has been completed are sequentially stored in the photographed image holding area 201. When the captured image holding area 202 can hold n images, the first image, the second image,..., The n-th image are sequentially stored, and when the n-th image is reached, the image returns to the first image (the first image). ), And the image holding is continued.

When a second release (shooting instruction) is made in such a state, an image corresponding to the second release is set as a reference image, and the set number of pre-frames (recording starting from the reference image is started. The number of frames to determine the previous image is used as the recording start image and the memory card 4
Image recording to 00 is started. Therefore, the recording start image is an image photographed a number of pre-frames earlier than the time of the second release. The maximum number of continuous shots is n, and the recording start image is x in the captured image holding area 202.
If it is the first image, the images from the x-th image to the (x−1) -th image are stored in the memory card 400 when the maximum continuous shooting is performed.

In FIG. 2, the photographed image holding area 202
5 shows a case where five images can be secured. In this example, if there is a second release, a reference image (a captured image corresponding to the timing of the second release) (+ -0)
3 shows an example in which one preceding image is set to be recorded on the memory card 400.

(A1) of FIG. 2A shows that when there is a first release, there is an automatic focus control period,
Exposure and data reading are repeated. Also, (a2) of FIG.
5 shows the timing of writing an image to the memory. As can be seen from this timing chart, three images were taken prior to the second release, and the fourth, fifth, first (second), and second images were taken after the second release was performed. (Second) images are sequentially captured. In this example, one image preceding the reference image (+ -0) is stored in the memory card 40.
0, so that the image actually recorded on the memory card 400 is (a) in FIG.
As shown in 3), the preceding third image (−1), the reference image (fourth image (+ −0)), and the fifth image (+
1) The first image (second time),...
One image will be recorded. That is, the maximum number of continuous shots n = 5 and the number of pre-frames = 1, and at this time, the recording start image is -1 frame. The reference image is ± 0 frames,
After that, it becomes +1, +2 frames.

In the normal continuous shooting or single shooting shown in FIG. 2B, the image recording is not started even after focusing after the first release, and the image recording is started only after the second release. ing. (B1) of FIG.
This shows a situation where exposure of D and reading of data are repeated. Also, (b2) of FIG.
The timing of writing the image to 0 is shown. FIG.
(B3) of (B) shows the recording timing to the memory card 400.

The control unit 107 in the photographing processor 100 of FIG. 1 includes a preceding photographing control unit 111, a preceding recording control unit 112, and an EFV control unit 134.

Upon receiving from the system controller 300 a setting command for the preceding continuous shooting, information on the number of pre-frames and the presence or absence of image quality change control, the preceding shooting control unit 111 sets the shooting mode to the preceding shooting, and performs a release operation or Responsible for a series of shooting controls until a shot image is temporarily stored in the shot image holding area 202 in accordance with the in-focus state. More specifically, when receiving a photometry end signal and a focused signal after the first release from the system controller 300, the control unit outputs a control signal to the timing generator 15 so as to start image capture under the same shooting conditions as the main shooting. Yes (preceding shooting start). Further, the preceding photographing control unit 11 controls the image processing unit 103 and the compression / expansion unit 104 to store the photographed image in the photographed image holding area 202 of the memory 200.

Regarding the photometry end signal received by the control unit 107 from the system controller 300, in the case of the type in which the photometry is locked in the spot photometry mode, the exposure is completed before the first release (the exposure end signal is received). Already). In the case of the type in which the automatic exposure (AE) is performed in response to the first release, the system controller 3 is activated after the first release is performed.
A photometry end signal is received from 00.

The preceding photographing control unit 111 terminates the image holding operation when the second release ends or when the image storage in the photographed image holding area 202 reaches the limit. The storage limit in the captured image holding area 202 is determined based on the reference image corresponding to the start of the second release, the recording start image determined by the set number of pre-frames, and the number of continuous shots.

When the preceding recording control unit 112 receives a setting command for preceding continuous shooting from the system controller 300, the preceding recording control unit 112 sets the shooting mode to the preceding shooting similarly to the preceding shooting control unit 111. Then, it takes charge of control for recording the image temporarily stored in the captured image holding area 202 by the continuous shooting in the memory card 400. Specifically, when the recording start image is determined by the second release at the time of the preceding continuous shooting, the information held in the start image is received from the preceding shooting control unit 111. Then, the memory 200 and the recording / reproducing interface 105 are controlled to sequentially record the images from the recording start image as a start until the preceding continuous shooting ends on the memory card 400.

The EVF control unit 134 controls the image processing unit 103
The two types of EVF described above are realized by controlling the display control unit 131 and the like. Note that the above-described mechanism of the preceding recording is used for realizing the preceding recording EVF. That is, when the preceding recording EVF is set, an image equivalent to the main shooting is continuously held in the shot image holding area 202 corresponding to the first release. Then, EVF display is realized based on the held image.

FIG. 3 shows the flow of processing of normal EVF and preceding recording EVF. The differences between the two are listed below.

1) At the time of reading from the CCD 12, in the normal EVF, thinning-out reading is performed from the beginning so as to be suitable for video display (640 × 400 pixels), and through image processing is performed as it is (not through the captured image holding area 200).
Then, the EVF is displayed. That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, exposure (step a1) and CD output (step a1)
2), A / D conversion (step a3), image processing (for display) (step a4), and EVF output (step a5). In this case, the image processing for display (step a4) and the recording and holding processing in the captured image holding area 200 (step a4 ') are performed in parallel. However, it may or may not be recorded.

2) On the other hand, in the preceding recording EVF, an image read out as a photographed image with the image quality designated for photographing is temporarily stored in the photographed image holding area 200, and the recorded image is subjected to a thinning process or the like. And converted into an image for video display. That is, exposure (step b1), CCD output (step b2), A / D conversion (step b3), image processing (for recording) (step b4), storage in the memory 200 (step b5), image processing (for display) ) (Step b6) and EVE output (step b7).

In the above description, the photographed image holding area 2
Since the image data is held at 00 after the image is compressed, it is necessary to temporarily expand the image in order to use it for EVF (FIG. 3).
(Omitted in (B)). However, as a modified example, the image data is held in the captured image holding area 200 without being compressed and used for EVF.
You may make it compress at the time of card recording.

3) In the normal EVF and the preceding recording EVF,
Since there is the above difference between the images as the base images for the EVF, the photographing operation in response to the photographing command (second release) by the photographer is different.

Since a normal EVF does not acquire an image for photography in the first place, it is necessary to perform the processes of exposure, CCD reading,... Again under specified conditions. Therefore, an image delayed by at least two frames from the second release due to a shift in the EVF display processing and the exposure timing (a delay of one frame due to reading of the EVF image, a delay of one frame due to the fact that only the next cycle after the second release can be taken) ) Is taken.

On the other hand, in the pre-recording EVF, an image that can be recorded on a card is already stored in the photographed image holding area, so the stored image corresponding to the second release is recorded on the card as it is. Therefore, there is no hardware timing delay (see FIG. 4). However,
There is a slight time delay between the real world and the EVF world.

FIG. 4A shows actual scenes S1, S2 and S2.
The time lapse of S3,... Is shown. FIG. 4 (B) shows the CC
This is the operation of D, which shows the exposure period and the readout period. FIG. 4C illustrates a scene when a normal EVF display is performed. FIG. 4D shows the relationship between the timing at which the second release is performed and the scene actually shot and recorded on the memory card 400 when the user looking through the electronic viewfinder sees the target scene. Is shown. In this example, the user sets scene S
Even if the second release is performed while looking at 2, the recorded scene is the scene S4.

However, as shown in FIG. 4 (E) and FIG. 4 (F), in the case of the prerecorded EVF according to the present invention, when the user performs a second release while aiming at the scene S2, the photographed image of the scene S2 is stored in the memory. This will be recorded on the card 400.

The system controller 300 controls each part (AE / AF mechanism, photographing processor, etc.) in the camera. Various operation buttons (release button 50)
1, various operation inputs from the operation keys 502, the confirmation button 503, etc.), and causes the respective units to execute control according to the inputs. Further, various information such as a shooting mode and conditions, the number of remaining shootable images, and the like are displayed on a control panel (not shown).

Further, the system controller 300
An AE / AF control unit 301, a preceding shooting notification unit 302,
Header generation unit 331 and preceding recording EVF setting unit 332
And a frame division calculator (not shown).

The AE / AF control unit 301 performs aperture control for exposure and focus lens control for focusing based on the output of the A / D converter 14, and notifies the end of exposure and the end of focusing. The preceding shooting notification unit 302 is notified.

The preceding shooting notification unit 302 accepts the setting of the preceding shooting mode in response to the operation of the operation key 502 and the enter button 503 for specifying the items displayed on the menu screen of the display liquid crystal panel 600. Then, the photographing processor 10 issues a setting command to the preceding photographing mode, the number of pre-frames at that time, and an instruction as to whether or not to perform image quality control preceding continuous photographing.
0 is notified to the control unit 107. Advance shooting notification unit 302
Causes the frame division calculator to calculate the number of pre-frames depending on the setting type. When the image quality is changed, the pre-frame number is recalculated by the frame division calculating unit based on the maximum number of continuous shots corresponding to the image quality, and the new pre-frame number is calculated by the control unit 10.
Notify 7.

The preceding shooting notifying section 302 notifies the control section 107 of the first (1st) release, the second (2nd) release, the end of exposure, and the end of focusing in order to take the timing of the preceding continuous shooting.

The frame allocation calculation unit includes a preceding shooting notification unit 302
Calculates the number of pre-frames at the request of

The preceding recording EVF setting section 332 operates the normal EVF mode and the preceding recording EVF mode described above on the menu screen displayed on the (display) liquid crystal panel 600 by an operation using the operation keys and the enter button. Is received, and the setting contents are notified to the control unit 107.

The operation keys 502 are used to perform various kinds of operation inputs, and are configured such that, for example, cross-shaped input keys can be used to move the cursor left, right, up, and down. In various operations, a function is selected by a cursor from an item on a menu screen displayed on the image display liquid crystal panel 600 by an operation key 502, and the function is selected and confirmed by an enter button 503. The photographing is executed by pressing the release button.

[Operation] Next, important operations in the electronic camera of the present invention will be described.

The present invention is applied to all of single shooting, normal continuous shooting, and preceding continuous shooting (TM continuous shooting). FIG. 2 shows the operation timing realized by the preceding continuous shooting. In FIG. 3, the normal EVF mode and the preceding recording E
The difference in the signal processing process from the VF mode is shown. FIG. 4
In the above, the difference between the acquired image after the second release between the normal EVF mode and the preceding recording EVF mode has been described.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation when the preceding continuous shooting mode is designated and the preceding continuous shooting is performed. When the first release is performed and the exposure and focusing are completed, the preceding shooting and recording are started (steps A1, A2, A3, A4). Then, photographing of the image (pre-frame) before the reference image and recording in the memory 200 are executed (step A5). Next, it is determined whether or not the preceding recording EVF is set (step A6). If the setting is made, the operation is switched to the operation based on the preceding recording EVF (for the electronic viewfinder, the operation is temporarily stored in the memory 200). The displayed image is displayed on the electronic viewfinder via the display control unit 131) (step A7).

Next, it is determined whether or not the second release has been performed (step A8). If the second release has been performed, the memory card 400 starts with the image (recording start image) that is the set number of pre-frames earlier than the reference image. Is started (step A9). Then, the photographing of the image after the reference image and the recording in the memory 200 are executed (step A10), and the photographing and holding area 2 is stored in the image after the recording start image.
It is determined whether or not 02 is full (n sheets) (step A11). If not,
It is determined whether or not the release button has been released (step A12). If the release button has been released, and if the release button has been released, the process proceeds to step A13 to switch from the preceding recording EVF mode to the normal EVF mode. Switch. If the release button has not been released in step A12, the process returns to step A10, and shooting of images after the reference image and recording in the memory 200 are continued.

After step A13, it is determined whether or not the images subsequent to the recording start image have been recorded on the memory card 400 (step A14).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation when the normal continuous shooting or single shooting mode is designated and normal continuous shooting or single shooting is performed.

When the first release is performed and the exposure and focusing are completed (steps B1, B2, B3), it is determined whether or not the preceding recording EVF is set (step B4). When the preceding recording EVF is set, the preceding photographing and recording are started and executed as described above (steps B5 and B6).

However, if the preceding recording EVF has not been set, the process proceeds to step B7, where it is determined whether or not the second release has been performed (step B7). Shooting or normal continuous shooting (continuous shooting) is executed (step B).
8). Next, it is determined whether or not the state is the pre-recording EFV (step B9). If not, the image is recorded on the memory card 400 (step B11).

However, if the state of the preceding recording EFV is set in step B9, the mode is switched from the preceding recording EFV to the normal EVF, and the image is stored in the memory card 400 (step B11).

As described above, the present invention is applied to all of single shooting, normal continuous shooting, and preceding continuous shooting.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

When the preceding recording EVF is executed as described above, there is no hardware time lag between the image when the second release is performed by the photographer's visual recognition and the image that is actually recorded. In addition, in the case of a device in which shooting and recording are executed in any combination of the preceding recording EVF and the normal EVF, the power consumption can be prevented by appropriately using the normal EVF because the power consumption is relatively small. it can.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A shows that an A / D conversion output is held in a memory (image holding area 200) before image processing for medium recording. In this case, the speed of the EVF display can be increased, and unnecessary image processing does not need to be performed. However, in order to hold many images before compression, a large memory 200 is required. Required.

That is, in the example of FIG. 3B, exposure (step b1), CCD output (step b2), A / D conversion (step b3), image processing (for recording) (step b)
4), storage in the memory 200 (step b5), image processing (for display) (step b6), and EVE output (step b7). However, in the processing process of FIG. 7A, since the image processing for recording (actually, the image compression processing) in step b4 is omitted, the uncompressed image is displayed through the memory c4 in the image processing step for display ( c5)
Will be forwarded to As a result, the speed of the EVF display can be increased. However, when it is time to record data on the memory card 400, image processing for recording is performed in step c7 and the data is transferred to the memory card 400.

That is, in the embodiment of FIG. 7A, exposure (step c1), CCD output (step c2), A
/ D conversion (step c3), storage in the memory 200 (step c4), image processing (for display) (step c5),
This is processed in the process of EVE output (step c6).

In the processing step of FIG. 7B, image processing for EVF and image processing for medium recording are performed in parallel. In this case, the EVF display can be made extremely fast, and a smooth finder display can be made. However, the load on the signal processor increases.

That is, exposure (step d1), CCD
Output (step d2), A / D conversion (step d3),
Steps of image processing (for display) (step d4) and EVE output (step d5), steps of image processing (for recording) (step d6) branching from step d3, and steps of image recording to memory 200 (step d7) Exists.

The operation of the first release and the second release is an operation performed by the photographer conscious of the execution of the photographing for a specific subject, but the operation of the photographing preparation referred to in the claims is limited to such a case. I can't. For example, a case where a finger sensor is provided near the release and the photographing preparation operation is started by detection of the finger sensor irrespective of the photographer's intention of photographing is also included. Further, for example, the above-described shooting preparation operation may be performed when the power of the camera is turned on. The shooting preparation operation includes a focusing operation and an exposure operation.

In the embodiment, the number of pixels of an image is determined by the CCD reading timing based on the timing generator 15, but the invention is not limited to this case. For example, C
All pixels are read from the CD, and the image processing unit performs an averaging operation on all the pixels read data later, so that the number of pixels becomes equal to the number of pixels corresponding to the designated image quality (SQ, HQ, SHQ, etc.). A conversion may be performed.

In the embodiment, the preceding photographing mode is described for continuous photographing, but the preceding photographing is not limited to continuous photographing. For example, it can be applied to blanket photography and the like.

[0086]

As described above, according to the electronic camera of the present invention, it is possible to compensate for the delay in the photographing process and the recording timing caused by the photographer's photographing instruction operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart shown for explaining a basic operation of the electronic camera of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a process of providing an image to an electronic viewfinder of the electronic camera of the present invention by comparing a normal EVF mode with a preceding recording EVF mode;

FIG. 4 is a timing chart for explaining an example of a photographing operation of the electronic camera of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a shooting operation of the electronic camera of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another example of the photographing operation of the electronic camera of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining another example of a process of providing an image to an electronic viewfinder of the electronic camera of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 lens system, 12 CCD, 13 imaging process unit, 14 A / D converter, 15 timing generator, 1
Reference numeral 6: automatic iris automatic focus unit, 100: photographing processor, 101: data bus, 102: interface, 103: image processing unit, 104: compression / decompression unit, 1
05: Recording / playback interface, 106: Display control unit, 107: Control unit, 111: Preceding photographing control unit, 112
... preceding recording control unit, 200 memory, 201 working area, 202 photographed image holding area, 300 system controller, 301 AE / AF control unit, 302 preceding recording notification unit, 400 memory card, 501 release Button, 502: operation key, 503: confirm button, 600
... Display liquid crystal panel, 131 ... Display control unit, 132 ... E
VF liquid crystal panel, 134: EVF control section, 332: preceding recording EVF setting section.

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (Reference) H04N 5/781 H04N 5/781 510D 5/907

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An electronic camera using a semiconductor image pickup device in which a shooting preparation operation is started by a predetermined operation and a shot image is recorded at least in response to a shooting instruction after the start of the shooting preparation operation. An image holding unit capable of holding a plurality of images picked up by an image sensor; and causing the image holding unit to start continuous image capture after completion of the shooting preparation operation and before the shooting instruction. An electronic viewfinder display for displaying and outputting, as a finder image, a display image created based on the image captured by the imaging control means; and an electronic viewfinder when receiving the imaging instruction. An image captured at the same timing as the finder image displayed and output by the display means is stored in the image holding unit. Electronic camera characterized by comprising a recording control means for recording the taken out recording medium. 2. An image processing means for performing image processing on a captured image, wherein the photographing control means causes the image processing means to process the captured image and causes the image holding unit to hold the processed image. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein 3. The photographing control unit, when the photographing instruction is a continuous photographing instruction, performs continuous photographing by continuing continuous image capturing and image processing and holding operation in the image holding unit. The recording control unit, when the shooting instruction is a continuous shooting instruction, performs continuous shooting recording using an image displayed and output by the electronic viewfinder display unit as a leading image. The electronic camera according to claim 1. 4. When the image recorded on the recording medium in response to the photographing instruction is set as a reference image, the recording control unit sets the image held in the image holding unit before the reference image. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the electronic camera is also recorded on the recording medium. 5. The photographing control means controls to overwrite a latest photographed image with an oldest photographed image when there is no free space for photographed image storage in the image holding unit. Item 5. An electronic camera according to any one of Items 1 to 4. 6. The electronic viewfinder display means,
A first display image created by directly processing an image captured by the semiconductor image sensor for finder display, and a second display image created based on the image-processed image held in the image holding unit. And displaying one of the preset images as a finder image, and when the shooting instruction is issued in response to the first display image, the shooting control means After the photographing instruction, the image capturing and image processing are started so that the image can be recorded on the recording medium, and the recording control unit records the image captured and image-processed image on the recording medium after the photographing instruction. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein: