JP2002262152A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic camera that decreases number of buttons without sacrificing the user-friendliness of a photographer and realizes downsizing and a low cost. SOLUTION: Functions frequently used are assigned to four buttons of a cross key button used for the selection of setting contents in a menu mode. When a user depresses an upper button 41, a macro setting menu is displayed on a liquid crystal display monitor 11 and the setting contents are revised by depressing a menu display/OK button 9 after selecting the setting contents by a right button 43/a left button 44.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an electronic camera for recording a photographed image on a recording medium such as a memory, and more particularly to a technique for setting a photographing condition and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, electronic cameras have become multifunctional, and are equipped with various photographing functions such as various operation modes of a flash, a macro mode, and a self-timer.
At the time of photographing, photographing conditions must be set for each function. For example, taking a flash as an example, in addition to an auto mode that automatically emits light when the brightness of the subject is insufficient, there are a forced light emission mode, a red-eye reduction mode, and the like. An appropriate mode is selected from these. For this reason, a general electronic camera is required to perform these settings as photographing conditions at the time of photographing as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-128701.
A setting button is provided for each setting content.

[0003]

If an electronic camera is provided with a dedicated button for performing various settings and displaying necessary information, it is convenient in terms of usability, but a dedicated button is provided for each setting. If the camera has a setting button, the content to be set as the shooting conditions will be the flash mode,
There are many such as continuous shooting, self-timer, macro shooting, exposure compensation, etc.If dedicated setting switches were provided for each of these functions, the number of buttons would be too large and complicated, and unless there were many buttons This is a major obstacle to downsizing the camera.

As a countermeasure against this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
Japanese Patent No. 284884 proposes a method in which a mode switch is provided, and a desired setting content is selected from a plurality of setting contents displayed on a screen when the mode switch is on. However, in this method, changing frequently used settings also requires many button operations, thus sacrificing usability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic camera which can be reduced in size and cost without sacrificing usability.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, an electronic camera according to the present invention includes a mode button, a setting button, and control means. When the mode button is turned on, it enters a mode for starting to change the settings.

The setting button is composed of a plurality of buttons, and is used to change the contents of the setting in the mode. The control means changes one of the setting contents by operating the setting button when a specific button of the plurality of buttons constituting the setting button is pressed in a state not in the mode. Make it possible.

According to this configuration, when the setting button used for changing the setting contents in the mode is operated other than in the mode, one of the setting contents can be changed. Frequent setting changes can be made with good operability. Further, a configuration may be further provided that further includes an imaging unit that photoelectrically converts and captures an image of the subject, and a display unit that can display the subject imaged by the imaging unit as an image and can display a setting screen of a shooting condition.

In this case, the control means causes the display means to display a setting screen for changing one of the setting contents when the specific button is pressed in a state not in the mode. According to this configuration, the photographer can change the setting content by operating the setting button while watching the setting screen displayed on the display means.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an overview of an electronic camera embodying the present invention.
(B) shows the appearance when the lens barrier provided on the front of the electronic camera is opened, (c) shows the back of the electronic camera, and (d) shows the cross key button portion.

The lens barrier 1 is provided to protect the lens 3 and the like when the electronic camera is not used (when not in use). When the electronic camera is not used, as shown in FIG. When the electronic camera is used (when the electronic camera is used), the lens barrier 1 is opened and the lens is opened as shown in FIG. 3 etc. are exposed to the outside. Further, in this electronic camera, the lens barrier 1 also functions as a power switch of the electronic camera, and the power of the electronic camera is turned on while the lens barrier 1 is open as shown in FIG. ing.

When the release button 2 is depressed, a photographing process for an image formed at that time on an image sensor described later is performed. In the electronic camera shown in the figure, the release button 2 is a two-stage type. When the release button 2 is half-pressed (1st release), AF (Auto Focus) processing is performed, and when the release button 2 is fully pressed (2nd release), the image is taken. As an instruction, a subject image is photographed, and the photographed image is stored in a recording medium.

The lens 3 forms a subject image on an image sensor. The flash 4 illuminates the subject when the exposure amount is insufficient. The finder window 5 is a window for viewing the subject from the finder 7. Self-timer lamp 6
Is a lamp for notifying the subject of the shooting timing at the time of so-called self-timer shooting.

A finder 7 is an optical finder for observing a subject image to be photographed by a photographer.
Note that an LED for warning the remaining battery level is provided next to the finder 7.
A lamp 31 is provided.
The ED lamp 31 may be turned on to warn the photographer who is looking through the viewfinder 7 with a display on the liquid crystal monitor 11.

When the liquid crystal monitor button 8 is pressed, the electronic camera performs an operation of switching display / non-display of the liquid crystal monitor 11 and a reproduction mode (displaying a captured image on the liquid crystal monitor 11). Mode) is switched on and off. Here, if the liquid crystal monitor button is pressed while the lens barrier 1 is closed, the power of the electronic camera is turned on regardless of the closed state of the lens barrier 1 and the operation in the playback mode is performed. Done.

A menu display / OK button 9 is used to display a menu screen on the liquid crystal monitor 11 for instructing the electronic camera to change various photographing conditions as described above, and to enter a menu mode. A push operation is performed to give an instruction to confirm the change setting of the imaging condition made according to the instruction on the menu screen.

The cross key button 10 comprises four buttons, an upper button 41, a lower button 42, a right button 43 and a left button 44.
Is pressed to give an instruction to change various shooting conditions when displayed in, an instruction to switch the playback image in the playback mode, and an instruction to change the magnification when using the digital zoom function. When the cross key button 10 is pressed when the menu screen is not displayed, the display of the number of recordable images and the like is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 as described later.
Do on top.

In the electronic camera according to the present embodiment, buttons used for setting photographing conditions are grouped into three buttons: a liquid crystal monitor button 8, a menu display / OK button 9, and a cross key button 10 provided on the exterior surface of the camera. By operating only these, it is possible to display status information such as the remaining amount of the battery and the number of shootable images, and to set or change the shooting conditions, as described later. Therefore, unlike a general electronic camera, it is not necessary to provide a large number of buttons, so that downsizing and cost reduction can be realized.

The liquid crystal monitor 11 is a color display member.
In the photographing mode (operation mode in which the subject is photographed by the camera), an image of the subject formed on the image sensor is displayed according to an instruction from the photographer, and in the reproduction mode, an image that has been photographed is displayed. . Further, when the electronic camera is turned on or when the photographing condition is changed, information indicating the setting state of the electronic camera is displayed for a predetermined time. Further, the electronic camera according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which information conventionally displayed on the control panel, such as the state of the battery and the number of shootable images, is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 as described later, thereby eliminating the control panel. .

FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of the electronic camera shown in FIG. In the figure, components corresponding to those shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the figure, an imaging processing unit 14, an image processing unit 15, an SDRAM 1
6, JPEG processing unit 17, SSFDC18, main CP
U19, flash memory 20, and LCD driver 21
Are connected to the bus 26, and can exchange data with each other via the bus 26.

The barrier sensor 12 detects whether the lens barrier 1 is open or closed. The imaging device 13 is, for example, a CCD (Char
ge Coupled Device), which photoelectrically converts a subject image formed on the image sensor 13 by the action of the lens 3 and outputs an electric signal representing the image.

The imaging processing unit 14 controls the driving of the imaging device 13 and also reduces the noise component of the electrical signal output from the imaging device 13 by a CDS (Correl.
It performs processes such as ated Double Sampling, AGC (Automatic Gain Control) for stabilizing a signal level, and AD (Analog-Digital) conversion for converting an electric signal as an analog signal into image data as digital data.

The image processing unit 15 is represented by such image data when displaying or recording image data output from the imaging processing unit 14 or reproducing and displaying image data recorded on the SSFDC 18. Image processing such as correcting the lightness / darkness / saturation / hue of the displayed image.

SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM) 16
Is a buffer for temporarily saving the image data being processed in the image data compression / expansion processing by the JPEG processing unit 17, as a buffer for saving the image data before storing it in the SSFDC 18, or for executing the control processing by the main CPU 19. Memory used as a work area for such purposes.

The JPEG processing unit 17 is a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) for recording image data stored in the SDRAM 16 in the SSFDC 18.
A data compression process based on the JPEG system and an image compression data decompression process for displaying image data that has already been subjected to the JPEG system and recorded in the SSFDC 18 are performed.

SSFDC (Solid State Floppy Disk Ca)
The rd) 18 is one of so-called IC memory cards, and is used as a recording medium for recording image data.
The SSFDC 18 is detachable from the electronic camera, and is connected to the bus 26 when mounted on the electronic camera. It should be noted that, instead of the SSFDC 18, an IC memory card or a non-volatile storage medium of another standard may be configured to be used in the electronic camera.

The main CPU 19 is a central processing unit, and controls the operation of the entire electronic camera by executing a control program stored in the flash memory 20 in advance. The flash memory 20 is an electrically rewritable ROM, in which a control program executed by the main CPU 19 and default settings of shooting conditions in the electronic camera are recorded in advance when the electronic camera is manufactured.

The LCD driver 21 drives the liquid crystal monitor 11 and causes the liquid crystal monitor 11 to display an image represented by the image data processed by the image processing unit 15. The sub CPU 22 executes a control program stored in advance in a ROM area of a storage unit of the sub CPU 22 itself, thereby detecting the open / closed state of the lens barrier 1 by the barrier sensor 12 and the input instruction unit 23.
Control of the power supply operation performed by the power supply unit 25 to each unit of the electronic camera in accordance with the operation result to the electronic camera, detection of the content of the instruction operation to the input instruction unit 23, notification of the detection result to the main CPU 19, And a process for realizing a clock function (including a calendar function) is performed. Further, the contents of the change from the default setting based on the instruction from the photographer regarding the photographing conditions of the electronic camera are stored in the RAM area of the storage unit of the sub CPU 22 itself.

The input instruction section 23 is a general term for the release button 2, the liquid crystal monitor button 8, the menu display / OK button 9, and the cross key button 10 in FIG.
2, the pressing operation of these buttons is detected. The battery 24 is a battery or a primary battery serving as a power supply source of power consumed by each unit of the electronic camera.

The power supply unit 25 converts the output voltage of the battery 24 into an appropriate voltage, and supplies power to each unit of the electronic camera as needed under the control of the sub CPU 22. The supply of power to the sub CPU 22 by the power supply unit 25 is continued without following the control for stopping the operation of supplying power to each unit of the electronic camera. Therefore, even if an operation such as turning off the power of the electronic camera is performed, the storage content of the storage unit of the sub CPU 22 (the content of the change from the default setting of the shooting condition) is retained, and the sub CPU 22 performs the control processing. Continue executing Therefore, even if the power of the electronic camera is off, the sub CPU 22 can receive an instruction to turn on the power based on the operation of the lens barrier 1 and the input instruction unit 23, and can continue processing related to the clock function.

The electronic camera of the present embodiment is configured as described above. The electronic camera according to the present embodiment is configured to include only the liquid crystal monitor 11 as a display member, and skillfully uses the liquid crystal monitor 11 to display the status of the camera such as the battery status and the number of recordable images displayed on the control panel. By displaying the image, power saving and downsizing can be realized without impairing usability by the photographer. In a general electronic camera, a control panel for displaying status information is always in a display state. Therefore, even if the power consumption of an LCD panel constituting the control panel is small, a large power saving effect can be obtained by eliminating the power consumption. In addition, the elimination of the LCD panel significantly reduces the space for the LCD panel itself, as well as its mounting wiring, connectors, drivers, and the like, thereby contributing to downsizing of the camera.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11. In the electronic camera of the present embodiment,
The number of images that can be shot and the battery 2
Information displayed on the control panel, such as the remaining amount of 4, is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11. Note that the information displayed on the figure is an example, and the information actually displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 and the display format thereof are based on the use of the electronic camera to which the present invention is applied, the functions provided, and the like. Appropriate information is displayed in an appropriate form. In the electronic camera of the present embodiment, the liquid crystal monitor 11 is in a non-display state (the photographing target is the liquid crystal monitor 11).
(Not displayed above), such information is not always displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11, but when the power is turned on, when setting conditions are changed, or when an abnormal state such as a remaining amount warning, For a short time (for example, 5 seconds) when a warning is issued to the photographer or when the photographer performs an operation of displaying information in order to confirm shooting conditions and camera status information.
Is displayed. Thereby, the power consumed by the information display can be minimized.

FIG. 3 is a display showing the remaining amount of discharge of the battery 24, and the remaining amount is indicated by the painted area of the battery. Also, as described below,
When the remaining battery power is reduced to a state where shooting is not possible, a warning of the remaining battery level and shooting data are given to the photographer.
A warning is displayed on the DC 18 notifying that the recording has not been performed.

The SQ / HQ / SHQ and the currently set image data representing the photographed subject image
The expression “SQ” expresses the setting of the image quality of the image data when the image data is recorded on the DC 18.
The image quality obtained by applying 1/8 data compression processing to a resolution equivalent to GA (640 pixels × 480 dots), “HQ” and “SHQ” are 1280 pixels × 960 dots, and “HQ” is 1 / “SHQ” of No. 8 indicates that recording is performed with an image quality subjected to ３ data compression processing.

Indicates a calculated value of the number of recordable images when image data is recorded in the SSFDC 18 with the image quality represented by. Is a display indicating the operation mode of the flash 4. The operation mode of the flash 4 includes, for example, an “auto” mode in which the main CPU 19 determines whether or not to emit the flash 4 based on, for example, a setting state of shooting conditions and an electric signal output from the image sensor 13, "Forced flash" mode, in which the flash 4 is fired regardless of brightness, conversely, "flash off" mode, in which the flash 4 is not fired regardless of the brightness of the subject image, several pre-flashes just before the flash 4 is fired A "red-eye reduction" mode that suppresses the so-called red-eye phenomenon in which the light of the flash reflects on the blood vessels of the eyes and causes the pupil to appear red, and a "night view" mode in which the shutter is opened for a certain time without emitting the flash 4 Etc.

A macro mode, that is, a display indicating a photographing mode for photographing a subject at a position near the electronic camera, indicates that the electronic camera is set to the macro mode. Is shown. -1 indicates that the electronic camera is set to a mode called a drive mode. The drive mode is a mode for recording a moving image obtained by continuous shooting. Further, at the position where the display indicating the drive mode of -1 is displayed, the display indicated by -2 may be performed instead of the display of -1. This display is a so-called self-timer operation, that is, recording of image data representing a subject image formed on the image sensor 13 after a lapse of a predetermined time since the electronic camera issues a shooting instruction by pressing the release button 2. This indicates that the operation mode has been set.

Is a display indicating the setting state of the so-called white balance, and indicates that the electronic camera is set to a white balance suitable for shooting outdoors in fine weather. Is a display showing the exposure correction value set by the photographer with respect to the determined exposure value based on the automatic exposure function of the electronic camera.

Is a display showing the setting of the magnification of the digital zoom provided in the electronic camera. The digital zoom depends on where the picture of the slide knob is located between T (maximum magnification) and W (no zoom). Is displayed relatively. When the liquid crystal monitor 11 is in the non-display state in the shooting mode, the electronic camera according to the present embodiment can be used when the power is turned on, when the setting conditions are changed, or when the photographer is notified of the remaining amount of the battery or the like as described later. The status information is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 only when some abnormality occurs. At this time, the display is performed in a state where the liquid crystal monitor 11 consumes the least power.

The liquid crystal monitor 11 has a TFT (Then Film Tr)
ansistor) and STN (Synchronous Transport Module)
The display on the screen is controlled by controlling the transmission of the backlight with a shutter on a liquid crystal panel. However, the power consumption is determined by the driving state of the transistors constituting the shutter.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the color displayed as the background color on the liquid crystal panel and the current flowing at that time. The power consumption of the liquid crystal panel is minimized when all the transistors constituting the shutter are in a high impedance state, but the display color at that time differs depending on the configuration of the liquid crystal panel. In FIG. 4, when the background color is black (BK), the current flowing through the liquid crystal panel A is smaller and the power consumption is smaller. The liquid crystal panels B and C have dark gray (DG) and light gray (RG) as background colors, respectively.
In this case, the power consumption is the smallest.

The liquid crystal monitor 11 displaying which color has the lowest power consumption depends on the type of the liquid crystal panel and the liquid crystal panel manufacturing company. Is checked in advance by measurement or the like, and this color is used as the background color of the display screen at the time of warning or information display.

In the present embodiment, the notification of the remaining battery level of the battery 24 or the like is made by, as described above, the character or character whose content is to be notified on the background color when the power consumption of the liquid crystal monitor 11 becomes the minimum, in another color. To display and notify. As a display color for displaying the notification content, a color that is most luminous with respect to the background color described above is used. Regardless of the display color,
The power consumption of the liquid crystal monitor 11 has almost no effect. Therefore, as this color, a color whose display content is most noticeable with respect to the background color is selected.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a combination of a background color and a display color. In the figure, green is used as the display color of the display for displaying the notification content against the black background color for the liquid crystal panel A, and dark gray and light gray for the liquid crystal panels B and C. , Yellow and red are used as display colors. For this display, not only a display color that shines against the background is used, but also a display portion may be displayed in a more conspicuous outline or displayed in reverse (black display).
When a display including a plurality of notification contents is performed on one screen, different colors and display methods may be used for each notification content. In addition, information of particularly high importance, such as a remaining amount warning, may be displayed in a specially conspicuous color or method.

Next, the warning display of the remaining amount of the battery 24 in the electronic camera of the present embodiment will be described. In an electronic camera, a large amount of power is used for photographing and recording of photographed contents. Therefore, photographing cannot be performed when the remaining amount of a primary battery or a battery is low. In the conventional electronic camera, the remaining amount of the primary battery and the battery is always displayed on the control panel. However, since the electronic camera according to the present embodiment does not have the control panel, the remaining amount of the battery 24 during the release is replaced. A check is made, and a warning is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 when the remaining amount is not sufficient for shooting.

In the release of the electronic camera, the AF process is performed at the time of the first release, and the photographing is performed at the time of the second release.
The remaining amount of the battery 24 is checked.

The remaining amount of the battery 24 is checked by the sub CPU 2.
2 monitors the output voltage value of the power supply unit 25, and this is performed depending on whether the output voltage value is higher than the monitored voltage. For this reason, the remaining amount of the battery 24 cannot be accurately and quantitatively checked, and in a series of processes for photographing, the process of writing photographed image data to the SSFDC 18 is a process that consumes very much power. If the writing to the SSFDC 18 fails, there is a possibility that other image data already recorded in the medium may be destroyed. Therefore, the writing process must be completed without fail. A method of setting the monitoring voltage higher is also conceivable, but in this case, it becomes difficult to consider variations in the output voltage of each primary battery or battery. Therefore, in this embodiment, in addition to the start of shooting,
Before writing to the FDC 18, the remaining amount of the battery 24 is checked again. If the output voltage is lower than the monitor voltage, a warning is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 and writing to the SSFDC 18 is not performed.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the remaining amount warning process flow at the time of photographing. The processing in FIG. 3 is based on the assumption that the liquid crystal monitor 11 is set to the non-display state, and the main CPU is turned on when the power of the electronic camera is turned on.
19 is realized by executing a control program in the flash memory 20.

When the power is turned on and the camera enters the photographing mode, the electronic camera according to the present embodiment starts a key scan as to whether or not the release button 2 has been pressed (step S1, N). When a signal is inputted from the release button 2 and the first release is recognized (step S1, Y), the sub CPU 22 is instructed to check the output voltage of the power supply unit 25. (Step S2, NG), Step S1
1 and the liquid crystal monitor 11 is turned on, and FIG.
A display warning the remaining amount of the battery 24 as shown in FIG.
Is turned off, and the process returns to the key scan process of the release button 2 in step S1 without performing the photographing process. In the case where the LED lamp 31 for remaining amount warning is provided beside the finder 7, the LED lamp 31 is displayed together with the display on the liquid crystal monitor 11.
Lights up to the photographer. Also, this LED lamp 31
Instead, a warning lamp may be provided inside the viewfinder 7 and the warning lamp may be turned on. Or,
7A may be displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 and a buzzer may be sounded to warn the user.

If the result of the battery check does not matter at step S2 (step S2, Y), step S2 is executed.
After performing the AF process as 3, the sub CPU 22 is again instructed to check the output voltage of the power supply unit 25 as step S 4. As a result, if the voltage of the power supply unit 25 has fallen below the specified value, the remaining capacity is determined at step S 11. After issuing the warning, the process proceeds to step S1.

If there is no problem in the remaining amount check in step S4 (step S4, OK), it is determined whether or not the second release is performed in step S5.
(S5, N and S10, N). During this time, when the second release is not performed and the release button 2 is returned to release the first release (steps S5, N and step S1).
0, Y), the process returns to the first release detection in step S1.

When it is recognized in step S5 that a signal has been input from the release button 2 and the second release has been performed (step S5, Y), AE (Auto) is performed in step S6.
Exposure processing, image capturing processing (including flash emission), image signal processing, and photographing processing such as processing for capturing image data into a buffer on the SDRAM 16 are performed. When the processing in step S6 is completed, the sub CPU 22 is instructed to check the output voltage of the power supply unit 25 as a remaining amount check (step S7). As a result, if the voltage of the power supply unit 25 is higher than a specified value (step S7, OK), Step S8
After the image data in the buffer is recorded in the SSFDC 18 and the step S8 is completed, the process returns to the step S1 after notifying the user of the completion of the photographing by a buzzer or the like as a step S9.

If the voltage of the power supply unit 25 has fallen below the specified value because the photographing process has been performed in step S7, the liquid crystal monitor 11 is turned on in step S12 and FIG.
A display of a battery warning and a display indicating that captured image data has not been recorded are displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 in a conspicuous color such as red for several seconds as shown in FIG. As in the case, the LED lamp 31 and the warning lamp inside the viewfinder 7 may be turned on to warn the photographer of the remaining amount of the battery 24, or a buzzer may be sounded together with the display on the liquid crystal monitor 11 to warn the user.) With the liquid crystal monitor 11 turned off, the data in the buffer is not written to the SSFDC 18, and the process returns to the key scan process of the release button 2 in step S1.

By this processing, it is possible to effectively warn the photographer of the remaining amount of the battery 24 at the time of photographing.
If the recording is not performed on the LCD monitor 11, the photographer is also notified of the fact that the photographed image has not been recorded. Also, a warning is displayed on the LCD monitor 11 only when the remaining amount of the battery 24 is insufficient, and nothing is performed when the remaining amount is sufficient, so that the power used for the warning display can be minimized. . In addition, it is possible to prevent the voltage of the battery 24 from dropping during the process of storing the captured image data in the SSFDC 18 and failing the storage process to destroy the stored image data in the SSFDC 18.

Next, confirmation of the photographing conditions set in the electronic camera of this embodiment will be described. Since the electronic camera of the present embodiment does not include a control panel, if the photographer wants to check information conventionally displayed on the control panel, the photographer operates the input instruction unit 23 such as the cross key button 10 to display the information on the liquid crystal monitor. 11 is displayed.

The cross key button 10 shown in FIG.
When the menu display / OK button 9 is pressed and a menu screen for performing an instruction to change the photographing condition is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11, the condition is used to change the selection of the condition on the menu screen. Presses any one of the four buttons of the four-way controller button 10, the upper button 41, the lower button 42, the right button 43, and the left button 44 in a state where the menu screen is not displayed. Information frequently referred to by the photographer, such as the number of recordable images, is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process for displaying the number of recordable images on the liquid crystal monitor 11 when the cross key button 10 is pressed. The process in FIG. 3 is performed by the main CPU 19 executing a control program in the flash memory 20. In the following description, it is assumed that various operations are performed in the shooting mode after the power of the electronic camera is turned on.

In FIG. 5, when the power of the electronic camera is input, first, at step S21, the release button 2 is turned on.
Key scan is performed. If the release button 2 has been pressed (step S21, Y), a release sequence for pressing the release button 2 as shown in FIG. 6 is performed.

If the release button 2 is not depressed in step S21 (step S21, N), it is checked whether the liquid crystal monitor button 8 is depressed and the liquid crystal monitor 11 is in a display state. As a result, the LCD monitor 11
Is in the display state (step S22, Y), the process proceeds to the liquid crystal monitor display sequence. In this LCD monitor display sequence, the image of the subject is displayed on the LCD monitor 11 together with the image shown in FIG.
Is displayed.

If the liquid crystal monitor 11 is in the non-display state in step S22 (N in step S22), then the menu display / OK button 9 is key-scanned, and if the menu display / OK button 9 is pressed ( Step S2
3, Y), a menu mode sequence is entered, a menu for selecting various settings is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11, and the photographer is caused to change the settings.

If the menu display / OK button 9 is not pressed in step S23, the key scan of the cross key button 10 is performed in step S24. As a result, if none of the four keys of the cross key button 10 is pressed (step S24, N), the process returns to step S21.

If any of the cross key buttons 10 is pressed in step S24 (step S24,
Y) In step S25, the liquid crystal monitor 11 is turned on, and a display indicating the number of recordable images as shown in FIG. 9 is performed. Since the number of shootable images differs depending on the image quality of the image data, a configuration may be adopted in which a display indicating the currently set image quality is displayed simultaneously with a display indicating the number of shootable images as shown in FIG. The display information on the LCD monitor 11 is not the number of images that can be shot,
Information indicating the number of images recorded in the storage unit 18 or other information such as information indicating the remaining amount of the battery 24 may be used.

The time from the start of the display of the number of recordable images in step S25 is counted (step S26,
N) After 5 seconds have passed (step S26, Y), the liquid crystal monitor 11 is turned off to turn off the display as step S27, and the process returns to step S21. As a result, the liquid crystal monitor 11 is turned on only for a specific time period sufficient for the photographer to confirm the display content, so that the power required for the display notification of the number of images that can be taken is kept to a minimum.

By the processing shown in FIG. 8, the photographer can refer to the camera status information and setting information such as the number of recordable images on the liquid crystal monitor 11 without impairing the usability even without the control panel. Can be. Further, since the cross key button 10 is used as a button for displaying the status information of the camera, it is not necessary to newly provide a dedicated button, so that the total number of switches provided in the camera can be reduced, and the size and cost of the camera can be reduced. realizable.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, the information displayed by pressing the cross key button 10 is the information indicating the number of images that can be taken and the image quality. However, in the present embodiment, only the information displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 is these. It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this. Next, a case where the direct function is set to a part of the cross key button 10 will be described.

In the above-described configuration, the up button 41, the down button 42, the right button 43, the left button 4
Although the number of images that can be shot is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 even if any of the four buttons is pressed, the display or setting of another frequently displayed information is assigned to some of the four buttons. It can also be.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1 (d), among the four buttons of the cross key button 10, the upper button 41 and the lower button 42 are used to set macros which are frequently set in the menu mode, and A function for setting a flash mode is assigned (hereinafter, a button in which such a direct function is set is called a direct button), and when these buttons are pressed, a menu for performing a corresponding setting is displayed. . When the up button 41 or the down button 42 is pressed, information corresponding to the function assigned to the button is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11, and the right button 43 or the left button 44 for which the direct function is not set is pressed. Then, the number of recordable images is displayed as described above.

FIG. 10A shows the display screen of the liquid crystal monitor 11 when the upper button 41 is pressed when the macro setting function is assigned as a direct button to the upper button 41 as shown in FIG. 1D. Is shown. When the upper button 41 is pressed in a mode other than the menu mode, a macro setting menu 51-1 is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11. In the macro setting menu 51, the state currently set for the macro is displayed in a portion 52-1 (in the case of FIG. 6, it indicates that the macro image is not set [OFF]), and the photographer moves rightward. When the button 43 or the left button is operated, this 52-1 part is turned off as shown in FIG.
→ Switches to [On] → [Off]. Photographer is right button 43
When the desired setting is displayed in the portion 52-1 by operating the / left button 44, the menu display / OK button 9 is pressed or left for a predetermined period of time (for example, 2 seconds). The state displayed in the section 52-1 is set as a new setting state for the macro.

Similarly, when the lower button 42 of the cross key button 10 is pressed, the liquid crystal monitor 11
Menu 51 for flash mode setting as shown in FIG.
-2 is displayed. When the photographer presses the right button 43 in this state, the display of the portion 52-2 indicating the currently set flash mode is indicated by A as shown by the arrow in FIG.
When the left button 44 is pressed, the mode is changed from the AUTO mode to the night view mode in the opposite direction of the arrow shown in the figure, from the UTO mode to the red-eye reduction mode to the forced light emission mode to the flash off mode and the night view mode. Switch. When the display indicating the desired setting mode is displayed in the section 52-2, the photographer presses the menu display / OK button 9 or leaves the menu display / OK button 9 for a predetermined period of time to display it in the section 52-2. Set the set mode to the camera as the new flash mode.

In the above example, the direct buttons are the up button 41 and the down button 42.
Needless to say, any of the four buttons may be a direct button. In addition, although the mode to be set after the direct button is pressed is selected by the right button 43 and the left button 44, the mode may be selected by the upper button 41 and the lower button 42.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the above processing. In the following description, the processes performed in steps S31, S32, S33, and S34 in FIG. 11 are performed in steps S21, S22, S23, and S24 in FIG.
The processing in step S35 and the processing in steps S36 and S37 performed when the button pressed in step S35 is not the direct button are the same as the processing in steps S25 and S26, and a description thereof will be omitted.

In step S34, it is recognized that the cross key button 10 has been pressed (step S34).
Y), if the key button is a direct button to which a specific setting operation such as the up button 41 or the down button 42 in FIG. 1D is assigned (step S35, Y),
After the liquid crystal monitor 11 is turned on to display the setting screen of the corresponding setting in step S39, the key scan of the right button 43 and the left button 44 is performed in step S40.

In step S40, the photographer presses the right button 43
Alternatively, when the left button 44 is pressed (step S40,
Y), after changing the display of the 52 portion of the setting menu 51 displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11 as cyclic in step S44 and resetting the time measurement from the pressing of the right button 43 / left button 44 in step S45 Then, the process returns to the key scan processing of the right button 43 / left button 44 in step S40.

When the right button 43 or the left button 44 is not pressed in step S40 (step S40,
N) Then, as a step S41, the menu display / OK button 9 is key-scanned. In step S41, the menu display / OK button 9 is not pressed (step S41,
N) Also, if two seconds have not elapsed since the last time the right button 43 or the left button 44 was pressed (step S4).
2, N), right button 43 / left button 4 in step S40
The process returns to the key scan of No. 4.

If the menu display / OK button 9 is pressed in step S41 (step S41, Y), or if two seconds have elapsed since the right button 43 or the left button 44 was last pressed in step S42 (step S42,
Y), it is considered that the selection process of the new setting by the photographer is completed, and 5
After the state displayed in the two parts is set as a new setting state, the liquid crystal monitor 11 is turned off to hide the displayed information in step S38, and the process returns to step S31.

By this processing, a plurality of functions can be assigned to one button, and the operability of the camera can be improved without increasing the number of buttons. Also,
When the direct button is pressed once, only the setting screen is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 11, and the setting itself is changed after the right button 43 / left button 44 is operated to select the changed content. , The menu display / OK button 9 must be pressed. Therefore, even if the direct button is pressed in a situation where the photographer does not recognize the pressing of the button, such as when the camera touches an object, the setting itself is not changed and only the display is performed on the liquid crystal monitor 11, so that the photographer's Unintended setting changes can be prevented.

[0076]

According to the electronic camera of the present invention, 1
A single button has a plurality of functions, and the number of operation buttons can be reduced without impairing the usability of the photographer. Therefore, the size and cost of the electronic camera can be reduced.

Since frequently used functions are assigned to specific buttons, an electronic camera that is easy to use for a photographer can be realized even if the number of buttons is small.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an appearance of an electronic camera embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of the electronic camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a liquid crystal monitor.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between a color displayed as a background color on a liquid crystal panel and a current flowing at that time.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of a background color and a display color.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a remaining amount warning process flow.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a remaining amount warning display displayed on a liquid crystal monitor.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process of displaying the number of shootable images on a liquid crystal monitor when the cross key button is pressed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen showing the number of recordable images displayed on a liquid crystal monitor.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting menu displayed on a liquid crystal monitor when a direct button is pressed.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing processing in a configuration having a direct button.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lens barrier 2 Release button 3 Lens 4 Flash 5 Viewfinder window 6 Self-timer lamp 7 Viewfinder 8 LCD monitor button 9 Menu display / OK button 10 Cross key button 11 LCD monitor 12 Barrier sensor 13 Image sensor 14 Image processing unit 15 Image processing unit 16 SDRAM 17 JPEG processing unit 18 SSFDC 19 Main CPU 20 Flash memory 21 LCD driver 22 Sub CPU 23 Input instruction unit 24 Battery 25 Power supply unit 26 Bus 31 LED lamp

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification FI FI Theme Court ゛ (Reference) G03B 19/02 G03B 19/02 // H04N 101: 00 H04N 101: 00 (72) Inventor Akio Terane Tokyo 2F052 AA01 2H100 AA18 CC07 2H102 AA00 BA12 BB08 CA34 5C022 AA13 AC03 AC13 AC16 AC18 AC32 AC42 AC69 AC73 AC77

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A mode button for entering a mode for starting to change setting contents when turned on, and a plurality of buttons, which are used to change the setting contents in the mode. A setting button, when one of the plurality of buttons constituting the setting button is pressed in a state not in the mode, one of the setting contents is changed by operating the setting button An electronic camera, comprising: a control unit that enables the electronic camera. 2. The setting button includes a right button that indicates a right direction when pressed, a left button that indicates a left direction when pressed, an upper button that indicates an upward direction when pressed, and a lower button that indicates a downward direction when pressed. Wherein the specific button is at least one of the up button and the down button, and the setting button for changing one of the setting contents is the right button and the left button. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein 3. The setting button includes a right button that indicates a right direction when pressed, a left button that indicates a left direction when pressed, an upper button that indicates an upward direction when pressed, and a lower button that indicates a downward direction when pressed. Wherein the specific button is at least one of the right button and the left button, and the setting button for changing one of the setting contents is the up button and the down button. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein 4. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the mode button and the setting button are provided on an exterior surface of the electronic camera. 5. An image capturing device that photoelectrically converts a subject to perform image capturing, and further includes a display unit that can display the subject captured by the image capturing unit as an image and can display a setting screen of a capturing condition. The control means causes the display means to display a setting screen for changing one of the setting contents when the specific button is pressed in a state not in the mode. The electronic camera according to any one of items 1 to 4, wherein