JP2003060967A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera that can photograph an image within a field angle range, which can be photographed only by a wide-angle lens, without the need for exchanging a lens. SOLUTION: An image shift mechanism 20 is configured to be movable two- dimensionally within a plane perpendicular to an imaging optical system 3. When a shutter button 34 of the imaging device 1 is depressed, the image shift mechanism 20 is driven into a plurality of preset positions, and the imaging device photographs a plurality of images at respective positions. Displaying a plurality of the photographed images altogether can momentarily and easily photograph images with an angle wider as compared with a photographed image at a wide-angle end used normally.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus such as a digital still camera, and more particularly to wide-angle shooting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a digital still camera (hereinafter referred to as DSC) capable of immediately confirming a photographed image has rapidly spread. In the shooting function of this DSC, like many users who want a telephoto function to shoot a distant subject up, just like a 35mm film camera made of silver salt, the focal length is 35mm or less. There is also a strong demand for taking photographs.

[0003]

However, the above DSC has the following problems.

(1) There are few models of DSC that support interchangeable lenses, such as single-lens reflex cameras, and it is difficult to support DSC uniformly from the wide-angle side to the telephoto side. Therefore, the telephoto side tends to be emphasized inevitably, and most of the models have a wide-angle side focal length of 35 mm in terms of a 35 mm film camera. When shooting with this imaging device, for example, as shown in FIG. 8 (a), when trying to shoot a house and a tree on the right side from a place separated by a certain distance, the distance between the house and the subject is short and May not fit in one frame. Therefore, at that time, as shown in FIG. 8B, the image becomes an image in which only the center can be photographed. Therefore, in order to shoot with such a composition, it is necessary to attach a wide conversion lens or the like separately and shift the shooting lens to the wide-angle side for shooting. In addition, when a person is to be photographed not only outdoors but in a room of about 6 tatami mats, the distance to the subject is also short, and it is difficult to have a focal length of about 35 mm, which is very inconvenient.

(2) As one of the functions of the DSC, there is one having a panoramic photographing function for joining a plurality of photographed images to form one image. In this function,
In order to create one panoramic image, for example, to combine three images, it is necessary to press the shutter button three times, and the composition is changed so that the images are overlapped little by little. There is a need. Therefore, it is difficult for the photographer to say that this function requires time and effort and is easy to use.

(3) With the further downsizing of the DSC,
Due to the effects of camera shake on the photographer, camera shake is becoming more noticeable in captured images.

[0007]

In order to solve this problem, an image pickup apparatus according to the present invention comprises an image pickup device, a photographing lens for forming a subject image on the image pickup device, and a subject image on the photographing device. Image shift means, drive control means for controlling the drive of the image shift means, command means for giving a command to the drive control means to drive and control the image shift means at a plurality of preset positions, and a command By providing the image reading means for reading a plurality of picked-up images from the image pickup element by operating the means, it is possible to obtain a picked-up image having a wider angle of view than the original angle of view at the wide-angle end which is inherent in the taking optical system.

Further, the image pickup apparatus of the present invention is provided with the setting means for setting the position for controlling the drive of the image shifting means or the number of images read out from the image pickup element, so that the angle of view set by the photographer can be set to any angle. Thus, a captured image can be obtained.

Further, since the image pickup apparatus of the present invention is provided with the image synthesizing means for converting a plurality of images read out from the image pickup device into one image, one wide-angle image can be instantaneously obtained.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An image pickup apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an image blur correction mechanism that performs an image shifting function of the image pickup apparatus, and FIGS. 3A and 3B are FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the function of the imaging device.
6A and 6B are explanatory views for explaining the principle of image shifting in the image pickup apparatus, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing four shot images taken by the image pickup apparatus when the images are shifted, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram when four captured images captured by the device are displayed on the same screen.

The solid-state image pickup device (CCD) 4 is an image pickup device which converts an image incident through the image pickup optical system 3 into an electric signal, and is driven and controlled by the CCD drive control means 5. The analog signal processing means 6 is a processing means for performing analog signal processing such as gamma processing on the video signal obtained by the solid-state imaging device 4. The A / D conversion unit 7 is a conversion unit that converts the analog video signal output from the analog signal processing unit into a digital signal. The digital signal processing means 8 is a signal processing means for performing digital signal processing such as noise removal and contour enhancement on the video signal converted into a digital signal by the A / D conversion means 7. The frame memory 9 temporarily stores the image signal that has passed through the digital signal processing means 8. The image once stored in the frame memory 9 follows the instruction of the image recording control means 10.
Image recording means 1 such as internal memory or recording medium
Writing to 1 is controlled.

Further, the photographed image recorded in the image recording means 11 is processed by the image display control means 32 by the frame memory 3
The image is displayed on the image display unit 33 such as a liquid crystal monitor mounted on the image pickup apparatus 1 via the display device 7.

The image pickup optical system 3 comprises three lens groups L1 and L.
2 is an image pickup optical system including L3, and the L2 lens group is an image shift lens group, and is moved in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis to decenter the optical axis and shift the image obtained by the solid-state image sensor 4. Play a role.

The yawing drive correction means 12x and the pitching drive correction means 12y drive and control the L2 lens group, which is an image shifting lens group, in two directions X and Y orthogonal to the optical axis of the image pickup optical system 2. Hereinafter, the X direction will be referred to as the yawing direction and the Y direction will be referred to as the pitching direction. Position detection means 1
3 is a detection means for detecting the position of the L2 lens group,
A feedback control loop for driving and controlling the L2 lens group is formed together with the yawing drive control means 12x and the pitching drive control means 12y. The L2 lens group, the yawing drive control means 12x, and the pitching drive control means 12y as described above form an image shifting means 30 for controlling the optical axis of the imaging light.

The microcomputer 2 generates a predetermined control amount and outputs it to the yawing drive control means 12x and the pitching drive control means 12y via the D / A conversion means 16x and 16y. Therefore, the yawing drive control means 12
x, the pitching drive control means 12y drives the L2 lens group based on this control signal to shift the image.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of an image shifting mechanism 20 for driving and controlling the L2 lens group in the image pickup optical system 3 in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis. The L2 lens group is fixed to the pitching moving frame 21.
Is held slidably in the Y direction with respect to the yawing moving frame 22 via two pitching shafts 23a and 23b. Further, the pitching moving frame 21 has a coil 2
4x and 24y are fixed. Yawing moving frame 22
With respect to the fixed frame 25, the yawing shafts 26a, 2
It is held slidably in the X direction via 6b. The magnet 27x and the yoke 28x are held by the fixed frame 25 and constitute an actuator 29x together with the coil 24x.

Similarly, a magnet 27y and a yoke 28y
Is held by the fixed frame 25 and constitutes an actuator 29y together with the coil 24y. The light emitting element 30 is fixed to the pitching moving frame 21. In addition, the light receiving element 31
Is an element that receives the projection light of the light emitting element 30 and detects two-dimensional position coordinates, and is fixed to the fixed frame 25.

Next, a method of controlling the image shifting mechanism 20 will be described with reference to FIG. When photographing the landscape shown in FIG. 8A, during normal photographing, drive control is performed by the yawing drive control means 12x and the pitching drive control means 12y so that the L2 lens group is fixed at the position of the origin O. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4B, the L2 lens group is driven and controlled by outputting 1.0 V for both pitching and yawing. Then, by performing exposure in that state, a photographed image as shown in FIG. 8B can be obtained.

Next, in order to move the L2 lens group from the origin O to A at the upper right position, both the pitching and yawing outputs 1.5V to drive and control the L2 lens group. Then, by exposing in that state, FIG.
A photographed image as shown in (A) can be obtained.

Similarly, by moving the L2 lens group to the positions B, C and D and exposing at that timing,
A captured image as shown in FIGS. 5B, 5C, and 5D can be obtained. With regard to this operation, it is possible to continuously obtain captured images by setting the continuous shooting setting button 35, for example, to set the number of shots, and pressing the shutter button 34 of the image pickup apparatus 1.

The image shifting means 30 detects the movement of the image pickup apparatus 1 and corrects the movement,
It can also serve as an image blur correction means. The angular velocity sensors 14x and 14y are the imaging device 1 including the imaging optical system 2.
The imaging device 1 is a sensor for detecting the movement of itself.
Based on the output in the stationary state, both positive and negative angular velocity signals are output depending on the direction of movement of the image pickup apparatus 1. Two angular velocity sensors 14x and 14y are provided for detecting movements in two directions of yawing and pitching, respectively.

In this way, the angular velocity sensors 14x, 14y
Has a function of motion detection means for detecting the motion of the image pickup apparatus 1 due to camera shake and other vibrations. The output of this angular velocity sensor is subjected to filter processing, amplifier processing, etc.
The signals are converted into digital signals by the / D conversion means 15x and 15y and given to the microcomputer 2.

The microcomputer 2 has an angular velocity sensor 14 loaded via A / D conversion means 15x and 15y.
Filtering, integration processing, phase compensation, gain adjustment, clipping processing, etc. are performed on the x and 14y output signals, and the drive control amount (control signal) of the L2 lens group necessary for motion correction
Ask for. The control signal is output to the yawing drive control means 12x and the pitching drive control means 12y via the D / A conversion means 16x and 16y. Therefore, the yawing drive control means 12x and the pitching drive control means 12y drive the L2 lens group based on the control signal to correct the movement of the image.

The operation of the image pickup apparatus of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

The continuous shooting mode is set by the continuous shooting setting button 35 so that the photographer can obtain continuous images. In this embodiment, by pressing the shutter button 34 once, the L2 lens group A, B, C, D shown in FIG.
Set to the mode that allows continuous shooting of images at the position. When the photographer presses the shutter button 34, the microcomputer 2 gives a command to supply currents from the outside of the coils 24x, 24y of the pitching moving frame 21, respectively, and the pitching moving frame 21 is driven by the actuators 27x, 27y. Driven by the formed magnetic circuit, the pitching moving frame 21 moves to A, B, and
Move to the C and D positions.

Since the position of the pitching moving frame 21 is detected by the light receiving element 29, highly accurate position detection can be performed. Next, the four photographed images continuously photographed at the exposure timings at the positions A, B, C, and D are recorded in the image recording means 11 via the frame memory 9, respectively. The four captured images can be combined into a single image shown in FIG. 6 by transferring them separately to a personal computer or the like and combining them.

Since the boundary portion between the four photographed images is an image photographed by driving the image shifting mechanism 20 with high accuracy (about 10 microns), positional deviation or the like hardly occurs, and therefore, it is easy. A composite image can be created.

Further, as an image blur correction function, when a photographer shoots, the angular velocity sensors 14x and 14y detect camera shake occurring in the image pickup apparatus 1, and the microcomputer 2 gives a command to cancel the camera shake and pitches. When currents are supplied to the coils 24x and 24y of the moving frame 21 from external circuits, the actuators 27x and 2x
The pitching moving frame 21 moves in two planes X and Y perpendicular to the optical axis Z by the magnetic circuit formed by 7y.

Further, since the position of the pitching moving frame 21 is detected by the light receiving element 29, highly accurate position detection can be performed. That is, the image blur correction mechanism 20 causes L2
By moving the lens group in two planes orthogonal to the optical axis, it is possible to correct the image incident on the image sensor 4 via the imaging optical system 2, and to shoot a good image in which camera shake is suppressed. Is possible.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, only the angle of view shown in FIG. 8 (b) can be taken in the normal wide-angle end shooting, but the image shifting means 30 is used. By combining the four captured images shown in FIG.
It is possible to perform wide-angle shooting as shown in (a). Therefore, wide-angle photography can be performed easily and instantly without attaching a wide conversion lens or the like.

Further, compared with the conventional panorama creating function of composing a plurality of taken images to create a panoramic image, the taken image can be obtained by pressing the shutter button only once, and the accuracy of the boundary is improved. Therefore, the panoramic image creation function can be simplified. Further, by incorporating a blur correction function, it is possible to capture a good image without camera shake during normal photography.

In the present embodiment, the image shift image has been described with respect to four photographed images at the positions A, B, C and D in FIG. 4, but it is composed of five photographed images of the origin O. You may. Also, the total number of E, F, G, and H positions may be 8 or 9, and the number is not limited.

The effect of wide-angle shooting in this embodiment is more effective when taken near the wide-angle end, as compared with normal shooting near the telephoto end. Also, during continuous shooting, images can be captured at high speed by increasing the shutter speed for shooting.

Further, the configuration of the image shifting means 30, that is, the image blur correction mechanism 20 is not limited to the configuration of the present embodiment, and may be any configuration capable of shifting the image on the image pickup device 4. Also, the configuration of the imaging optical system 3 is not limited to the three-group configuration as in the present embodiment, and may be a four-group configuration, for example.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing three photographed images photographed by the image pickup apparatus according to the second embodiment. The same components as those described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The photographer uses the continuous shooting setting button 35 to specify the direction in which continuous shooting is desired and the number of images. For example, when the desired continuous shooting is in the horizontal direction and the number of continuous shooting is 3, the shutter button 34 is pressed once, so that the state shown in FIG.
It is possible to set a mode in which images at positions O, F, and H shown in can be continuously photographed.

The operation of the image pickup apparatus of the second embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 7, for example, when playing soccer and shooting a subject moving in the lateral direction, a fixed amount of time is required from when the photographer presses the shutter until when the shooting actually starts. Since there is a time lag, the subject moves at that time, and it is not always possible to photograph the subject as the photographer wishes. Therefore, by using the shooting mode using the image shifting means 30, the L2 lens group is driven to the left and right to perform high-speed continuous shooting at three angles of view in the middle and left and right, and three shot images are instantly shot. It becomes possible to obtain.
Therefore, in normal photography, only an image in which the subject is biased to the left side like the photographed image in (O) can be photographed, but by using the image shifting means 30, the subject can be photographed like in the photographed image in (F). You can shoot the image in the center. Therefore, it is possible to easily take a photograph intended by the photographer.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, even for a moving subject, the L2 lens group is driven in the moving direction of the subject to continuously shoot the subject, and the subject is not reflected. The chance of taking a failure photo such as is reduced.

In the present embodiment, the number of continuous shots is set to 3 and the continuous shot direction is specified to the left and right, but the number of shots is not limited to this, and may be, for example, the vertical direction.

Next explained is the third embodiment of the invention. The same components as those described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

When the screen synthesizing button 36 is set before photographing, a function of automatically synthesizing a plurality of photographed images is fulfilled. The captured image output from the image sensor 4 is temporarily stored in the frame memory 9, and a plurality of captured images are combined according to a certain rule and then written in the image recording unit 11.

The operation of the image pickup apparatus of the third embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

Similar to the description of the first embodiment, by pressing the shutter button 34 once, continuous photographing is performed in accordance with the exposure timing at the positions A, B, C and D in FIG. 4A. 4 captured images (Fig. 5 (A),
(B), (C), (D)) are temporarily stored in the frame memory 9. Then, these four photographed images are stored in the frame memory 9 according to the position information of the L2 lens group, that is, the angle of view of the photographing lens (in the order of A, B, C, D).
It is combined with one shot image and recorded in the image recording means 11.

As a result, one photographed image as shown in FIG. 6 is obtained, and it becomes possible to photograph with a wider angle of view than the photographed image at the wide-angle end of the ordinary optical system. Therefore, at the time of normal photographing, by taking the focal length of the photographing lens for high magnification such as 35 mm to 350 mm and using the camera shake correction function, it is possible to photograph an image free from camera shake at high magnification.

On the other hand, by using the image shifting means 30, it becomes possible to cope with wide-angle photography such as 28 mm. In other words, a wide range of angles from telephoto to telephoto can be achieved with a single image pickup device, which is an effect not available with conventional image pickup devices.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first and second embodiments, one composite photograph can be automatically created in the image pickup apparatus. The remarkable effect that a wide-angle image can be captured in an instant is obtained.

In the present embodiment, the method of synthesizing four photographed images in the frame memory 9 at the time of photographing has been described. However, once four images are separately recorded in the image recording means 11 and read again. The method may be performed in the frame memory 37. Further, when synthesizing one photographic image from four photographic images in the frame memory 9 at the time of photographing, only the image after synthesizing may be recorded, or a total of five images including the image before synthesizing may be recorded. Such a method may be used.

In order to reduce the image size of the combined photographed image, a method of resizing or the like to compress the image size may be used. Further, by providing the image pickup apparatus with a communication means for sending an image to a mobile phone or the like, a wide-angle image can be instantly and easily transmitted.

[0050]

As described above, according to the image pickup apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of images are photographed by the image shifting means using the image stabilization mechanism, and the photographed images are displayed together. By doing so, it is possible to shoot at a wider angle of view than when shooting at the wide-angle end of a normal optical system. Therefore, wide-angle shooting can be performed easily and instantly without attaching a wide conversion lens or the like. In addition, since a camera shake correction mechanism is mounted during normal shooting, a remarkable effect of being able to shoot a good image without camera shake is obtained.

Further, according to the image pickup apparatus of the present invention, the photographer can set the number of continuous shots according to the moving direction of the object,
By driving the image shifting means to perform continuous shooting, there is less possibility of taking a failure photograph such as no subject being photographed.

Further, according to the image pickup apparatus of the present invention, in addition to the above effects, one composite photograph can be automatically created in the image pickup apparatus, so that a wide-angle image can be taken instantaneously. Can be obtained. Therefore, from a super wide angle to a super telephoto, one image pickup device can be used without an interchangeable lens, which is an unprecedented effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an imaging device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an image blur correction mechanism that performs an image shifting function of the image pickup apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a function of the imaging device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a principle of image shifting in the imaging apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing four captured images when the images captured by the imaging device are shifted.

FIG. 6 is a diagram when four captured images captured by the imaging device are displayed on the same screen.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing three captured images captured by the image capturing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an angle of view of the image pickup apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Imaging device 2 microcomputer 3 Imaging optical system 11 Image recording means 12x yawing drive control means 12y Pitching drive control means 13 Position detection means 14x, 14y angular velocity sensor 19 lens barrel 20 Image stabilization mechanism 21 Pitching moving frame 22 Yawing movement frame 24x, 24y coils 29x, 29y actuator 30 Image shifting means 33 display 34 Shutter button 35 Continuous shooting setting button 36 Image composition button L2 image shift (correction) lens group

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup device, a photographing lens for forming a subject image on the image pickup device, an image shifting unit for shifting the subject image on the photographing device, and a drive for controlling driving of the image shifting unit. Control means and command means for driving and controlling the image shifting means to a plurality of preset positions, and a command means for giving a command to the drive control means, and a plurality of image captures from the image sensor by operating the command means. An image pickup apparatus comprising image reading means for reading an image. 2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising setting means for setting a position for driving and controlling the image shifting means or a number of images read out from the image pickup device. 3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image synthesizing unit that combines a plurality of images read from the image pickup element into one image. 4. The image shifting means is drive-controlled to a plurality of preset positions by one shutter operation,
The image pickup apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the picked-up images at each of the plurality of positions are read from the image pickup element and combined.