JP2003283918A - Picture processing device, picture processing method, program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a picture processing device which enables reduction in white balance processing time when picture data are being processed photographically and thereby enables a user to reduce time to confirm the picture after taking a photograph. <P>SOLUTION: The picture processing device comprises an image pickup element 14 which takes the photograph picture of a subject, a flash 48 which emits light to the subject, and a system controlling unit 50 which controls properly emitted light level from the flash 48 and exposure level for the image pickup element 14. The system controlling unit 50 calculates ratio of incident outer light level on the image pickup element 14 to the incident emitted light level on the image pickup element 14 based on the properly controlled level of the emitted light and the properly controlled exposure level before taking the photograph picture with the image pickup element 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing method for capturing, recording, and reproducing still images and moving images.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, a program, and a recording medium that can reduce white balance control time of image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image processing apparatus such as an electronic camera for recording and reproducing a still image or a moving image using a memory card having a solid-state memory element as a recording medium is already on the market.
Electronic cameras equipped with an automatic white balance mechanism are also on sale.

According to these electronic cameras, the user does not need to set the color temperature of the light source, and the camera automatically detects the color temperature of the external light to perform an appropriate white balance. When shooting with a flash, the color temperature of the flash light is detected, the ratio of the amount of external light to the flash light is calculated, and the color temperature of the light that finally illuminates the subject is determined, so shoot with an appropriate white balance. It is possible.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional image processing apparatus such as an electronic camera, when a flash is used, the color temperature of the external light is detected, and the color temperature of the flash light is detected. Mixing is performed by obtaining the light amount ratio of outside light and flash light, but since these read the entire image and detect the color temperature and obtain the light amount ratio, the calculation time becomes long and the user takes a picture. There was a problem that the time from when the image was confirmed to when the image was confirmed was extended.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and shortens the white balance processing time at the time of photographing processing of image data, and accordingly, from the user photographing to confirmation of the image. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing device, an image processing method, a program, and a recording medium capable of shortening the time.

[0006]

In order to achieve such an object, an image processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises an image pickup means for picking up an image of a subject and a light emitting means for emitting light to the subject. And a control unit that appropriately controls the amount of light emitted by the light emitting unit and the exposure state of the image capturing unit, and the control unit appropriately controls the image captured by the image capturing unit before the image is captured. It is characterized in that a ratio between the light amount of the external light incident on the image pickup means and the light emission amount is calculated based on the controlled light emission amount and the exposure state.

In the image processing method according to the second aspect of the present invention, the light emitting means emits light to the subject before the image is captured by the image capturing means for capturing the image of the subject. Based on the step of appropriately controlling the light emission amount and the exposure state of the image pickup unit by the control unit, and the light amount and the light emission amount of the external light incident on the image pickup unit based on the properly controlled light emission amount and the exposure state. And a step of calculating the ratio of and by the control means.

The program according to the third aspect of the present invention is the amount of light emitted by the light emitting means for emitting light to the subject before the image is captured by the image capturing means for capturing the image of the subject. And a step of properly controlling the exposure state of the image pickup means by the control means, and based on the properly controlled light emission amount and the exposure state, a light amount of external light incident on the image pickup means and the light emission amount. And a step of calculating a ratio by the control means.

Further, a recording medium according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized by recording the program according to the third aspect of the present invention.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1
Reference numeral 00 is an image processing apparatus. Reference numeral 10 is a photographing lens, 12 is a shutter having a diaphragm function, 14 is an image pickup device for converting an optical image into an electric signal, and 16 is an A / D converter for converting an analog signal output of the image pickup device 14 into a digital signal.

Reference numeral 18 denotes an image pickup device 14, an A / D converter 16,
A timing generation circuit that supplies a clock signal and a control signal to the D / A converter 26, and is controlled by the memory control circuit 22 and the system control circuit 50. An image processing circuit 20 performs predetermined pixel interpolation processing and color conversion processing on the data from the A / D converter 16 or the data from the memory control circuit 22.

Further, in the image processing circuit 20, a predetermined arithmetic processing is performed using the imaged image data, and the system control circuit 50 controls the exposure control means 40 and the distance measurement control means 42 based on the obtained arithmetic result. TTL to control
(Through the lens) AF (auto focus)
Processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, and EF (flash pre-flash) processing are performed. Further, the image processing circuit 20 performs predetermined arithmetic processing using the captured image data, and also performs TTL AWB (auto white balance) processing based on the obtained arithmetic result.

A memory control circuit 22 includes an A / D converter 16, a timing generation circuit 18, an image processing circuit 20,
Image display memory 24, D / A converter 26, memory 30,
The compression / expansion circuit 32 is controlled. The data of the A / D converter 16 is passed through the image processing circuit 20 and the memory control circuit 22, or the data of the A / D converter 16 is passed directly through the memory control circuit 22, and the image display memory 24 or the memory 3 is displayed.
Written to zero.

Reference numeral 24 is an image display memory, 26 is a D / A converter, and 28 is an image display section composed of a TFT LCD or the like. The image data for display written in the image display memory 24 is D
The image is displayed on the image display unit 28 via the / A converter 26. The electronic viewfinder function can be realized by sequentially displaying the captured image data using the image display unit 28.

Further, the image display unit 28 can arbitrarily turn on / off the display according to an instruction from the system control circuit 50, and when the display is turned off, the image processing apparatus 100 is turned on.
It is possible to significantly reduce power consumption. Reference numeral 30 is a memory for storing still images and moving images taken,
It has a storage capacity sufficient to store a predetermined number of still images and a moving image for a predetermined time. This makes it possible to write a large amount of images in the memory 30 at high speed even in continuous shooting or panoramic shooting in which a plurality of still images are continuously shot. The memory 30 can also be used as a work area of the system control circuit 50.

32 is an adaptive discrete cosine transform (ADCT)
A compression / decompression circuit for compressing / decompressing image data by, for example, reading the image stored in the memory 30 and performing compression processing or decompression processing, and processing-completed data to the memory 3
Write to 0. 40 is a shutter 12 having an aperture function
Is an exposure control unit that controls the flash, and also has a flash dimming function in cooperation with the flash 48.

Reference numeral 42 is a distance measurement control means for controlling the focusing of the taking lens 10, 44 is a zoom control means for controlling the zooming of the taking lens 10, and 46 is a barrier control means for controlling the operation of the protection means 102 which is a barrier. .
Reference numeral 48 denotes a flash, which also has an AF auxiliary light projection function and a flash light control function.

The exposure control means 40 and the distance measurement control means 42 are TT
It is controlled using the L method, and based on the calculation result of the captured image data calculated by the image processing circuit 20,
The system control circuit 50 controls the exposure control means 40 and the distance measurement control means 42. 50 is an image processing apparatus 100
A system control circuit that controls the entire system, and 52 is a memory that stores constants, variables, programs and the like for operating the system control circuit 50.

Reference numeral 54 is a display unit such as a liquid crystal display device and a speaker for displaying operating states and messages using characters, images, voices, etc. according to the execution of the program in the system control circuit 50. A single or a plurality of places are installed near the operation unit of 100 in an easily visible position.
It is composed of a combination of LCDs, LEDs, and sound elements. Further, the display unit 54 has some of its functions installed in the optical finder 104.

Of the display contents of the display section 54, what is displayed on the LCD or the like includes a single shot / continuous shooting display, a self-timer display, a compression ratio display, a recording pixel number display, a recording number display, and a remaining number of recordable images. Display, shutter speed display, aperture value display, exposure compensation display, flash display, red-eye reduction display, macro shooting display, buzzer setting display,
Battery remaining amount display for clocks, battery remaining amount display, error display, information display with multiple digit numbers, attachment / detachment state display of recording media 200 and 210, communication I / F operation display, date / time display,
Etc.

Of the display contents of the display unit 54, what is displayed in the optics 104 include focus display, camera shake warning display, flash charge display, shutter speed display, aperture value display, exposure correction display and the like. is there. 56 is an electrically erasable / recordable non-volatile memory, for example, EE
PROM or the like is used.

Reference numerals 60, 62, 64, 66, and 70 are operation means for inputting various operation instructions of the system control circuit 50, and are a single unit such as a switch, a dial, a touch panel, pointing by visual axis detection, and a voice recognition device. Alternatively, it is composed of a plurality of combinations. Here, a specific description of these operating means will be given.

Reference numeral 60 denotes a mode dial switch, which can switch and set various function modes such as power-off, automatic shooting mode, shooting mode, panoramic shooting mode, playback mode, multi-screen playback / erasure mode, and PC connection mode. Reference numeral 62 denotes a shutter switch SW1, which is turned on during the operation of a shutter button (not shown) to perform AF (auto focus) processing, AE (auto exposure) processing, AWB (auto white balance) processing, EF (flash pre-flash) processing, etc. Instruct to start operation.

Reference numeral 64 is a shutter switch SW2, which is turned on when the operation of a shutter button (not shown) is completed, and the image sensor 1
2 is an exposure process for writing image data to the memory 30 via the A / D converter 16 and the memory control circuit 22, a development process using calculation in the image processing circuit 20 and the memory control circuit 22, and a memory 30. The image data is read from the storage medium 200, compressed by the compression / expansion circuit 32, and stored in the recording medium 200.
Alternatively, an instruction to start the operation of a series of processes, which is a recording process for writing the image data, is issued to 210.

Reference numeral 66 denotes an AE / FE lock switch, which performs photometry processing when this switch is pressed, and determines the flash emission amount during flash emission. In this embodiment, when the FE is locked, the flash issuance amount is determined, and the processing for obtaining the mixture ratio of the external light and the flash light used in the white balance processing after shooting is also performed.

Reference numeral 70 denotes an operation unit including various buttons and a touch panel, such as a menu button, a set button, a macro button, a multi-screen playback page break button, a flash setting button, a single shooting / continuous shooting / self-timer switching button, and menu movement + There are (plus) button, menu move- (minus) button, playback image move + (plus) button, playback image- (minus) button, shooting image quality selection button, exposure compensation button, date / time setting button, and the like.

Reference numeral 80 is a power supply control means, which is a battery detection circuit, DC
-It is composed of a DC converter, a switch circuit that switches the blocks to be energized, and the like, detects whether or not a battery is installed, the type of battery, and the remaining battery level, and based on the detection result and the instruction from the system control circuit 50, the DC- It controls the DC converter and supplies the required voltage to each unit including the recording medium for the required period.

Reference numeral 82 is a connector, 84 is a connector, 86 is a primary battery such as an alkaline battery or a lithium battery, a NiCd battery,
It is a power source that consists of a secondary battery such as NiMH battery and Li battery, and an AC adapter. Reference numerals 90 and 94 are interfaces with recording media such as memory cards and hard disks, 92 and 96 are connectors for connecting with recording media such as memory cards and hard disks, and 98 is connectors 92 and or 96.
It is a recording medium attachment / detachment detecting means for detecting whether or not the recording medium 200 or 210 is attached.

The present embodiment has been described as having two systems of interfaces and connectors for attaching recording media. Of course, the interface and the connector for attaching the recording medium may have a single or plural number of systems. Further, the interface and the connector of different standards may be combined and provided. As the interface and the connector, those conforming to the standard such as PCMCIA card and CF (Compact Flash (R)) card may be used.

Further, when the interfaces 90 and 94 and the connectors 92 and 96 are configured by using those conforming to the standard such as PCMCIA card and CF (Compact Flash (R)) card, LAN card, modem card, USB
Card, IEEE1394 card, P1284 card, SCSI card, P
By connecting communication cards such as HS and other communication cards, image data and management information attached to the image data can be transferred to and from other computers and peripheral devices such as printers.

Reference numeral 102 denotes a lens 1 of the image processing apparatus 100.
By covering the image pickup unit including 0, the protective unit is a barrier that prevents the image pickup unit from being soiled or damaged. Reference numeral 104 denotes an optical viewfinder, which allows shooting using only the optical viewfinder without using the electronic viewfinder function of the image display unit 28. In the optical viewfinder 104, some functions of the display unit 54, such as focus display, camera shake warning display, flash charge display,
A shutter speed display, aperture value display, exposure compensation display, etc. are installed.

110 is a communication means, such as RS232C, USB, IEEE1
It has various communication functions such as 394, P1284, SCSI, modem, LAN, and wireless communication. Reference numeral 112 denotes a connector for connecting the image processing apparatus 100 to another device by the communication unit 110 or an antenna in the case of wireless communication. Reference numeral 200 is a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk. Recording medium 200
Is a recording unit 202 including a semiconductor memory and a magnetic disk, and an interface 20 with the image processing apparatus 100.
4. A connector 206 for connecting to the image processing apparatus 100 is provided.

Reference numeral 210 is a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk. The recording medium 210 includes a recording unit 212 including a semiconductor memory and a magnetic disk, an interface 214 with the image processing apparatus 100, and the image processing apparatus 1.
A connector 216 for connecting to 00.

Next, the operation of the image processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts showing the main routine of the image processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment. The operation of the image processing apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The system control circuit 50 initializes flags, control variables, etc. by turning on the power source such as battery replacement (S10).
1). The system control circuit 50 determines the setting position of the mode dial 60, and if the mode dial 60 is set to power off (S103), changes the display of each display unit to the end state and the barrier of the protection means 102. Is closed to protect the image pickup unit, necessary parameters including a flag and control variable, setting values, and setting modes are recorded in the non-volatile memory 56, and the power control unit 80 controls the image processing unit 100 including the image display unit 28. After performing a predetermined termination process such as shutting off unnecessary power of (S105), the process returns to S103.

If the mode dial 60 is set to the photographing mode (S103), the process proceeds to S106. If the mode dial 60 is set to any other mode (S103), the system control circuit 50 executes a process according to the selected mode (S104), and returns to S103 when the process is completed.

The system control circuit 50 includes the power supply control means 8
It is determined whether there is a problem in the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 based on the remaining capacity of the power supply 86 configured by a battery or the like or the operating condition (S106). If there is a problem, the display unit 54 is used to display an image or After a predetermined warning is displayed by voice (S108), the process returns to S103.

If there is no problem with the power source 86 (S10
6), the system control circuit 50 uses the recording medium 200 or 2
It is judged whether or not the operation state of 10 has a problem in the operation of the image processing apparatus 100, particularly the recording / reproducing operation of the image data with respect to the recording medium (S107).
After performing a predetermined warning display by an image or a sound using 4, (S108), the process returns to S103.

If there is no problem in the operating state of the recording medium 200 or 210 (S107), various setting states of the image processing apparatus 100 are displayed by the image or voice using the display unit 54 (S109). If the image display of the image display unit 28 is ON, the image display unit 28 is also used to display various setting states of the image processing apparatus 100 by images and sounds.

If the AE / FE lock is pressed (S1
10), AE / FE lock processing (S111) is performed, and when the flash is made to emit light, the light amount ratio of external light / flash light is also calculated, and the AE / FE lock flag is set. Details of the distance measurement / photometry processing S122 will be described later with reference to FIG.

If the shutter switch SW1 is not pressed (S119), the process returns to S103. If the shutter switch SW1 is pressed (S119), the system control circuit 50 performs distance measurement processing to focus the photographing lens 10 on the subject, checks the state of the AE / FE lock flag, and checks the AE / FE lock flag. Is not set,
A metering process is performed to determine the aperture value and shutter time (S122). In the photometric processing, the flash is set if necessary. Details of the distance measurement / photometry processing S122 will be described later with reference to FIG.

When the distance measurement / photometry processing S122 is completed,
The state of the system control circuit 50 shutter switch SW2 is checked, and the shutter switch SW2 is not pressed (S12
5) If the shutter switch SW1 is also released (S126), the process returns to S103. Shutter switch
If SW2 is pressed (S125), the system control circuit 50 causes the image sensor 12, the A / D converter 16, the image processing circuit 20, the memory control circuit 22, or directly from the A / D converter to store a memory. A memory 30 is provided via the control circuit 22.
A photographing process including an exposure process for writing the image data photographed in the memory, and a development process for reading the image data written in the memory 30 and performing various processes by using the memory control circuit 22 and, if necessary, the image processing circuit 20. Is executed (S129). Details of this photographing process S129 will be described later with reference to FIG.

The system control circuit 50 reads the photographed image data written in the memory 30, and uses the memory control circuit 22 and, if necessary, the image processing circuit 20 to perform various image processes, and the compression / expansion circuit 32. After performing the image compression processing according to the mode set by using the recording medium 2
A recording process for writing image data to 00 or 210 is executed (S134). Details of the recording process S134 will be described later with reference to FIG.

If the shutter switch SW2 is in the pressed state at the end of the recording process S134 (S1
35), the system control circuit 50 is the system control circuit 50.
The state of the continuous shooting flag stored in the internal memory or the memory 52 is determined (S136), and if the continuous shooting flag is set, the process returns to S129 for continuous shooting, and the next shooting is performed. . If the continuous shooting flag is not set (S136), the current process is repeated until the shutter switch SW2 is released (S135).

If the shutter switch SW2 is released and the shutter switch SW1 is pressed at the end of the recording process S134 (S141),
The system control circuit 50 returns to S125 and prepares for the next shooting. If the shutter switch SW1 has been released (S141), the system control circuit 50 ends the series of photographing operations and returns to S103.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed flow chart of the distance measurement / photometry processing in S122 of FIG. The system control circuit 50 reads the charge signal from the image sensor 14 and
The captured image data is sequentially read into the image processing circuit 20 via the D converter 16 (S201). Using the sequentially read image data, the image processing circuit 20 uses the TTL (through-the-lens) type AE (auto exposure) process, FE (flash pre-flash) process, and AF (auto focus) process. Is being calculated.

In each processing here, a specific portion of the total number of photographed pixels, which is necessary, is cut out and extracted for a necessary portion, and is used for calculation. As a result, in each processing of AE, EF, AWB, and AF of the TTL method, it is possible to perform the optimum calculation for each different mode such as the center weighted mode, the average mode, and the evaluation mode.

The system control circuit 50 checks the state of the AE / FE lock flag (S210), and if the AE / FE lock flag is not set, the system control circuit 50 uses the above calculation result in the image processing circuit 20. Is exposed (A
The AE control is performed using the exposure control means 40 until it is determined that E) is appropriate (S202) (S203). Using the measurement data obtained by the AE control, the system control circuit 50 determines whether or not a flash is necessary (S204), sets a flash flag if a flash is necessary, and charges the flash 48 (S205). If the AE / FE lock flag is set, the photometric processing has already been performed, and the process proceeds to S208.

If it is determined that the exposure (AE) is appropriate (S2
02), measurement data and / or setting parameters are stored in the internal memory of the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52. The system control circuit 50 uses the measurement data obtained by the AE control until the distance measurement (AF) is determined to be in focus (S2
08), AF control is performed using the distance measurement control means 42 (S2)
09). If it is determined that the distance measurement (AF) is in focus (S20)
8), storing the measurement data and / or setting parameters in the internal memory of the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52,
The distance measurement / photometry processing routine S122 ends.

The system control circuit 50 causes the exposure control means 40 to open the shutter 12 having an aperture function according to the aperture value according to the photometric data stored in the internal memory of the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52, and the image pickup device. 10 is exposed (S301, S302). Whether or not the flash 48 is necessary is determined by the flash flag (S303), and if necessary, the flash is emitted (S304).

The system control circuit 50 waits for the exposure of the image pickup device 12 to be completed according to the photometric data (S305), closes the shutter 12 (S306), reads the charge signal from the image pickup device 14, the A / D converter 16 and the image. Processing circuit 2
0, through the memory control circuit 22, or directly from the A / D converter 16 through the memory control circuit 22, the memory 30
The data of the captured image is written in (S307).

If it is necessary to perform frame processing according to the set photographing mode (S308), the system control circuit 50 uses the memory control circuit 22 and, if necessary, the image processing circuit 20 to store the memory 30. Read out the image data written in the vertical addition processing (S309),
After sequentially performing the white balance processing (S310), the processed image data is written in the memory 30. Details of the white balance processing S310 will be described later with reference to FIG.

The system control circuit 50 reads the image data from the memory 30 and transfers the display image data to the image display memory 24 via the memory control circuit 22 (S3).
11). When the series of processing is completed, the photographing processing routine S129 is completed.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed flowchart of the recording process in S134 of FIG. System control circuit 50
Uses the memory control circuit 22 and, if necessary, the image processing circuit 20 to read the captured image data written in the memory 30 and perform pixel square processing for interpolating the vertical and horizontal pixel ratio of the image sensor to 1: 1. After that (S401), the processed image data is written in the memory 30.

Then, after the image data written in the memory 30 is read out and the image compression processing according to the set mode is performed by the compression / expansion circuit 32 (S402).
Interface 90 or 94, connector 92 or 9
The compressed image data is written to the recording medium 200 or 210 such as a memory card or a compact flash (R) card via the S6 (S403). When the writing to the recording medium is completed, the recording processing routine S1
34 is ended.

FIG. 7 shows the AE / F in S111 of FIG.
The detailed flowchart of an E lock process is shown. The system control circuit 50 reads out the charge signal from the image sensor 14 and sequentially reads the captured image data into the image processing circuit 20 via the A / D converter 16 (S701). Next, the system control circuit 50 uses the calculation result of the image processing circuit 20 until the exposure (AE) is determined to be appropriate (S70).
2), AE control is performed using the exposure control means 40 (S70)
3).

When it is determined that the exposure (AE) is appropriate (S70)
2) Using the measurement data obtained by this AE control, that is, the information indicating the exposure state of the image sensor, the system control circuit 50 determines whether a flash is necessary (S704), and if a flash is necessary, a flash flag Is set, the flash 48 is charged (S705), and the ratio of the amount of external light incident on the image sensor to the amount of flash emission that is used in white balance based on the measurement data obtained by AE control and the amount of flash emission. The external light / flash light mixing ratio is calculated (S706), the measured data and / or the setting parameters are stored in the internal memory of the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52, and the AE / FE lock processing routine S111 is terminated, and AE / Set the FE lock flag. Then, the white balance control of the image data is executed based on the calculated external light / flash light mixture ratio.

As described above, in this embodiment, by calculating the mixture ratio of external light / flash light before photographing, the time of white balance processing after photographing is shortened and until the user confirms the photographed image. It is possible to shorten the time.

FIG. 8 shows a detailed flowchart of the white balance processing in S310 of FIG. The system control circuit 50 causes the image processing circuit 20 to sequentially read the image data written in the memory 30 (S801), and detects the color temperature of external light from the output (S802). If the flash flag is set (S803), the color temperature of the flash light is detected (S804), and the AE / FE is detected.
If the lock flag is set, the already-obtained external light / flash light mixing ratio is read from the internal memory of the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 (S80).
7) If the AE / FE lock flag is not set, the external light / flash light mixing ratio is not obtained, so the external light / flash light is output from the photometric data acquired by the photometric processing 122 and the output of the image processing circuit 20. Find the mixing ratio.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the mixing ratio of external light / flash light is already obtained, the time for white balance processing after photographing is shortened, and the time until the user confirms the photographed image is reduced. It can be shortened.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the above description of the embodiment, when the FE is not locked while the flash is firing, the external light /
Although the light amount ratio of the flash light is obtained, it may be obtained from the photometric data at the time of photometry and the flash emission amount.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the light emission amount of the flash is determined before exposure by using the exposure lock, the light amount ratio is calculated first, so that the white balance processing after photography is performed. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the problem that the time from the user taking a picture to checking the image is prolonged.

Further, an object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium having a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment to a system or apparatus, and to supply a computer (or CPU or M) of the system or apparatus.
It is needless to say that it is also achieved by the PU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, C
DR, magnetic tape, non-volatile memory card, ROM
Etc. can be used.

Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the OS (operating system) running on the computer is executed based on the instruction of the program code. It is needless to say that this also includes the case where () etc. perform part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, Needless to say, this also includes the case where the CPU or the like included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs some or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0069]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the ratio between the amount of light emitted to the subject and the amount of external light incident on the image pickup means is set before the image is taken. Since it is configured to calculate, it is possible to shorten the white balance processing time at the time of shooting processing for the image data, and accordingly shorten the time from the user shooting to checking the image. Is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a part of a main routine of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a part of a main routine of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a distance measurement / photometry routine of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a shooting routine of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a recording routine of the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an AE / FE lock processing routine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a white balance processing routine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Shooting lens 12: Shutter 14: Image sensor 16: A / D converter 18: Timing generation circuit 20: Image processing circuit 22: Memory control circuit 24: Image display memory 26: D / A converter 28: Image display section 30: Memory 32: Image compression / decompression circuit 40: Exposure control means 42: Distance measurement control means 44: Zoom control means 46: Barrier control means 48: Flash 50: System control circuit 52: Memory 54: Display 56: Non-volatile memory 60: Mode dial switch 62: Shutter switch SW1 64: Shutter switch SW2 66: AE / FE lock switch 70: Operation unit 80: Power control means 82: Connector 84: Connector 86: Power supply means 90: Interface 92: Connector 94: Interface 96: Connector 98: Recording medium attachment / detachment detection means 100: Image processing device 102: protective means 104: Optical viewfinder 110: Communication means 112: Connector (or antenna) 200: recording medium 202: recording unit 204: Interface 206: Connector 210: recording medium 212: Recording unit 214: Interface 216: Connector

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup unit for picking up an image of a subject, a light emitting unit for emitting light to the subject, and a control unit for appropriately controlling an amount of light emitted by the light emitting unit and an exposure state of the image pickup unit. The control means, before the image captured by the image capturing means is captured, appropriately controls the light emission amount and the amount of external light incident on the image capturing means based on the exposure state and the light emission amount. An image processing apparatus, characterized by calculating a ratio of 2. A setting means for setting whether or not to properly control the light emission amount and the exposure state before the image is photographed, the control means depending on a setting content by the setting means. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the light amount of the external light and the light emission amount is calculated before the image capturing operation of the image is started. 3. A white balance control unit for controlling white balance of image data output from the image pickup unit based on a ratio of the light amount of the external light and the light emission amount. The image processing device described. 4. An instruction means for instructing to start a photographing operation of the image photographed by the photographing means, wherein the control means has the external light before the instruction to start the photographing operation. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a ratio between the light amount of the light and the light emission amount is calculated. 5. The control means controls the amount of light emitted by the light emitting means for emitting light to the subject and the exposure state of the image capturing means before the image captured by the image capturing means for capturing the image of the subject is captured. A step of appropriately controlling, and a step of calculating, by the control means, a ratio between the light quantity of the external light incident on the image pickup means and the light emission quantity based on the properly controlled light emission quantity and the exposure state. An image processing method comprising: 6. The control means controls the amount of light emitted by the light emitting means for emitting light to the subject and the exposure state of the image capturing means before the image captured by the image capturing means for capturing the image of the subject is captured. A step of appropriately controlling, and a step of calculating, by the control means, a ratio between the light quantity of the external light incident on the image pickup means and the light emission quantity based on the properly controlled light emission quantity and the exposure state. A program that causes a computer to execute. 7. A recording medium on which the program according to claim 6 is recorded.