JP2004328142A - Photographing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photographing device capable of creating an index image without requiring much time and effort. <P>SOLUTION: A change equal to or larger than a given extent in a photographing condition which is generated during photographing and recording an object image is used as an opportunity of the creation of the index image. Thus, the index image can be created during photographing and recording the object image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an imaging device that includes an imaging device and performs imaging in which a subject image obtained by imaging subject light from a subject on a imaging device by a lens is repeatedly read over time by the imaging device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, confirmation of the content of a photographed image photographed with a video camera and recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic tape is generally performed by fast-forwarding playback from the beginning to the end of the tape continuously or intermittently. However, this method takes time when a large number of captured images are recorded.
[0003]
Therefore, using a dedicated application, the captured image recorded on the video tape is converted into digital data and loaded into a personal computer, and the hue, luminance, sound volume, and frequency of the image are set as threshold values while scanning the entire captured image data. It has been proposed that image data of a part that has changed beyond the above is recorded as index image data on a recording medium in association with captured image data (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to this proposal, it is possible to grasp the contents of the photographed image by looking at the index image represented by the index image data added to the photographed image data.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-20367
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above proposal, in order to create the index image data, it is necessary to read the captured image recorded on the recording medium into a personal computer and further to scan the entire captured image data, which takes time and effort. There is. Note that the above problem does not occur only when an index image is created as a still image in a video camera that shoots a moving image, but when an index image is created as a moving image in this video camera, or a still image This also occurs when an index image is created as a moving image in a digital still camera that captures images.
[0006]
In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a photographing apparatus capable of creating an index image with less time and effort than conventional.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a photographing apparatus of the present invention provides:
In an imaging device that includes an imaging device and performs imaging in which subject light obtained from a subject is imaged on the imaging device by a lens and repeatedly read with the imaging device over time.
A first image recording unit for recording on a recording medium a series of subject images obtained over time by the photographing;
A condition change detector for detecting a change in the shooting condition;
A second image recording unit that records the subject image obtained when the condition change occurs each time a condition change of a predetermined level or more is detected by the condition change detection unit; Features.
[0008]
In the photographing apparatus of the present invention, a change of a predetermined degree or more in photographing conditions in a series of subject image photographing and recording is used as an opportunity for creating an index image, and the index image is created during the photographing and recording of the series of subject images. It is. Therefore, according to the photographing apparatus of the present invention, an index image can be created with less time and effort than in the past.
[0009]
Here, the first image recording unit records the subject image as a moving image on the recording medium,
The second image recording unit preferably records the subject image as a still image on the recording medium.
[0010]
In this way, it is possible to efficiently grasp the content of the captured and recorded moving image.
[0011]
In addition, the condition change detection unit detects at least one of a change in subject brightness, a change in distance to the subject, a change in white balance, and a change in angle of view as the condition change. Is also a preferred embodiment.
[0012]
Since these changes are changes that occur with changes in the shooting scene, if these are employed as the trigger for creating index image data, a more accurate image can be used as the index image.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the photographing apparatus of the present invention will be described.
[0014]
FIG. 1 is a front view and a rear view of the first embodiment of the photographing apparatus of the present invention.
[0015]
The digital camera 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a moving image recording mode in which a photographed image of a subject is recorded as a moving image in addition to a still image recording mode in which a photographed image of a subject is recorded as a still image. It is a camera equipped.
[0016]
The front view of the digital camera 1 in FIG. 1A shows a front lens 101 near the center, a lens barrel 11 incorporating the front lens 101, a release switch 143, and a viewfinder objective window 14a in order from the upper left. ing.
[0017]
The rear view of the digital camera 1 in FIG. 1B includes a liquid crystal panel 131 near the center, a viewfinder eyepiece window 14b, a mode selector switch 142, a zoom-up switch 141a, and a zoom-down switch 141b in order from the upper left. A zoom switch 141 is shown.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal configuration diagram of the digital camera of the present embodiment.
[0019]
FIG. 2 illustrates an imaging unit 100 that captures an image of an object, an A / D conversion unit 110 that converts an analog image signal output from a CCD image sensor into a digital image signal, and a digital image output from the A / D conversion unit. A processing unit 120 for processing a signal; an operation unit 140 configured by a zoom switch 141, a mode switch 142, and a release switch 143; an input / output unit 130 configured by a liquid crystal panel 131 and an external storage device 132; The control unit 150 includes an iris motor driver 151 that controls the motor 104a, a focus motor driver 152 that controls the focus motor 103a, and a zoom motor driver 153 that controls the zoom motor 102a.
[0020]
2 includes a front lens 101, a zoom lens 102, a focus lens 103, an iris 104 for adjusting the amount of light, a CCD image sensor 105, and a zoom motor for moving the position of the zoom lens 102. 102a, a focus motor 103a for moving the position of the focus lens 103, and an iris motor 104a for changing the iris opening.
[0021]
The processing unit 120 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes a buffer memory 122 in which the digital image signal digitized by the A / D conversion unit 110 is recorded, and white balance correction and gamma correction for the digital image signal recorded in the buffer memory 122. The image signal processing unit 121 for converting the YC signal to the YC signal, the RAM 125 for recording the YC signal, the image compression unit 127 for compressing the YC signal stored in the RAM, the compressed YC signal for a recording medium, etc. A media controller 128 for recording in the external recording device 132, an encoder 129 for creating a video signal by adding a synchronization signal to the uncompressed YC signal stored in the RAM, and an image based on the video signal created by the encoder are displayed. Liquid crystal panel 131, exposure adjustment, focus adjustment, white balance adjustment The AE / AF / AWB calculation unit 124, a key controller 126 detects an operation on the operation button and,, and a system controller 123 for controlling the entire these circuits.
[0022]
As described above, the digital camera 1 has modes that can be selected by the mode changeover switch 142. As described above, a moving image recording mode for recording a captured image of a subject as a moving image, and a still image recording mode for recording a captured image of a subject as a still image. There are three playback modes: playback mode for playing back these recorded images.
[0023]
Of these three modes, when the moving image recording mode or the still image recording mode is selected, when a power switch (not shown) is turned on, analog image data output from the CCD image sensor 105 on which the subject image is formed Is converted into digital image data by the A / D conversion unit 110 and stored in the buffer memory 122. Thereafter, the digital image data processed by the image signal processing unit 121 is converted to analog again by the encoder 129 or the like via the RAM 125. After being converted to image data, it is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 131 as a through image.
[0024]
Here, in the case where the moving image recording mode is selected, when the photographer presses the release switch 143, recording in the moving image is started, and this recording is continued until the release switch is pressed again by the photographer. When the photographer presses the release switch 143 when the still image recording mode is selected, recording with a still image, that is, normal photography is performed.
[0025]
In this moving image recording mode or still image recording mode, a moving image or still image is recorded in an external storage device as moving image data or still image data. In addition, during moving image recording in the moving image recording mode, a change in the subject brightness more than a predetermined value, a change in the focus position more than a predetermined amount, a difference between the white balance and gray exceeding a predetermined value, an operation of the zoom switch When one of them occurs, the still image of the subject image read by the image sensor at the time of occurrence is recorded as index image data in association with moving image data in an external storage device.
[0026]
Here, an exposure adjustment process, a focus adjustment process, a white balance adjustment process, and a zoom adjustment process in the digital camera 1 will be described.
[0027]
The exposure adjustment of the digital camera 1 is performed by adjusting the iris opening and the like based on the subject brightness detected from the digital image signal so that the subject light amount incident on the CCD solid-state imaging device is appropriate.
[0028]
The focus adjustment of the digital camera 1 is performed on the optical axis of the focus lens 103 on the basis of a high-frequency component of an image signal extracted by a band-pass filter from an RGB signal read from the CCD image sensor 105 with time, that is, a so-called AF evaluation value. This is done by adjusting the position.
[0029]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a routine that is executed during focus adjustment in the digital camera.
[0030]
The routine shown in FIG. 3 starts when a power switch (not shown) of the digital camera 1 is turned on and the moving image recording mode or the still image recording mode is selected by the mode changeover switch 142. First, in step S1, the lens is turned on. The direction in which the AF evaluation value increases is detected by moving the current position back and forth by a minute amount. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S2, and the movement of the focus lens in the direction detected in step S1 is instructed.
[0031]
In step S3, it is determined whether or not a peak of the AF evaluation value has been detected.
[0032]
Here, FIG. 4 is a graph showing how the AF evaluation value changes when the AF evaluation value reaches its peak.
[0033]
In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis indicates the position of the focus lens on the optical axis of the camera, the vertical axis indicates the AF evaluation value, and the focus lens focuses on a subject at a short distance (hereinafter referred to as NEAR). Change in AF evaluation value when the lens moves close to an infinitely far subject (hereinafter referred to as INF), and an increase determination threshold value X that is the amount of change in the AF evaluation value , And a lowering determination threshold Y is shown. In the digital camera 1, the peak of the AF evaluation value is detected by the AF evaluation value as shown in FIG. 4 in which the AF evaluation value rises above the predetermined rise determination threshold X and then falls below the fall determination threshold Y. It is assumed that the change of is seen. Hereinafter, the description will be continued by returning to step S3 shown in FIG.
[0034]
If it is determined in step S3 that a peak has been detected, the process proceeds to step S4, and the focus lens is moved to a position on the optical axis where the highest AF evaluation value has been detected in the movement process. Then, it progresses to step S6.
[0035]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that no peak has been detected, the process proceeds to step S4, scanning from NEAR to INF, and focusing on the position on the optical axis where the highest AF evaluation value has been detected. The lens is moved. Then, it progresses to step S6.
[0036]
In step S6, further detection of the highest AF evaluation value is performed near the position where the focus lens is currently placed, and fine adjustment of the focus lens position is performed in accordance with the detection. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S7, where it is determined whether or not the difference between the currently obtained highest AF evaluation value and the real-time AF evaluation value for the subject currently being photographed is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.
[0037]
If it is determined in step S7 that the difference is less than the predetermined value, step 7 is repeated.
[0038]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S7 that the difference is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the process returns to step S1, and the focus position is redetected on the assumption that a significant change has occurred in the distance to the subject.
[0039]
In addition, the white balance adjustment of the digital camera 1 has changed the light source when the color obtained by averaging the R, G, and B signals of the real-time captured image is different from the gray by a predetermined degree or more. After a predetermined no-response time, the R gain and the B gain are changed and returned to gray.
[0040]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation concept diagram of auto white balance.
[0041]
FIG. 5A shows the change in white balance with respect to the horizontal axis indicating the passage of time. After the average color of the captured image, which was initially gray, is stabilized by a color different from the threshold A, the gain convergence described later is performed. Shows how it is turned back to gray again.
[0042]
FIG. 5B conceptually shows that a change in gain with respect to the horizontal axis indicating the passage of time starts after a non-response time T and gradually converges over the target convergence point P over time. Has been shown.
[0043]
The zoom adjustment of the digital camera 1 is performed by a combination of optical zoom and electronic zoom. When the zoom-up switch 141a shown in FIG. 1B is pressed, the telephoto (TELE) side and FIG. When the zoom down switch 141b shown is pressed, the zoom is zoomed to the wide angle (WIDE) side. By operating these switches, zooming is performed by extending the lens barrel 11 up to the limit of optical zoom-up, and when the limit of optical zoom-up is reached, next electronic zoom-up is performed. .
[0044]
An index image creation operation in the digital camera 1 having the functions described above will be described. Hereinafter, in the digital camera 1, the discussion proceeds on the assumption that the moving image recording mode is selected by the mode switch 142.
[0045]
First, when the photographer turns on a power switch (not shown), a through image of the subject is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 131, and when the release button 143 is turned on with the lens facing the subject, recording of the through image as a moving image starts. Is done.
[0046]
In the digital camera 1, when a change of a predetermined level or more is detected in the luminance value from the subject during the recording of the moving image, exposure adjustment by changing the aperture, that is, change of the photographing condition is performed. A subject image formed on the CCD image sensor is recorded as an index image that is a still image. In addition to the change of the brightness value exceeding a predetermined level, the index image is recorded when the focus adjustment does not fit within the fine adjustment range and the search for a wide range of focus positions is started, the gain convergence in the white balance adjustment starts. In this case, the same operation is performed when an operation is performed on the zoom switch 141 for changing the shooting angle of view.
[0047]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a routine activated in the digital camera of the present embodiment.
[0048]
The routine shown in FIG. 6 is started when the moving image recording mode is selected by the mode changeover switch 142 of the digital camera 1.
[0049]
In step S11, the exposure adjustment (AE), focus adjustment (AF), and white balance adjustment (AWB) functions operate on the subject that is currently being photographed. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S12, where it is determined whether or not the release switch 143 has been pressed. If it is determined in step S12 that the release switch 143 has not been pressed, step S12 is repeated. If it is determined that the release switch 143 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S13. Recording of a moving image is started. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S14, where it is determined whether or not the luminance value of the subject has changed beyond a predetermined threshold value. If it is determined in step S14 that the luminance value has changed by a predetermined level or more, the process proceeds to step S18. If it is determined that the luminance value has not changed by a predetermined level or more, the process proceeds to step S15.
[0050]
In step S15, it is determined whether AF has been restarted. This is because, as shown in step S7 in FIG. 3, when a significant change occurs in the distance to the subject, that is, whether or not the difference between the maximum AF evaluation value and the real-time AF evaluation value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Determined. If it is determined in step S15 that AF has been restarted, the process proceeds to step S18. If it is determined that AF has not been restarted, the process proceeds to step S16. In step S16, it is determined whether restart of the AWB function, that is, gain convergence as shown in FIG.
[0051]
If it is determined in step S16 that the AWB function has been restarted, the process proceeds to step S18. If it is determined that the AWB function has not been restarted, the process proceeds to step S17. In step S17, it is determined whether or not the zoom switch 141 has been operated. If it is determined in step S17 that an operation has been detected, the process proceeds to step S18. If it is determined that no operation has been detected, the process proceeds to step S19.
[0052]
In step S18, the currently captured image is recorded as an index image. In this digital camera 1, once an index image is recorded, the recording of the next index image is prevented until a predetermined time has elapsed.
[0053]
In step S19, it is determined whether or not the release switch 143 has been pressed. If it is determined in step S19 that the release switch has not been pressed, the process proceeds to step S20, where it is determined that the release switch has been pressed. Then, the process proceeds to step S21.
[0054]
In step S20, it is determined whether or not the recording medium has a free space. If it is determined in step S20 that there is no free space, the process proceeds to step S21, where an instruction to stop recording a moving image is issued. Return to step S12.
[0055]
If it is determined in step S20 that there is an empty area, the process returns to step S14, and recording of a moving image and recording of an index image are continued.
[0056]
In the digital camera 1 of the present embodiment, when a series of subject images are captured and recorded as moving images, the luminance value from the subject changes more than a predetermined value, the focus position changes more than a predetermined amount, and the achromatic color caused by the captured image. When a change of a predetermined level or more with respect to gray or a change in the shooting angle of view occurs, an index image that is a still image is recorded in association with the moving image, triggered by the change. In other words, in the digital camera 1 of the present embodiment, a change of a shooting condition or more in a predetermined range in shooting and recording of a series of subject images is used as an opportunity for creating an index image, and the index image is used as a trigger for the series of subject images. Can be created during shooting recording. Therefore, according to the digital camera 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to create an index image without taking time and effort.
[0057]
The index image represented by the index image data recorded in association with the moving image data can be confirmed by reading the index image data from the recorded data in the reproduction mode. The contents of a series of moving images recorded in the moving image data associated with the data can be accurately grasped in a short time.
[0058]
Note that in the second embodiment of the photographing apparatus of the present invention, a series of subject images are recorded and recorded as moving images as in the first embodiment, and the index images are recorded as moving images unlike the first embodiment. Done. The description of the external view and the internal configuration diagram of the digital camera 2 of the present embodiment is the same as that of the digital camera 1 of the first embodiment, and will not be repeated.
[0059]
Also, the index image creation operation in the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the index image is recorded as a still image and the index image is recorded as a moving image in the present embodiment. Is omitted.
[0060]
In the first and second embodiments described above, during photographing and recording, the luminance value from the subject changes by a predetermined level or more, the focus position changes by a predetermined level or more, and a predetermined level with respect to the achromatic gray by the output image. The above change and the change in the shooting angle of view are used as the trigger for creating the index image. However, in the present invention, only one of these changes may be fixedly detected and used as a trigger. . In the first and second embodiments described above, the index image is cut out in the moving image recording mode in which the captured image of the subject is recorded as a moving image. However, in the present invention, the index image is cut out as a still image. May be performed during shooting and recording in a so-called continuous shooting recording mode.
[0061]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the photographing apparatus of the present invention, an index image can be created without taking time and effort.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view and a rear view of a first embodiment of a photographing apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal configuration diagram of the digital camera of the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a routine that is started when focus adjustment is performed.
FIG. 4 is a graph showing a change seen when an AF evaluation value reaches a peak.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation concept diagram of auto white balance.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a routine activated in the digital camera of the present embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 Digital camera 11 Lens barrel 100 Image pick-up part 101 Front lens 102 Zoom lens 102a Zoom motor 103 Focus lens 103a Focus motor 104 Iris 104a Iris motor 110 A / D conversion part 120 Processing part 121 Image signal processing part 122 Buffer memory 123 System Controller 124 AE / AF / AWB calculation unit 125 RAM
126 Key controller 127 Image compression unit 128 Media controller 129 Encoder 130 Input / output unit 131 Liquid crystal panel 132 External recording device 140 Operation unit 141 Zoom switch 141a Zoom up switch 141b Zoom down switch 142 Mode switch 143 Release switch 150 Control unit 151 Iris motor Driver 152 Focus motor driver 153 Zoom motor driver

Claims (3)

In an imaging apparatus that includes an imaging device and performs imaging in which subject images obtained by forming subject light from a subject on the imaging device with a lens are repeatedly read over time by the imaging device,
A first image recording unit for recording on a recording medium a series of subject images obtained over time by the photographing;
A condition change detector for detecting a change in the shooting condition;
A second image recording unit that records, on the recording medium, a subject image obtained when the condition change is detected each time a condition change of a predetermined level or more is detected by the condition change detection unit; An imaging device as a feature. The first image recording unit records the subject image as a moving image on the recording medium;
The photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second image recording unit records the subject image as a still image on the recording medium. The condition change detection unit detects at least one of a change in subject brightness, a change in distance to the subject, a change in white balance, and a change in angle of view as the condition change. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1.

Images