JP2004343169A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device with which a user can easily photograph a square object and a rectangular object without distortion. <P>SOLUTION: A liquid crystal monitor 36 displays additional lines comprising two sets of parallel straight lines wherein one set of the parallel straight lines is orthogonal to the other set of the parallel straight lines together with an object image in the case of imaging. The straight lines of the additional lines located to upper / lower and / or left / right with respect to center lines are controlled symmetrically movable at the same time with respect to the center lines. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an imaging device such as a mobile phone, a camera including a film camera and a digital camera, and more particularly to an imaging device capable of displaying an auxiliary line on a display device that displays a subject image.
[0002]
[Prior art]
It is unexpectedly difficult to photograph a rectangular or square subject, for example, a chart such as resolution, a poster, a CD jacket, or the like without distortion by the imaging device.
[0003]
If the subject and the imaging device such as a camera are not parallel at all, the two opposite sides in the captured image of the subject are not parallel, and the four interior angles of the captured image are not perpendicular.
[0004]
In the following Patent Document 1, it is disclosed that a composition determination auxiliary line is displayed on a liquid crystal finder of a digital camera. According to this document, when the user turns on the auxiliary line display or automatically at the S1 timing, Auxiliary lines are displayed over the image. However, when changing the position of the auxiliary line, it does not move vertically or horizontally, so it is difficult to take a rectangular subject without distortion at the center of the screen.
[0005]
In the following Patent Document 2, when it is better to display an auxiliary line with an interchangeable lens for a single-lens reflex camera, information on whether or not the auxiliary line is necessary is recorded on the lens, and the camera uses such a lens. A technique for displaying a grid-like auxiliary line in the viewfinder upon detection is disclosed. The auxiliary lines here are always the same, and the width of the auxiliary lines cannot be adjusted.
[0006]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses that a device for setting a subject is provided with a mechanism that is parallel to the camera, but this is a large-scale device.
[0007]
In addition, the applicant has applied for a technique that can check the in-focus state at the time of photographing a planar object (Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-64724). According to this, the focus can be checked. However, when the subject is narrowed down and the subject depth is deep, the focus range is wide, so that it is insufficient to check the parallelism between the subject and the camera.
[0008]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-181586 A
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-5-216109 [0010]
[Patent Document 3]
JP-A-9-287919 [0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus that allows a user to easily shoot a square or rectangular subject without distortion.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention of claim 1 is an image pickup means for picking up an image of a subject and outputting image data representing the image of the subject.
Display means for displaying a subject image represented by image data output from the imaging means;
An image pickup apparatus comprising: display control means for controlling the display means so that auxiliary lines composed of a plurality of parallel straight lines for determining a composition for picking up an object are displayed on the display means together with a subject image. And
The display control unit includes an imaging device that controls a straight line of the auxiliary line that is positioned vertically and / or left and right with respect to the center line in the display unit so as to be simultaneously movable symmetrically with respect to the center line. .
[0013]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the imaging unit images a subject, outputs image data representing the subject image, the display unit displays the subject image represented by the image data, and the display control unit displays the subject image. The display means is controlled so that an auxiliary line composed of a plurality of parallel straight lines for determining a composition for imaging is displayed on the display means together with a subject image. “Both” means that the subject image and the auxiliary line are simultaneously displayed in the display means. The display control means controls the auxiliary line so that a straight line positioned vertically and / or left and right with respect to the center line in the display means can be simultaneously moved symmetrically with respect to the center line. That is, the display control means allows the auxiliary lines, which are straight lines positioned vertically and / or left and right with respect to the center line in the display means, to be simultaneously moved symmetrically in the vertical and horizontal directions with respect to the center line. Become.
[0014]
The display means may be an optical finder or a liquid crystal monitor.
[0015]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the imaging apparatus according to the third aspect, wherein the display control means can display a differential image of a subject image on the liquid crystal monitor.
[0016]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the case of the liquid crystal monitor, the auxiliary line can be simultaneously moved symmetrically in the vertical and horizontal directions with respect to the center line, and the differential image of the subject image is displayed. Since the differential image is a difference image with adjacent pixels, the side of the subject is easy to see, and positioning using the auxiliary line is easy.
[0017]
According to the present invention of claim 5, the liquid crystal monitor has a substantially rectangular shape, and the differential image is an image obtained by differentiating a value scanned in an oblique 45 ° direction with respect to a vertical contour line or a horizontal contour line of the liquid crystal monitor. An imaging apparatus according to claim 4.
[0018]
According to the present invention of claim 5, by differentiating the value obtained by scanning the subject image in the oblique 45 ° direction, the horizontal and vertical sides of the subject can be easily seen on the liquid crystal monitor. This is because the horizontal edge is difficult to detect when differentiated in the horizontal direction, and the vertical edge is difficult to detect even if differentiated in the vertical direction.
[0019]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the auxiliary line includes four straight lines including two straight lines parallel to the horizontal direction and two straight lines parallel to the vertical direction. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, which is orthogonal to two straight lines parallel to the vertical direction.
[0020]
According to the present invention of claim 6, when a chart such as a rectangle is displayed in the display means which is often rectangular, two auxiliary lines parallel to the horizontal direction and the auxiliary line in the horizontal direction By displaying two auxiliary lines parallel to the orthogonal vertical direction, positioning of the chart or the like is facilitated.
[0021]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, a case where a digital camera is used as an imaging device will be described.
[0022]
1 is a front view showing the appearance of the digital camera 10, FIG. 2 is a rear view of the digital camera 10, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the digital camera 10 viewed from above, and FIG. 4 is a left side view of the digital camera 10. .
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 1, a retractable photographing lens 12 and a finder window 114 are provided on the front surface of the digital camera 10. A lens cover (not shown) that is opened and closed at the retracted position of the photographic lens 12 is provided on the front surface of the digital camera 10.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 2, on the back of the digital camera 10, a finder 120, a two-color (red, green) finder LED 122, which lights up and blinks a power-on shooting standby, flash charging, USB data communication, etc. Shooting / playback mode selection switch 124, shooting mode selection dial 126, multi-function cross key 128, dot matrix liquid crystal display 30 that displays the operation mode of the camera, the function of the cross key 128, and the like with characters and icons, and back switch 132 , A menu / OK switch 134, a liquid crystal monitor 36 for displaying images, a speaker 32, and the like.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 3, a power switch 140 and a shutter button 142 are provided on the top surface of the digital camera 10, and as shown in FIG. A video (A / V) output terminal 46, a digital (USB) terminal 48, and a DC input terminal 50 are provided.
[0026]
The digital camera 10 can select a shooting mode or a playback mode by a shooting / playback mode selection switch 124. In the shooting mode, a shooting mode selection dial 126 allows manual shooting, auto shooting, moving image, voice recorder, chart. Each mode such as a shooting mode can be selected. The voice recorder mode is a mode for recording only sound. The chart shooting mode is used when shooting a chart such as a rectangle, a square, or a rhombus.
[0027]
The liquid crystal monitor 36 has a horizontally long and substantially rectangular shape, can be used as an electronic viewfinder, and can display a photographed image, a reproduced image read from a memory card loaded in the camera, and the like. The liquid crystal monitor 36 also displays information such as the number of frames that can be shot and the number of playback frames, the presence / absence of flash emission, macro mode display, recording image quality (quality) display, pixel number display, and various menus. Displayed in response to the operation of the menu / OK switch 134 or the cross key 128.
[0028]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the digital camera 10.
[0029]
In the figure, a central processing unit (CPU) 42 includes the above-described shooting / playback mode selection switch 124, shooting mode selection dial 126, cross key 128, back switch 132, menu / OK switch 134, power switch 140, and shutter button 142. Each circuit in the digital camera 10 is comprehensively controlled based on the input from the operation unit 11 including the above.
[0030]
When the power switch 140 is operated, the CPU 42 detects this and turns on the power supply in the camera. When the photographing mode is selected by the photographing mode selection dial 126, a lens cover (not shown) is opened, and a command for extending the photographing lens 12 in the retracted position to the photographing position is output to the lens driving unit 20, and the lens. The cover is opened and the photographing lens 12 is extended to enter the photographing standby state.
[0031]
When the shutter button 142 is pressed in the shooting standby state, the CPU 42 detects this, causes the still shooting or moving image shooting selected by the shooting mode selection dial 126 to be performed, and the image data obtained by the shooting is stored in the memory card 40. To record. That is, the CPU 42 performs focus control and iris control via the lens driving unit 20, and forms an image of subject light on the light receiving surface of the solid-state imaging device (CCD) 14 via the photographing lens 12.
[0032]
The CCD 14 converts the subject light imaged on the light receiving surface into a signal charge in an amount corresponding to the light amount. The signal charges accumulated in this manner are sequentially read out as voltage signals corresponding to the signal charges. The voltage signals sequentially read from the CCD 14 are applied to the A / D converter 16 where they are converted into digital R, G, B signals and output to the digital signal processing circuit 24.
[0033]
The digital signal processing circuit 24 is a predetermined image such as a synchronization process for converting the dot-sequential R, G, B signals applied from the A / D converter 16 into a simultaneous system, white balance adjustment, gamma correction, YC signal processing, and the like. The luminance signal Y and the chroma signals Cr and Cb (YC signal) created by the YC signal processing are further compressed into a predetermined format, and then recorded on the memory card 40.
[0034]
At the time of moving image shooting, sound is detected by a microphone (not shown), and the detection signal (sound signal) is converted into a digital signal by an A / D converter (not shown), and then a digital signal processing circuit. 24. Then, the digital signal processing circuit 24 records the audio data together with the image data on the memory card 40. The internal memory 34 temporarily stores R, G, B raw data and YC signals before signal processing, and the flash memory 38 differentiates the auxiliary line movement control program and the subject scanning signal. A program for controlling the camera including a differentiating circuit, a circuit, constants, and the like are stored.
[0035]
On the other hand, when the playback mode is selected by the shooting mode selection dial 126, first, the compressed data of the last image file (first frame in the case of a moving image file) recorded in the memory card 40 is read out and digitally read. After being decompressed to an uncompressed YC signal by the signal processing circuit 24, it is converted to a color composite video signal and output to the liquid crystal monitor 36. Thereby, the frame image of the last file recorded on the memory card 40 is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 36. When the playback of the moving image is started by operating the operation unit 11 with one frame of the moving image being displayed, the moving image is played back on the liquid crystal monitor 36 and the audio data is transmitted to the D / A converter 26 and the amplifier 28. The sound recorded simultaneously with the moving image is also reproduced.
[0036]
Further, by operating the left and right keys of the cross key 128, it is possible to advance the frame forward or backward, and the image file at the frame position where the frame is advanced is read from the memory card 40, and in the same manner as described above. Still images and moving images are reproduced on the liquid crystal monitor 36.
[0037]
The digital camera 10 is supplied with power from the power supply 18 connected to the CPU 42.
[0038]
A timer 44 that operates during USB communication is connected to the CPU 42 and the USB controller 19.
[0039]
The operation of the present embodiment will be described.
[0040]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow when the subject is photographed using the auxiliary line displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 36.
[0041]
First, the chart shooting mode is selected with the shooting mode selection dial 126 (step 220). Then, an auxiliary line for imaging a subject is displayed at the center of the liquid crystal monitor 36 at the time of shooting (step 222).
[0042]
FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a state in which auxiliary lines are displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 36.
[0043]
The auxiliary lines consist of a total of four lines, two lines 202 and 204 parallel to the vertical direction and two lines 206 and 208 parallel to the horizontal direction. The auxiliary lines 202 and 204 and the auxiliary lines 206 and 208 are orthogonal to each other. The auxiliary lines 202 and 204 are equidistant from the horizontal center line 210 passing through the screen center in the horizontal direction, and the auxiliary lines 206 and 208 are equidistant from the vertical center line 212 passing through the screen center in the vertical direction.
[0044]
Next, the auxiliary line is finely adjusted according to the subject (step 224). When fine adjustment is necessary, the user manually adjusts the auxiliary line (step 226).
[0045]
When the upper key of the cross key 128 is pressed, the distance between the auxiliary lines 202 and 204 is moved in the direction of spreading simultaneously symmetrically with respect to the horizontal center line 210. When the lower key of the cross key 128 is pressed, the distance between the auxiliary lines 202 and 204 is changed to the horizontal center. It moves symmetrically with respect to the line 210 and narrows simultaneously. Therefore, the distance from the horizontal center line 210 to the auxiliary lines 202 and 204 after movement is the same whether the up key is pressed or the down key is pressed.
[0046]
On the other hand, when the right key of the cross key 128 is pressed, the interval between the auxiliary lines 206 and 208 is moved in a direction that simultaneously extends symmetrically with respect to the vertical center line 212, and when the left key of the cross key 128 is pressed, the interval between the auxiliary lines 206 and 208 is increased. It moves in the direction of narrowing simultaneously symmetrically with respect to the vertical center line 212. Therefore, the distance from the vertical center line 212 to the auxiliary lines 206 and 208 after movement is the same whether the right key is pressed or the left key is pressed.
[0047]
FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the distance between the auxiliary lines 206 and 208 moves in a direction in which the distance between the auxiliary lines 206 and 208 spreads symmetrically and simultaneously with respect to the vertical center line 212. Since the positions of the auxiliary lines 202 to 208 are adjusted in this way, the user can easily set a rectangular or square subject such as a poster in the center of the screen of the liquid crystal monitor 36.
[0048]
Note that the auxiliary lines 202 to 208 need not display lines outside the point where the auxiliary lines intersect. In this case, in the auxiliary lines 202 to 208, these four straight lines form a rectangle.
[0049]
Next, it is determined whether or not to display a differential image of the subject on the liquid crystal monitor 36 (step 228). When displaying the differential image, the menu / OK switch 134 is pressed to display the menu, and the differential image display item is designated and executed (step 230). When the differential image is displayed, the original image is not displayed.
[0050]
The differential image of the subject is a differential image with adjacent pixels of the subject, and the contour of the subject is clearly displayed. When the subject is a rectangular chart, the four sides of the chart can be clearly seen. For example, when shooting a whitish poster placed on a gray mount, the edges of the four sides of the whitish poster can be clearly seen. If the auxiliary lines 202, 204, 206, 208 are brought close to the edges of the four sides of the whitish poster, it is easy to determine the parallelism between the four sides and the auxiliary lines.
[0051]
When creating a differential image, if it is differentiated by scanning data only in the horizontal or vertical direction, straight lines in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction are difficult to discriminate, respectively, so the value scanned in the oblique 45 ° direction is differentiated. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state of differentiation in an oblique 45 ° direction when shooting a whitish poster on a gray mount. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing values obtained by scanning the solid line in FIG. 8 in an oblique 45 ° direction. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the result of differentiating the values of FIG.
[0052]
In FIG. 9, the signal value is flat when the gray mount is scanned, but the signal value increases when the whitish poster is scanned. As shown in FIG. 10, the signal value changes at the point where the sheet moves from the mount to the poster and the point where the poster moves from the mount, so the value (Δ signal value) obtained by differentiating the signal value of FIG. 9 changes greatly. Therefore, in the differential image, a line of a portion where a difference from the adjacent pixel occurs clearly appears.
[0053]
When it is necessary to strictly observe the parallelism of the sides of the poster, four auxiliary lines are superimposed on the four sides of the poster. Thereby, the user can easily check whether the poster is set in the center of the screen of the liquid crystal monitor 36 without distortion.
[0054]
As the next step, it is determined whether the shooting angle of view is good (step 232). If the auxiliary line is not finely adjusted in step 224 and the differential image is not displayed in step 228, the process proceeds to step 232.
[0055]
When it is necessary to correct the angle of view in step 232, the angle of view is adjusted (step 234), and the process returns to step 232. If the angle of view is OK in step 232, shooting is performed, that is, the shutter button 142 is operated (step 236), and the process ends.
[0056]
According to the present embodiment, when photographing a chart such as a rectangle, square, or rhombus, the outline of the chart can be compared with the auxiliary line, so whether the outline is distorted, that is, the chart is parallel to the camera. You can easily check whether it is set. Furthermore, if the four sides of the chart and the four sides of the rectangle surrounded by the auxiliary line have the same length, it is easier to judge whether or not it is distorted.
[0057]
In the present embodiment, the auxiliary line is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 36, but the auxiliary line may be displayed on the finder 120 of the digital camera other than the display of the differential image, and the finder of the film camera (optical camera), particularly Auxiliary lines can also be displayed on a single lens reflex optical viewfinder.
[0058]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is easy to position the square subject in the center of the display means and to easily arrange the auxiliary line along the frame of the subject. Will be easier to judge.
[0059]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is easy to see the side of the subject and positioning using the auxiliary line is facilitated.
[0060]
According to the present invention of claim 5, the horizontal and vertical sides of the subject can be easily seen on the liquid crystal monitor.
[0061]
According to the present invention of claim 6, when a chart such as a rectangle is displayed in the display means that is often rectangular, the positioning of the chart or the like becomes easier.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an external appearance of a digital camera.
FIG. 2 is a rear view of the digital camera.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the digital camera.
FIG. 4 is a left side view of the digital camera.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the digital camera.
6A is a diagram illustrating a state in which auxiliary lines are displayed on the liquid crystal monitor, and FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the interval between the vertical auxiliary lines is moved in a direction in which the distance between the vertical auxiliary lines expands symmetrically at the same time.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of photographing a subject using an auxiliary line displayed on a liquid crystal monitor.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state of differentiation in an oblique 45 ° direction when shooting a whitish poster on a gray mount.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating values obtained by scanning the solid line in FIG. 8 in an oblique 45 ° direction.
10 is a diagram showing the result of differentiating the values in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Digital camera 11 ... Operation part 24 ... Digital signal processing circuit 34 ... Internal memory 36 ... Liquid crystal monitor 38 ... Flash memory 40 ... Memory card 42 ... CPU 120 ... Viewfinder 126 ... Photography Mode selection dial, 128 ... Cross key, 134 ... Menu / OK switch, 140 ... Power switch, 202, 204, 206, 208 ... Auxiliary line, 210 ... Horizontal center line, 212 ... Vertical center line

Claims (6)

Imaging means for imaging a subject and outputting image data representing the subject image;
Display means for displaying a subject image represented by image data output from the imaging means;
An image pickup apparatus comprising: display control means for controlling the display means so that auxiliary lines composed of a plurality of parallel straight lines for determining a composition for picking up an object are displayed on the display means together with a subject image. And
The display control unit is an imaging apparatus that controls a straight line of the auxiliary line that is positioned vertically and / or left and right with respect to a center line in the display unit so as to be simultaneously movable symmetrically with respect to the center line. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means is an optical viewfinder. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means is a liquid crystal monitor. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display control unit is capable of displaying a differential image of a subject image on the liquid crystal monitor. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the liquid crystal monitor has a substantially rectangular shape, and the differential image is an image obtained by differentiating a value scanned in a 45 ° oblique direction with respect to a vertical contour line or a horizontal contour line of the liquid crystal monitor. The auxiliary line is composed of four straight lines composed of two straight lines parallel to the horizontal direction and two straight lines parallel to the vertical direction. The two straight lines parallel to the horizontal direction and the two straight lines parallel to the vertical direction. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus is orthogonal to the straight line.

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