JP2006262211A - Digital still camera and imaging method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve handleability of a user which corresponds to tripod mounting. <P>SOLUTION: This digital still camera is provided with an imaging element 25, a display means LCD for performing image display in a photographing mode, a tripod detection switch 33 for detecting that a tripod is mounted in a tripod mounting hole, and a control means 10 that can select a plurality of photographing record setting when the tripod detection switch 33 detects the tripod. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital still camera and an imaging method thereof.

  In recent digital still cameras, since the number of shooting and recording modes is considered to increase the value of the digital still camera, recording settings for various special purposes are enabled in the menu screen of the recording mode. A user who seeks such a function for a special purpose is a user who understands the camera well, for example, a user who understands that camera shake needs to be taken care of in the long-time shooting mode.

  However, in most cases, for general users who shoot in the auto mode, there are many recording settings, so it feels complicated, and for example, if you shoot accidentally in the long seconds mode, the camera must be fixed. Since there is no notion of unavoidable, the captured image has a lot of camera shake.

  In addition to the recording settings displayed on the recording mode menu screen, there are recording settings that are determined in advance in the program and cannot be changed by the user. For example, with the longest exposure time in the automatic exposure mode, when shooting with the camera in hand, the exposure time (camera shake limit) that can be taken without shaking is generally converted to the lens focal length equivalent to that of a 35 mm film camera lens. In many cases, the focal length f is 1 / f second. That is, if the lens is equivalent to 38 mm in terms of 35 mm film, the exposure is terminated in 1/38 seconds, and if the lens is equivalent to 200 mm in terms of 35 mm film, it is terminated in 1/200 seconds. Also, in the case of a zoom lens, when changing the longest exposure time according to the current zoom position or increasing the apparent sensitivity by amplifying the signal output from the image sensor with an amplifier, etc. The longest exposure time is changed according to the sensitivity setting.

  In zoom cameras such as those described above, and cameras with arbitrary shooting sensitivity settings, there are multiple longest exposure times depending on the zoom position, shooting sensitivity, and combinations thereof. Not settable. In many cases, the camera shake limit is ignored, regardless of the zoom position, so that exposure can be performed uniformly for up to 1 second, or in cameras with an aperture-priority manual exposure mode, etc. Until the exposure time obtained from the distance is reached, the restriction on the longest exposure time is only relaxed when the aperture priority is selected.

  Of the above-mentioned cameras, especially the above-mentioned cameras, if an exposure time longer than the camera shake limit is required to obtain an appropriate exposure amount, the camera shake limit is exceeded and it is necessary to pay attention to camera shake. In order to allow the user to recognize that there is an OSD (on screen display) on a display means such as an LCD that displays a monitoring image, a warning message is displayed. For the user who cannot understand the meaning because the display is only displayed for a moment, or conversely, these frequent displays are in the way.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, a push button is slidably inserted in a tripod mounting screw hole of the camera body, and a mode changeover switch is disposed above the push button. A digital still camera having a structure is disclosed. In this structure, when the screw part of the tripod is screwed into the screw hole part, the pressing button is pushed up and the contact part of the mode changeover switch comes into contact. As a result, the mode is automatically switched by simply attaching a tripod to the image pickup apparatus.

Patent Document 2 discloses a digital still camera including an acceleration sensor, a screw hole switch, and a button switch for detecting whether or not the camera body is stably held. In this structure, when a fixed signal is input to the CPU from the camera fixed detection circuit and the subject brightness is detected to be below a predetermined level by the photometry device, it is automatically set for long exposure (night scene shooting mode) combined with a strobe. Can be switched automatically. Therefore, it is possible to shift to the night scene shooting mode in which long exposure is performed without troublesome switching operation.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-60936 JP-A-5-53168

  However, in the camera of Patent Document 1, it is determined whether or not a tripod is attached to the tripod attachment hole, but the recording mode of the camera does not automatically change when the tripod is attached. Also, by attaching a tripod, there are more choices of shooting modes. Furthermore, only one type of recording mode can be switched automatically by attaching a tripod, and recording modes that require other tripods have the complication of having to switch the mode switching button. is doing.

  In Patent Document 2, it is possible to determine whether or not the camera is fixed or to perform exposure for a long time exceeding the camera shake limit, but whether to perform the long time exposure is determined based on the photometric value. Therefore, it is irrelevant to the tripod attachment.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a digital still camera and an imaging method thereof that can improve the user-friendliness according to the attachment of a tripod.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the imaging device, the display means for displaying the image in the photographing mode, the tripod detection switch for detecting that the tripod is attached to the tripod mounting hole, and when the tripod detection switch detects the tripod. And a control unit that enables selection of a plurality of shooting recording settings.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the recording setting of the photographing is at least one of a long second exposure mode, a bulb photographing mode, an interval photographing mode, a night scene photographing mode, and a noise reduction mode. It is characterized by that.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging device, display means for displaying an image in a photographing mode, a tripod detection switch for detecting that a tripod is attached to a tripod mounting hole, and the tripod detection switch for detecting a tripod. Control means for changing the display items for the display means according to whether or not the display means.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 3, wherein the display item to be changed is a camera shake warning display.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging device, a tripod detection switch for detecting that a tripod is attached to the tripod mounting hole, and an automatic exposure photographing mode depending on whether or not the tripod detection switch detects a tripod. And control means for changing the setting of the longest exposure time.

  The invention according to claim 6 further comprises display means for displaying an image in the automatic exposure shooting mode in the invention according to claim 5, wherein the control means detects when the tripod detection switch detects a tripod. The exposure time is displayed on the display means before recording.

The invention according to claim 7 detects that the tripod is attached to the tripod attachment hole, and performs any one of the controls (a) to (c) according to whether or not the tripod is attached. It is an imaging method in a still camera.
(A) Control that enables selection of recording settings for multiple shooting when attachment of a tripod is detected (b) Control for changing display items of image display according to whether or not the tripod is attached (c) Tripod Control to change the setting of the longest exposure time in the automatic exposure shooting mode according to the presence or absence of attachment

  According to the present invention, by attaching a tripod, a plurality of shooting recording settings can be selected, display items can be changed for display means depending on whether or not the tripod is attached, or whether or not the tripod is attached. Since the setting of the longest exposure time in the automatic exposure shooting mode is changed, the user-friendliness according to the tripod attachment can be improved.

  FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a system controller as control means for controlling the entire camera and controlling the present embodiment. The system controller 10 is configured by an LSI and includes an image processing unit 11 and a CPU 12.

  The system controller 10 is connected to a ROM 19 in which a program for performing control at the time of shooting is stored and an SDRAM 18 serving as a work area at the time of control. A card controller 20 is connected to the system controller 10. The card controller 20 outputs image information to a memory card 20a which is an external recording means for recording a photographed image.

  Further, the system controller 10 is connected with an LCD 15 and a video amplifier 16 as display means. The LCD 15 displays an image in the shooting mode. The video amplifier 16 outputs an image to an external television 17.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 21 denotes a lens barrel unit, in which a zoom lens system 22, a shutter 23, an autofocus system 24, and a CCD 25 serving as an image pickup element that forms an image from a photographing lens are disposed. A motor driver 26 is connected to the system controller 10 to control the zoom motor 22a, shutter motor 23a, and focus motor 24a.

  The CCD 25 is controlled by a CCD driving circuit 36 to which a signal from the clock generator 35 is input. The image formed on the CCD is output to the image processing unit 11 through the CDS circuit 27, the AGC circuit 28, and the AD converter 29, and the image processing unit 11 performs image processing.

  In this embodiment, a release switch 31 and a tripod detection switch 33 are connected to the system controller 10. The release switch 31 includes a first release switch 31a and a second release switch 31b, and signals are output to the system controller 10 in two stages.

  The tripod detection switch 33 is a switch that detects whether or not the tripod is mounted in the tripod mounting hole of the camera body, and can be configured by, for example, a contact provided inside the tripod mounting hole. The detection signal of the tripod detection switch 33 is output to the system controller 10, thereby enabling selection of recording settings for shooting, changing display items on the LCD 15, and automatic processing as will be described later. Change the maximum exposure time setting in exposure shooting mode.

  2 and 3 are recording setting displays on the LCD 15, FIG. 2 shows a normal menu screen without a tripod attached, and FIG. 3 shows that the tripod detection switch 33 detects the attachment of the tripod to the tripod attachment hole. The menu screen in the case is shown.

  When all the items to be selected are displayed on one screen, the menu screen becomes unusable every time the OSD character becomes small. For this reason, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the number of items to be displayed on one screen is limited to several items, and other items are provided on a separate page. The configuration items are arranged and displayed sequentially by scrolling. In the form shown in the figure, the pattern is shown by being divided into pages.

  When the tripod is not attached, as shown in FIG. 2, the recording settings are displayed separately on page 1 (A) and page 2 (B). On the other hand, when the tripod detection switch 33 detects the attachment of the tripod, as shown in FIG. 3, the new first page of (A) is added, and the conventional first page and second page are the second page of (B), respectively. Move to the third page of Eye, (C). Thereby, since the item which will be used frequently by attaching a tripod is arranged on the first page, the user-friendliness can be improved.

  The “noise reduction mode” displayed in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a mode for selecting whether or not noise due to dark current generated in the image sensor is to be removed during long-time shooting. If this mode is selected, the shutter is closed for the same period as the main exposure period, and another image in which only the dark current is accumulated is taken, and the dark current image is subtracted from the image obtained by the main exposure, If the signal level is significantly different from that of the pixel, it can be replaced with the data of the adjacent pixel of the same color. In the former case, it is not always the user who likes to shoot in that mode because the exposure time takes twice as long as usual, and in the latter case, the resolution may be lowered. Therefore, it is often a shooting menu item.

  4 and 5 show the screen of the LCD 15 when the present invention is applied to a digital still camera in which a time equal to or greater than the camera shake limit is automatically set even in the exposure auto mode according to the subject brightness. 4 and 5, the first release switch 31a is pressed in the shooting sequence of the digital still camera, and shooting conditions such as AE, AF, and AWB are calculated, and the result is displayed on the LCD 15. FIG. This is the upper screen, and the lower screen is the screen when confirming the image in the playback mode after recording.

  When a tripod is not used, as shown in FIG. 4, in the AE program when the exposure time is longer than the exposure time that is limited by the focal length and shooting sensitivity setting, the OSD should be careful to watch the camera shake. Prompt. As an example, “slow shutter” is displayed. This display is often displayed only for a moment until the second release switch 31b is pressed next, and it is still necessary to be noticeable to the user, so that characters and designs are large, It is necessary to use prominent colors. As a result, when a part of the subject is hidden by the display or used to the camera operation, it becomes an obstacle.

  On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, only when a tripod is used, the display itself is eliminated, and the usability of the user is improved. That is, on the screen after the first release switch 31a is pressed, the display of the exposure time at the time of recording is displayed in a color or a size different from normal. This is a second time set since the tripod is attached, and represents a second time not set when the tripod is not used.

  6 and 7 show the LCD 15 in the case where the present invention is applied to a digital still camera in which the exposure ends in a predetermined camera shake time so that a time longer than the camera shake limit is not set. Show the screen.

  FIG. 6 shows a case in which a tripod is not used, and an underexposed photograph is obtained although the image does not become a camera shake. As described above, the camera shake limit is obtained by the zoom position and sensitivity setting in the exposure auto mode, and even if it is not possible to obtain an appropriate exposure amount unless the exposure time is not less than the second obtained by that, Therefore, since the exposure is discontinued, an under image is recorded as a result.

  On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, when a tripod is attached to the camera, exposure is uniformly possible up to 1 second regardless of the zoom position and sensitivity setting. For this reason, an image with appropriate exposure can be obtained. In this embodiment, the uniform exposure time of 1 second is merely an example, and may be longer or shorter than 1 second as long as it is set to a time longer than the camera shake time. is there.

  In addition to the above-described embodiment, in the present invention, the recording setting for shooting when a tripod is attached is one of long exposure mode, bulb shooting mode, interval shooting mode, night view shooting mode, noise reduction mode, or its Can be a combination.

It is a circuit diagram in one embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view which shows the display screen of LCD in normal imaging | photography. It is a front view which shows the display screen of LCD at the time of attaching a tripod. It is a front view which shows the display screen of LCD in case a camera-shake limit is set automatically. It is a front view which shows the display screen of LCD when a tripod is attached with respect to FIG. It is a front view which shows the display screen of LCD when exposure is complete | finished in camera shake seconds. It is a front view which shows the display screen of LCD when a tripod is attached with respect to FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 System Controller 11 Image Processing Unit 12 CPU
15 LCD
25 CCD
31 Release switch 33 Tripod detection switch

Claims (7)

  Image sensor, display means for displaying images in shooting mode, tripod detection switch that detects when a tripod is installed in the tripod mounting hole, and multiple shooting recording settings when the tripod detection switch detects a tripod A digital still camera comprising a control means that enables the digital still camera.   2. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein the recording setting for shooting is at least one of a long exposure mode, a bulb shooting mode, an interval shooting mode, a night scene shooting mode, and a noise reduction mode.   An image pickup device, display means for displaying an image in a shooting mode, a tripod detection switch for detecting that a tripod is attached to a tripod mounting hole, and the display according to whether or not the tripod detection switch detects a tripod. A digital still camera comprising control means for changing display items to the means.   4. The digital still camera according to claim 3, wherein the display item to be changed is a camera shake warning display.   An image sensor, a tripod detection switch for detecting that a tripod is attached to the tripod mounting hole, and changing the setting of the longest exposure time in the automatic exposure shooting mode depending on whether or not the tripod detection switch detects a tripod. And a digital still camera.   The apparatus further comprises display means for displaying an image in the automatic exposure shooting mode, and the control means displays on the display means before recording that the exposure time is when the tripod detection switch detects a tripod. The digital still camera according to claim 5. An imaging method for a digital still camera, wherein a tripod mounting hole is detected to detect that a tripod is mounted, and any one of (a) to (c) is controlled in accordance with whether or not the tripod is mounted.
(A) Control that enables selection of recording settings for multiple shooting when attachment of a tripod is detected (b) Control for changing display items of image display according to whether or not the tripod is attached (c) Tripod Control to change the setting of the longest exposure time in the automatic exposure shooting mode according to the presence or absence of attachment

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