JP2007096682A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To input various setting such as an exposure time and an F value. <P>SOLUTION: A setting screen 67 is displayed on an LCD 15. In the setting screen 67, XY coordinates 68, a recommended setting area 69, a non-recommended setting area 71 are arranged. The XY coordinates 68 show an exposure time (1/s) in a horizontal axis, and the F value (an aperture value) in a vertical axis. The recommended setting area 69 shown by a white color is an area of a proper exposure time and a proper aperture value, and the non-recommended setting area 71 shown by a meshed part is an area out of the proper exposure time and the proper aperture value. If the point of the XY coordinates 68 is indicated by making the recommended area 69 as a guide, the proper exposure time and the proper aperture value can be easily input. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital camera, and more particularly to a digital camera capable of inputting settings using a touch panel.

In recent years, digital cameras that convert a captured image captured using an image sensor such as a CCD into digital image data and record it on a recording medium such as a built-in memory or a memory card have become widespread.
Among the digital cameras, the compact type is easy to operate and is required to shoot easily. Therefore, there are digital cameras equipped with an automatic exposure (AE) function that automatically selects an appropriate exposure and an autofocus (AF) function that automatically performs focus adjustment. On the other hand, in addition to shooting using the AE function and AF function, there is a demand for shooting a higher quality image or an image reflecting the user's shooting intention, so exposure value, F value, focus adjustment Some digital cameras are equipped with a manual adjustment function that allows users to input their own.

Recently, even a digital camera having such a manual adjustment function is required to be easily operated. For example, in the digital cameras described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the liquid crystal display is placed on the front surface of the display surface. A touch panel is provided, and it is possible to perform exposure value and F value input and focus adjustment by pressing the touch panel.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-70206 JP 2003-224742 A

  However, in the digital cameras described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, first, when setting the exposure value manually, the touch panel is pressed after switching to the exposure value setting screen or the like by operating the switching dial or the like. When the F value is set, the same operation as setting the exposure value is performed after switching from the exposure value setting screen to the F value setting screen by dialing or the like. And had to do a very time-consuming operation.

  In addition, in the digital cameras described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, an expert user can figure out what kind of setting should be performed, but even a beginner may try to input an exposure value or an F value. Since there was nothing to become, it was not possible to input an appropriate value, and there was a high possibility that shooting would fail.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to easily input various settings such as an exposure time and an F value, and to set an appropriate value while referring to a reference exposure time and an F value. An object of the present invention is to provide a digital camera capable of inputting the.

  In order to solve the above problems, a digital camera of the present invention includes a photographing lens, an image sensor that photoelectrically converts subject light incident from the photographing lens and outputs an image signal, and an image signal output from the image sensor. Signal processing means for generating image data by performing signal processing, an exposure time adjustment mechanism for adjusting an exposure time by the image sensor, a diaphragm mechanism for adjusting a diaphragm diameter incident on the image sensor, various information relating to photographing, and In a digital camera comprising display means for displaying the image data, when one of the coordinate axes is displayed on the display means when one coordinate axis is an exposure time and the other coordinate axis indicates an aperture value, one point in the XY coordinate is displayed. Coordinate input means for inputting the exposure time and the aperture value when instructed is provided.

  The coordinate input means is a touch panel provided in front of the display means, and it is preferable to input the exposure time and the aperture value by touching the touch panel. Moreover, it is preferable that the display means displays a recommended setting area indicating an appropriate exposure time and an appropriate aperture value in the XY coordinates. Furthermore, it is preferable that the display means displays a non-recommended setting area that deviates from an appropriate exposure time and an appropriate aperture value in the XY coordinates. Alternatively, the display means displays a non-recommended setting area deviating from an appropriate exposure time and an appropriate aperture value in the XY coordinates, and the coordinate input means inputs when the coordinates of the non-recommended area are instructed. Is preferably disabled.

  According to the digital camera of the present invention, an XY coordinate in which one coordinate axis is the exposure time and the other coordinate axis indicates the aperture value is displayed on the display means, and an exposure time of the image sensor is indicated by indicating one point in the XY coordinate. And coordinate input means for inputting the aperture value, it is possible to easily input various settings such as exposure time and F value.

  Further, the touch panel provided on the front surface of the display unit is used as the coordinate input unit, and the exposure time and the aperture value are input by touching the touch panel, whereby the setting can be further easily input.

  Furthermore, a recommended setting area indicating the appropriate exposure time and the appropriate aperture value is displayed in the XY coordinates, and a non-recommended setting area deviating from the appropriate exposure time and the appropriate aperture value is displayed in the XY coordinates. Alternatively, by invalidating the input when the coordinates of the non-recommended region are instructed, it is possible to easily input various settings such as the exposure time and the F value, and the reference exposure time and F It is possible to input an appropriate value while referring to the value.

  A digital camera 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided with a photographing lens 12 and a strobe light emitting unit 13 on the front surface of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped camera body 11. In addition, an LCD 15 serving as a display unit for displaying an image is provided on the rear surface of the camera body 11. Further, a touch panel (see FIG. 4) 49 is provided on the surface of the LCD 15 as will be described later. A shutter button 16 and a power button 17 are provided on the upper surface of the camera body 11. Further, a slot 18 in which a memory card for storing image data is detachably loaded is provided on the right side surface of the camera body 11.

  The digital camera 10 has a moving image shooting mode, a still image shooting mode, and a playback mode. Furthermore, under the still image shooting mode, a manual shooting mode and an auto shooting mode can be selected. The digital camera 10 does not include an operation button in addition to the shutter button 16 and the power button 17. Instead, a plurality of operation icons, XY coordinates described later, and the like are displayed on the LCD 15, and these operation icons are operated by touching the touch panel 58 with the user's finger or an attached operation pen (not shown). To do.

  Next, the electrical configuration of the digital camera 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the digital camera 10 includes a system controller 25 that is a control unit that controls the entire camera, and a ROM 25 a and a RAM 25 b that are storage units are provided in the system controller 25. . The ROM 25a stores a control program and various control data. In addition, work data is temporarily stored in the RAM 25b. The system controller 25 controls each unit based on a control program and various control data.

Behind the photographic lens 12, a CCD image sensor 32, which is an imaging means for imaging subject light that has passed through the photographic lens 12, is disposed. The photographing lens 12 includes a fixed lens 26, a zoom lens 27, and a focus lens 28. The zoom lens and the focus lens 28 are moved by driving a zoom lens drive motor 31 and a focus lens drive motor 32, respectively. A diaphragm mechanism 33 is arranged in front of the CCD 21. The aperture mechanism 33 switches the F value (aperture value) by driving the aperture drive motor 34.

  The zoom drive motor 31, the focus drive motor 32, and the aperture drive motor 34 are connected to drivers 39, 40, and 41, respectively, and the drive is controlled by the system controller 25 through these drivers 39 to 41.

  A CCD driver 43 is connected to the CCD image sensor 32. The CCD driver 43 inputs a vertical drive signal and a horizontal drive signal to the CCD image sensor 31 according to the clock pulse input from the timing generator 44 and drives the CCD image sensor 31. The timing generator 44 is connected to the system controller 25. The system controller 25 controls the timing generator 44 to control the drive of the CCD image sensor 32 by generating clock pulses.

  Further, a correlated double sampling circuit (CDS) 45 and an amplifier (AMP) 46 are connected to the CCD image sensor 32. Thus, noise removal and amplification are performed on the imaging signal output from the CCD image sensor 31.

  Thereafter, the noise-removed and amplified imaging signal is converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by the A / D converter 47 and output to the image input controller 48 as image data.

  The image input controller 48 is connected to the system controller 25 via the data bus 49 and is controlled by the system controller 25. A buffer memory 50 and a video memory 51 are connected to the image input controller 48 via a data bus 49. The system controller 25 controls the image input controller 48 to store the image data in the buffer memory 50 or the video memory 51.

  An image signal processing circuit 52 is connected to the system controller 25 via a data bus 49. While the captured high-resolution image data is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 50, the image data Various image processing such as gradation conversion, white balance correction, γ correction, and YC conversion processing are performed.

  The video memory 51 temporarily stores low-resolution image data when an image is displayed on the LCD 15, and simple image processing and simple YC conversion processing are performed by the image signal processing circuit 52. . The image data stored in the video memory 51 is transmitted to the LCD driver 53 via the data bus 49. The LCD driver 53 performs signal processing on the image data so that an image can be displayed on the LCD 15, and displays the image on the LCD 15.

  Further, a compression / decompression processing circuit 54 and a media controller 55 are connected to the system controller 25 via a data bus 49. The compression / decompression processing circuit 54 performs compression processing on the image data stored in the buffer memory 50 in a compression format such as the JPEG method. Further, the system controller 25 controls the media controller 55 to store the compressed image data in the memory card 56. The compression / decompression processing circuit 54 performs decompression processing on the compressed image data when reproducing the image data stored in the memory card 56.

  Furthermore, a strobe device 57 and a touch panel 58 are connected to the system controller 25 via a data bus 49. The system controller 25 controls the strobe device 57 to emit strobe light from the strobe light emitting unit 13 toward the subject.

  Further, the touch panel 58 is provided on the display surface of the LCD 15 as described above. The touch panel 58 detects the contact position when touched by the user. As this touch panel 58, an analog capacitive coupling system, a 5-wire analog resistive film system, an ultrasonic surface acoustic wave system, a 4-wire analog resistive film system, etc. can be used. It is preferable to use an ultrasonic surface acoustic wave type touch panel capable of displaying an image.

  The touch panel 58 detects a contact position and outputs contact position information to the system controller 25. When the touch panel 58 is touched by the user while a plurality of operation icons are displayed on the LCD 15, the system controller 25 acquires contact position information from the touch panel 58, and any operation icon is acquired based on the contact position information. It is determined whether is selected. The system controller 25 executes processing corresponding to this operation icon. Alternatively, when an XY coordinate 68 to be described later is displayed, when the user touches the touch panel 58, the system controller 25 acquires contact position information from the touch panel 58, and determines the exposure time and F value setting from the contact position information. To do.

  Further, the shutter button 16 and the power button 17 are connected to the system controller 25, and when an operation signal is acquired from these, processing corresponding to each operation signal is executed.

  In the present embodiment, when taking a still image with the digital camera 10, all operations other than the input with the shutter button 16 and the power button 17 can be performed with the touch panel 58. The operation when performing the above will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, when the power button 17 is pressed and the digital camera 10 is turned on, for example, a mode selection screen 59 shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the LCD 15. The mode selection screen 59 includes selection icons 61a to 61c for selecting three modes: a moving image shooting mode, a still image shooting mode, and a playback mode. The user can select a desired mode by touching the touch panel 58 and performing an input operation at a position corresponding to any of the selection icons 61a to 61c.

When the user touches the touch panel 58 and selects the operation icon 61a, the still image shooting mode is set. When the operation icons 61b and 61c are selected, the moving image shooting mode and the playback mode are set.

  When the still image shooting mode is selected, a setting screen 62 as shown in FIG. 6A is displayed. The setting screen 62 includes operation icons 63a to 63f and cursor icons 64a and 64b. An image captured by the CCD image sensor 32 is displayed in real time in an image display area 63 which is a portion excluding these icons. Is done. When the operation icon 63a is selected on the setting screen 62, the automatic shooting mode is set, and when the operation icon 63b is selected, the manual shooting mode is set. When the operation icon 63a is selected to enter the auto shooting mode, the system controller 25 automatically adjusts the exposure time, the aperture F value, and the like according to a predetermined program. When the operation icon 63c is selected, the mode is switched to the continuous shooting mode. In this continuous shooting mode, when the shutter button 16 is pressed once, a plurality of shootings are continuously performed. When the operation icon 63d is selected, the previous operation can be canceled and returned to the original state. When the operation icon 63e is selected, the still image shooting mode is switched to the playback mode. Furthermore, the operation icon 63f is used to switch the setting change menu in the cursor icons 64a and 64b, and by selecting the operation icon 63f, any setting change among zoom operation, sensitivity adjustment, and photometry method change is performed. A menu is selected.

  For example, when the zoom operation is selected from the setting change menu, a numerical value 66 indicating the zoom magnification is displayed on the setting screen 62. When the zoom operation is selected, if the upward cursor icon 64a is selected, the zoom magnification of the photographing lens 12 is increased, and if the downward cursor icon 64b is selected, the zoom magnification is decreased. Similarly, when sensitivity adjustment or photometry method change is selected in the setting change menu, the cursor icons 64a and 64b are touched for selection. In the sensitivity adjustment, for example, a numerical value indicating ISO sensitivity is displayed on the setting screen 62, and this numerical value is changed by selecting the cursor icons 64a and 64b. Alternatively, when the metering method is changed, characters indicating the metering method such as “division metering”, “center-weighted metering”, and “spot metering” are displayed, and by selecting the cursor icons 64a and 64b, these metering methods can be selected. Changed to one.

  When the manual shooting mode is selected, the setting screen 62 shown in FIG. 6A is switched to the setting screen 67 shown in FIG. 6B. In this setting screen 67, the operation icons 63a to 63f and the cursor icons 62g and 62h displayed on the setting screen 62 are displayed as they are, the image display area 63 disappears, and instead, the XY coordinates 68, the recommended setting area 69, and the non-display area. A recommended setting area 71 is displayed. The horizontal axis of the XY coordinates 68 is the exposure time [1 / s], and the vertical axis indicates the F value (aperture value). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the vertical axis may indicate the exposure time and the horizontal axis may indicate the F value.

  The recommended setting area 69 is a white portion (area surrounded by a dotted line) in the XY coordinates 68, and an appropriate exposure time and an appropriate F value (appropriate aperture value) based on the performance of the photographing lens 12 and the CCD image sensor 12. It shows the area. Further, in the recommended setting area 69, a setting reference line 69a, a setting reference point 69b, and the like are arranged. The setting reference line 69a indicates a line having a more preferable value in the recommended setting area 69, and the setting reference point 69b indicated by a black circle on the setting reference line 69a indicates a point having the most appropriate value. It is. The setting reference point 69b is set based on the exposure time and F value (aperture value) when exposure adjustment is performed by AE control when the auto shooting mode is selected. The non-recommended setting area 71 is a shaded portion in the XY coordinates 68, and indicates an area excluding the recommended setting area 69, that is, an area deviating from the appropriate exposure time and the appropriate F value (appropriate aperture value). It is.

  Further, when the zoom operation is performed by touching the operation icon 63f and the cursor icons 64a and 64b on the setting screen 67, the zoom magnification setting is changed. The system controller 25 controls the driver 39 according to the changed zoom magnification setting, and drives the zoom drive motor 31 so that the zoom lens 27 moves according to the setting. When the zoom magnification changes in this way, the exposure time and F value setting also change, so the display of the XY coordinates 68 also changes the numerical values on the horizontal axis and the vertical axis according to the zoom magnification, and further, the recommended setting area 69, The setting reference line 69a and the setting reference point 69b are also changed to a setting that matches the zoom magnification.

  Also, on the setting screen 67, the exposure time and F value setting change when touching the operation icon 63f and the cursor icons 64a and 64b to change the sensitivity and change the photometric method as in the zoom operation. Therefore, the display of the XY coordinates 68 also changes the values of the horizontal and vertical axes, the recommended setting area 69, the setting reference line 69a, and the setting reference point 69b in accordance with the current ISO sensitivity value and the photometry method.

  When the settings such as zoom operation, sensitivity adjustment, and photometry method change are completed, the user inputs an exposure time and F value by touching any of the XY coordinates 68, and the system controller 25 reads the touch position from the touch panel 58. Information is acquired and the exposure time and F value are determined. The system controller 25 switches the control of the CCD driver 43 and the aperture driving motor 34 so that the CCD image sensor 32 and the aperture mechanism 33 are driven according to the determined exposure time and F value setting. Thus, since the exposure time and the F value can be set by designating one point in the XY coordinates 68, it is possible to reduce the burden on the user and easily perform the operation. Further, the XY coordinates 68 are provided with a recommended setting area 69, a setting reference line 69a, and a setting reference point 69b. By touching the touch panel 58 with the recommended setting area 69 as a guide, an appropriate exposure time and an appropriate F value are obtained. Can be input easily. Furthermore, since the non-recommended setting area 71 is displayed at the XY coordinates 68, it is possible to prevent the setting from being out of the appropriate exposure time and the appropriate F value, and it is possible to prevent photographing failure. .

  When the setting of the exposure time and the F value is switched, the display of the XY coordinates 68 disappears, and instead, a through image is displayed in the image display area 63 so that it can be photographed. The controller 25 performs focus adjustment by AF control, and locks AF while the release button 16 is half-pressed. Thereafter, the release button 16 is fully pressed, and image data is generated from the imaging signal output from the CCD image sensor 32 and recorded in the memory card 56.

  In the above embodiment, the touch panel is used as the input means for the XY coordinates 68 and a point in the coordinates is designated as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a cursor button may be provided, or the cursor may be provided. It is good also as a structure which displays the icon which shows and inputs with the touchscreen corresponding to this.

  In the above embodiment, the non-recommended setting area 71 is displayed to prevent the setting from being out of the appropriate exposure time or the appropriate F value. When the coordinates in the non-recommended setting area are instructed, the touch panel 58 may be controlled to invalidate the input of the exposure time and the F value.

  In the above embodiment, the digital camera has been described as an example. However, the present invention may be applied to a digital video camera capable of taking a still image or a mobile phone with a camera.

It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the front side of a digital camera. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the back side of a digital camera. It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of a digital camera. It is a flowchart explaining an exposure time and F value setting process. It is explanatory drawing which shows a mode selection screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows a setting screen.

Explanation of symbols

10 Digital camera 15 LCD (display means)
22 Shooting lens 32 CCD image sensor (imaging device)
33 Aperture mechanism 58 Touch panel (coordinate input means)
68 XY coordinates 69 Recommended setting area 71 Non-recommended setting area

Claims (5)

A photographic lens, an image sensor that photoelectrically converts subject light incident from the photographic lens and outputs an image pickup signal, and a signal processing unit that processes the image pickup signal output from the image sensor to generate image data; In a digital camera comprising an exposure time adjustment mechanism for adjusting an exposure time by the image sensor, a diaphragm mechanism for adjusting a diaphragm diameter incident on the image sensor, and display means for displaying various information relating to photographing and the image data ,
When an XY coordinate whose one coordinate axis is exposure time and the other coordinate axis indicates an aperture value is displayed on the display means, the coordinates for inputting the exposure time and the aperture value by designating one point in the XY coordinate A digital camera comprising an input means.   2. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the coordinate input means is a touch panel provided in front of the display means, and inputs the exposure time and the aperture value by touching the touch panel.   3. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays a recommended setting area indicating an appropriate exposure time and an appropriate aperture value in the XY coordinates.   4. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays a non-recommended setting area that deviates from an appropriate exposure time and an appropriate aperture value in the XY coordinates. The display means displays a non-recommended setting area out of the appropriate exposure time and the appropriate aperture value in the XY coordinates, and the coordinate input means invalidates the input when the coordinates of the non-recommended area are instructed. 5. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein:

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