JP2007124365A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus capable of specifying an arbitrary area as a photometric area. <P>SOLUTION: The imaging apparatus equipped with an operation display 4 on which an imaged image is displayed comprises: a control means 1 which recognizes the photometric area specified in an arbitrary shape on a touch panel of the operation display 4, causes a photometry section 7 to measure a quantity of light, and performs control to determine exposure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic imaging apparatus that displays an image on an operation display unit.

Conventionally, in a digital still camera (imaging device), when an automatic photometry function is provided, photometry is performed at the center of the screen. In order for the user to perform metering at a position other than the center, it is necessary to measure the light once at the center of the metering point, perform the lock control, and then determine the composition again. As a means to solve this annoyance, it is possible to set a focus area for autofocus and a photometric area for automatic exposure in addition to the center of the screen by using a touch panel provided on the front of the liquid crystal display for screen display. Is proposed in Patent Document 1.
Japanese Patent No. 3620534

As described above, a technique for designating a rectangular area on the touch panel has been proposed, but there is a problem that the user cannot select a free range because the photometric area is limited to a rectangle.
An object of this invention is to provide the imaging device which can designate arbitrary ranges as a photometry area.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is the photometric device specified in an arbitrary shape on the touch panel of the operation display unit in the imaging apparatus equipped with the operation display unit on which the photographed image is displayed. An imaging apparatus including a control unit that recognizes the area, causes the photometry unit to measure the amount of light in the photometry area, and performs control to determine exposure is the main feature.
The main feature of the image pickup apparatus of claim 1 is that the operation display unit has a function of selecting and inputting whether to manually specify the photometric area or automatically specify the photometric area.
The main feature of the image pickup apparatus of claim 1 is that the control means controls the subject selected by the touch panel to automatically pick up an image of the subject.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the control means controls the image pickup apparatus according to claim 3 to perform control for continuously focusing and recording in the image pickup unit when the subject to be moved is continuously selected by the touch panel. Features.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the operation display unit has a function of selecting and inputting whether automatic focusing / photographing is performed simultaneously with subject selection or manual photographing after subject selection / focusing. Is the main feature.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the user can designate an arbitrary range created by tracing on the touch panel as the photometric area, and the photographing intention is easily reflected.
According to the invention of claim 2, the user can make the photometry area automatic when shooting quickly, and the probability of missing the shooting timing is reduced. According to the invention of claim 3, the user selects a subject. In this case, since it is possible to automatically perform image recording from focusing, the user is less likely to miss the shooting timing.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, by continuously tracking the moving subject on the touch panel, it is possible to easily perform photographing with the focus on the constantly moving subject.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the user can select whether to automatically focus and shoot at the same time as the subject selection, or to manually shoot after the subject selection and focus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The imaging apparatus is provided with a CPU 1 that performs overall control, a volatile memory 2 that is used as a work area for the CPU 1, a non-volatile memory 3 that stores various data, and a touch panel. An operation display unit 4 that functions as a user interface for operation, an imaging unit 5 including a lens and an image sensor, a distance measuring unit 6 that measures a distance to a subject, and a photometric unit 7 that performs photometry are provided.
Next, the operation of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be described.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the photometric area designation operation. The user manually designates the photometric area, determines the photometric area automatically, or selects (specifies) the photometric method on the operation display unit 4 (S1). When the photometry area is automatically determined (N in S2), the CPU 1 measures the amount of light in the photometry area determined in advance by the photometry unit 7 and determines the exposure (S3).
When the user manually designates the photometry area (Y in S2), the user traces with the touch pen 10 or the finger on the touch panel of the operation display unit 4 so as to surround the desired photometry area as shown in FIG. The photometric area is designated by (S4). Next, the CPU 1 identifies the photometric area designated by the user on the operation display unit 4 (S5). Then, the CPU 1 measures the average light amount in the photometry area by the photometry unit 7 and determines the exposure (S6).
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of subject selection and imaging operations. The user designates on the operation display unit 4 whether or not to automatically capture an image after selecting a subject (S1). The user touches the subject to be focused on the touch panel of the operation display unit 4 (S2). The CPU 1 identifies a location selected as a subject on the touch panel of the operation display unit 4 (S3).
The CPU 1 measures the distance of the part (subject) identified by the distance measuring unit 6 (S4). The CPU 1 focuses on the distance measured in S4 by the imaging unit 5 (S5). Next, it is determined whether automatic imaging is performed (S6). When the image is not automatically picked up (N in S6), the user gives an operation instruction for image pick-up on the operation display unit 4 (S7).
When performing automatic imaging (Y in S6), the CPU 1 captures image data received by the imaging unit 5 into the nonvolatile memory 3 (S8). Then, the CPU 1 identifies whether the subject is designated on the operation display unit 4 by the user (S9). If the subject is designated, the process returns to S3.

1 is a functional block diagram of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart of photometry area designation | designated operation | movement. Explanatory drawing which shows the photometry area designation example. 10 is a flowchart of subject selection and imaging operations.

Explanation of symbols

1 CPU (control means), 4 operation display section, 7 photometry section

Claims (5)

  In an imaging apparatus equipped with an operation display unit for displaying a photographed image, the photometric area specified in an arbitrary shape is recognized on the touch panel of the operation display unit, and the photometric unit measures the light quantity of the photometric area. An image pickup apparatus comprising control means for performing control for determining exposure.   2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation display unit has a function of selecting and inputting whether to manually specify a photometric area or to automatically specify a photometric area.   The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs control for causing the image pickup unit to automatically pick up an image of a subject selected by a touch panel.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit performs control to continuously focus and record an image in the imaging unit when an object to be moved is continuously selected by a touch panel. 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation display unit has a function of selecting and inputting whether to automatically focus and shoot at the same time as subject selection, or to manually shoot after subject selection and focus.

Images