JP2007221237A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problems that a photographer cannot photograph a scene whose photographing is desired and cannot photograph a scene which is going to be photographed and whose photographing is desired as a high definition image or the like when the photographer carelessly changes an image size and is oblivious thereof although the digital camera inhibits revision of a size of an image to be recorded during a multiple shot. <P>SOLUTION: A digital camera disclosed herein includes: an image size setting means; a mode setting means for setting a multiple exposure mode wherein a multiple exposure shot is available; and an image generating means for generating a summated image subjected to multiple exposure by applying digital summation processing to images captured by each photographing when the mode setting means establishes the multiple exposure mode and a plurality of shots are executed, and the digital camera records the summated image subjected to multiple exposure through the summation processing to a recording means on the basis of a setting value of the image size setting means at photographing of a final frame when the mode setting means sets the multiple exposure mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital camera, and more particularly to a digital camera capable of multiple exposure photography.

  Conventionally, as an image pickup apparatus having an image pickup element capable of multiple exposure photography, there is one described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-218313.

This image pickup apparatus realizes multiple exposure shooting by digitally adding an image for each shooting. For example, when the electronic zoom (cutting and displaying / recording an image) is changed for each shooting, the size of the clipping range by the electronic zoom is increased. If there is a problem that the part that is added and the part that is not added are mixed due to the difference, there is a problem that an area that has been subjected to multiple exposure and an area that is not subjected to multiple exposure occurs, or if the number of images (image size) is changed for each shooting, In order to avoid the problem that a part that is added and a part that is not added are mixed due to the difference in the size of the recorded image, resulting in a multiple-exposed area and a non-multi-exposed area, the number of pixels is set during multiple exposure shooting. It is forbidden to change.
JP 2002-218313 A

  The multiple exposure shooting using the conventional imaging device described above, when the photographer has inadvertently changed the image size, is unable to notice the scene he wants to shoot without noticing it, or the scene he is about to shoot. However, there is a problem that even if it is desired to shoot as a high-definition image, it cannot be taken.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances. When multiple exposure shooting is performed by digitally adding images to each shot, the number of shot images (image size) is the multiple exposure up to the previous time. If the number of images (image size) has changed, the number of images (image size) of the number of images taken (image size) or the number of images that have been subjected to multiple exposure (image size) up to the previous time is changed to the other It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital camera capable of preventing image corruption even if the number of images (image size) changes during multiple exposure by performing image processing to match the number of images (image size). And

  In order to achieve the above object, a digital camera has an image size setting means, a mode setting means for setting a multiple exposure mode capable of multiple exposure shooting, and a multiple exposure mode is set by the mode setting means. When the multiple exposure mode is set by the mode setting means and the image generation means for generating an added image that has been subjected to digital addition processing on the captured image for each shooting and the mode setting means, the final frame shooting is performed. In accordance with the setting value of the image size setting means at the time, the added image subjected to the addition processing and subjected to multiple exposure is recorded in the recording means.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the image size recorded in the recording means is recorded with the image size set most frequently during the multiple exposure.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the image size recorded in the recording means is recorded with the largest image size set during the multiple exposure.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the image size recorded in the recording means is recorded with the smallest image size set during the multiple exposure.

  As a result, even if an inconsistency occurs in the image size during multiple exposure shooting, each image is digitally added and converted to the final selected image size when the image is recorded on the recording means. In this way, the image is not broken by recording.

  As described above, according to the present invention, multiple exposure shooting can be realized by adding images for each shooting, and even when the recording image quality is changed during multiple exposure shooting, the image is finally recorded. By recording an image at the set value, the photographer can take an image at will. In addition, a quick review image can be displayed at the time of multiple exposure shooting, or a preview image that has been subjected to multiple exposure can be displayed, whereby an image that has been subjected to multiple exposure before recording can be confirmed. Furthermore, since the latest captured image and the previous added image are held in different storage areas, if the result of multiple exposure cannot be satisfied, the last captured image can be retaken.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a digital camera according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a rear view of a digital camera according to the present invention. A shooting mode selection dial 11 and a shutter button (not shown) are provided on the top surface of the digital camera 10. The shooting mode selection dial 11 can be rotated to set various shooting modes such as a manual shooting mode, an auto shooting mode, and a portrait mode. The shutter button (not shown) includes a switch SW1 that is turned on when half-pressed to perform preparation for photographing such as focus lock and photometry, and a switch SW2 that is turned on when fully pressed to capture an image. .

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, on the back of the digital camera 10, a finder 13, a display button 17 for displaying a photographed image (preview image), a reproduced image read from a memory card loaded in the camera, and the like. An erase button 18 for erasing a reproduced image, a power button 19, an info switch 14, a jump switch 15, a menu switch 12, a multi-function selection dial 25, a change-over switch 16 for switching the selection direction of the multi-function selection dial vertically and horizontally, A liquid crystal monitor 20 is provided.

  The multi-function selection dial 25 has a function of exposure correction at the time of shooting. At this time, the dial ON / OFF switch 21 that can switch the selection dial between valid / invalid so that the shooting conditions are not switched carelessly. It is. The liquid crystal monitor 20 displays camera operation modes, functions, and the like with characters and icons. In addition, a pre-recorded image (preview image) taken, a reproduced image read from a memory card loaded in the camera, and the like can be displayed, and are displayed according to the operation of the SET switch 26 and the selection dial 25. The multiple exposure mode according to the present invention is set by pressing the menu switch 12 in the manual photographing mode to display the manual photographing menu on the liquid crystal monitor 20 and selecting “multiple exposure mode ON” with the selection dial 25. Is called.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the digital camera 10 shown in FIG.

  In the figure, a main MPU 27 is a digital camera based on inputs from various operation switches 28 including the above-described shooting mode selection dial 11, shutter button (not shown), power switch 19, reproduction mode selection switch 17, menu switch 12, and the like. 10 controls all the circuits in 10. The main MPU 27 exchanges necessary data with the MEMORY 29 such as SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic RAM) or EEPROM.

  First, when the power switch 19 is operated, the MPU 27 detects this and turns on the camera power. When the playback mode is selected by the playback mode selection switch 12, an image that has been shot and recorded is played back.

  When the shutter button is pressed in the playback mode state, the MPU 27 detects this, performs focus control, photometry, and exposure control, and receives the image light of the subject via the optical unit 30 on the light receiving surface of the solid-state image sensor (CMOS) 31. Image on top. The CMOS 31 converts the image light imaged on the light receiving surface into a signal charge in an amount corresponding to the light amount. The signal charge accumulated in this way is read out to the shift register by the read gate pulse applied from the clock generation circuit 32, and sequentially read out as a voltage signal corresponding to the signal charge by the register transfer pulse.

  The voltage signal output from the CMOS 31 is subjected to analog processing such as amplification by the analog processing circuit 33 and then applied to the A / D converter 33 as R, G, and B signals for each pixel. The A / D converter 33 converts the R, G, and B signals sequentially added from the analog processing circuit 32 into 12-bit R, G, and B signals, respectively. These R, G, and B signals are temporarily stored in the SDRAM of the MEMORY 29.

  The MPU 27 reads the 12-bit R, G, B raw data stored in the MEMORY 29, applies a digital gain corresponding to the light source type to these, and performs white balance adjustment, and also performs gamma (gradation characteristic) processing. To generate 8-bit R, G, and B signals, and further process the YC signal to generate the luminance signal Y and the chroma signals Cr and Cb (YC signal), and store the YC signal in the MEMORY 29 again. In the white balance adjustment, a light source type is determined based on the captured R, G, and B signals, and a white balance correction value (digital gain for each of R, G, and B) suitable for the determined light source type is used. There are automatic white balance adjustment and manual white balance adjustment using a white balance correction value suitable for a light source type selected in advance manually.

  The YC signal stored in the MEMORY 29 as described above is compressed and decompressed by the MPU 27 and compressed into a predetermined format, and then recorded on a memory card (not shown) or the like via the external recording unit 35.

  On the other hand, when the playback mode is selected by the playback mode selection switch 17, the image file of the last frame recorded in the recording unit such as a memory card is read to the MEMORY 29, and the read image data is read by the MPU 27. The image is compressed / expanded to a size that can be displayed on the image display unit 36 and output to the image display unit 36. The image display unit may be an NTSC or PAL monitor or a liquid crystal display device attached to the camera, and the MPU 27 performs compression / decompression processing according to the output type.

  Thereafter, the frame is advanced forward or backward in accordance with the dial operation direction of the multi-function selection dial 25. Then, the frame-positioned image file at the frame position is read from the recording unit 35, and the frame image is reproduced on the image display unit 36 in the same manner as described above. When the last frame image is displayed, when the frame is advanced in the forward direction, the first frame image file recorded in the recording unit 35 is read, and the first frame image is an image. It is reproduced on the display unit 36.

  Next, the multiple exposure function of the digital camera 10 will be described.

  As described above, when the multiple exposure mode is set by selecting “multiple exposure mode ON” as described above, the multiple exposure function performs multiple exposure by digitally adding a plurality of images captured in a plurality of times of shooting. It enables photography.

  Next, the operation of the digital camera 10 in the multiple exposure mode will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, when the multiple exposure mode is set and the shutter button 12 is fully pressed (switch SW2 is turned on) in the shooting standby state, 12-bit R, G, B raw data is taken into the MEMORY 29 as described above ( Step S11).

  Here, the captured image is R, G, B raw data newly captured from the CMOS 30 every time the image is taken, and the added image is a keep image or the previous added image and the captured image captured this time. An added image, and the keep image is a captured image of the first frame held for addition or an added image up to the previous time.

  The R, G, B raw data of the first frame captured in step S11 is stored in the memory area 1 as a captured image. A preview image is generated based on this captured image and displayed on the image display unit 36 (step S12).

  In step S12, when the SET switch 26 is pressed while the preview image is displayed, the captured image stored in the area 1 is secured as a keep image to be subjected to multiple exposure (step S13). Thereby, the next photographing in the multiple exposure mode becomes possible.

  On the other hand, when the erase button 14 is pressed in step S12, a menu for erasing the captured image or erasing the already multiple-exposed image appears on the image display unit 36, where the captured image is displayed. If only deletion is selected (step S14), the process returns to step S10. If erasure of an image that has already been subjected to multiple exposure is selected, the storage area for three frames of the SDRAM is cleared (step S15), and the process returns to step S10.

  If the display button 17 is pressed in step S12, the process jumps to step S22 to set the image size to be recorded. The image size to be set may be the image size selected most frequently during multiple exposure shooting or the image size set when recording. Then, a recording process of a preview image to a memory card or the like is performed via the external recording unit 35. In this case, since multiple exposure is not performed, the image size is set to be the same as that during normal shooting, and 1 depending on the preview shooting mode (shooting mode for selecting whether or not to display the preview image after recording). When the result is the same as that of the frame shooting and the recording process is completed in step S23, the memory is cleared in step S15, and then the process returns to step S10.

  When the captured image is secured as a keep image in step S13, the display screen of the external display unit 36 is switched from the preview image to the through image (step S16).

  When the shutter button is fully pressed in step S16, 12-bit R, G, B raw data is newly taken into the SDRAM 26 (step S17). This captured image is stored in the storage area 2 of the SDRAM. Subsequently, the captured image and the keep image already stored in the SDRAM 26 are added for each of the R, G, and B pixels, and are stored in the storage area of the SDRAM as an added image (step S18).

  When the addition image is created as described above, the display screen of the external display unit 36 is switched from a through image to a preview image indicating the addition image (step S21).

  When the SET switch 26 is pressed in step S21, the previewed added image is secured as a keep image (step S20), and then the process returns to step S16, and the through image is displayed again on the external display unit 36. By repeating the processes in steps S16 to S20, the number of frames to be subjected to multiple exposure can be arbitrarily selected.

  On the other hand, when the erase button 14 is pressed in step S12, a menu for erasing the captured image or erasing the already multiple-exposed image appears on the image display unit 36, where the captured image is displayed. If only deletion is selected, the captured image captured in step S17 is cleared (step S19), and the process returns to step S16. As a result, an image to be added to the keep image can be retaken. If erasure of an image that has been subjected to multiple exposure is selected, the storage area for three frames of the SDRAM 26 is cleared in step S15, and then the process returns to step S10. As a result, multiple exposure shooting can be taken again from the beginning.

  In step S21, when the playback switch 17 is pressed, white balance adjustment, gamma processing, and sharpness processing are performed on the previewed added image (12-bit R, G, B raw data) to generate 8-bit R, The data is converted into G and B data, and further subjected to YC processing, and then the image is compressed to the set compression rate (step S22). The image size set at this time may be the image size selected most frequently during multiple exposure shooting or the image size set when recording, and after being compressed to the set image size, stored in the external recording unit 35. Recording is performed (step S23). When this recording process ends, the memory is cleared in step S15, and then the process returns to step S10.

Camera of the present invention The block diagram which showed the internal structure of the camera of this invention Flowchart for explaining the operation in the multiple exposure mode of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Digital camera 11 Shooting mode selection dial 12 Menu switch 13 Finder 14 info switch 15 Jump switch 16 Changeover switch 17 Display button 18 Erasing button 19 Power button 20 LCD monitor 21 Dial ON / OFF switch 22 AEL switch 23 Ranging point selection switch 24 Assist switch 25 Selection dial 26 SET switch 27 Main MPU
28 Various operation switches 29 MEMORY
30 Optical unit 31 Image sensor (CMOS)
32 Clock generation circuit 33 Analog processing circuit 34 A / D converter 35 External recording unit 36 Image display unit

Claims (4)

When the multiple exposure mode is set by the mode setting means for setting the multiple exposure mode in which multiple exposure shooting is possible, the recording image quality setting means, and the multiple exposure mode setting means, and a plurality of shots are taken. Image generation means for generating a multiple-exposure added image by digitally adding the captured image; and
When the multiple exposure mode is set by the multiple exposure mode setting means and the recording image quality setting means is operated in the recording image quality setting means during the multiple exposure shooting and the recording image quality is changed, the setting value at the time of recording is set. A digital camera characterized by recording images subjected to multiple exposure. When the multiple exposure mode is set by the mode setting means for setting the multiple exposure mode in which multiple exposure shooting is possible, the recording image quality setting means, and the multiple exposure mode setting means, and a plurality of shots are taken. Image generation means for generating a multiple-exposure added image by digitally adding the captured image; and
When the multiple exposure mode is set by the multiple exposure mode setting means and the recording image quality setting means is operated in the recording image quality setting means during the multiple exposure shooting and the recording image quality is changed, the most during the multiple exposure. A digital camera that records multiple-exposure images with a large number of set values. When the multiple exposure mode is set by the mode setting means for setting the multiple exposure mode in which multiple exposure shooting is possible, the recording image quality setting means, and the multiple exposure mode setting means, and a plurality of shots are taken. Image generation means for generating a multiple-exposure added image by digitally adding the captured image; and
When the multiple exposure mode is set by the multiple exposure mode setting means and the recording image quality setting means is operated in the recording image quality setting means during the multiple exposure shooting and the recording image quality is changed, it is set during the multiple exposure. A digital camera that records multiple-exposed images at the roughest set value. When the multiple exposure mode is set by the mode setting means for setting the multiple exposure mode in which multiple exposure shooting is possible, the recording image quality setting means, and the multiple exposure mode setting means, and a plurality of shots are taken. Image generation means for generating a multiple-exposure added image by digitally adding the captured image; and
When the multiple exposure mode is set by the multiple exposure mode setting means and the recording image quality setting means is operated in the recording image quality setting means during the multiple exposure shooting and the recording image quality is changed, it is set during the multiple exposure. A digital camera that records multiple-exposure images with the finest setting values.

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