JP2008092046A - Camera capable of automatic composition extraction, and composition extraction program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain images with good compositions even without requiring a photographer to move a camera to perform strict composition adjustment. <P>SOLUTION: Although objects 21 and 22 are included in a composition area 11 determined when the photographer holds the camera, the objects are not always arranged in a well-balanced state. The camera analyzes image data in the composition area 11 and extracts one area in the composition area 11 as an excellent composition area 12. Image data of the extracted composition area is segmented from the original image data, and the segmented image data is recorded as the final image data in a recording medium. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera and a composition extraction program that can extract a good composition from an image.

  A camera having a composition advice function is known. For example, the device described in Patent Document 1 determines whether the composition is good or bad based on the luminance distribution of the object scene, and outputs a warning when it is determined that the composition is poor.

JP 2003-274226 A

  However, conventional composition advice cameras such as the camera of Patent Document 1 merely warn in the case of a composition failure or suggest a composition correction direction. It was necessary to move and decide, and the work was troublesome.

The camera capable of automatic composition extraction according to the present invention has an imaging means for capturing a subject to obtain composition extraction target image data, and analyzing the obtained composition extraction target image data, and at least one region in the image data is analyzed. Composition extracting means for extracting as a good composition area and setting means for setting image data in the extracted composition area as final image data are provided.
The final image data may be cut out from the composition extraction target image data, and the cut-out image data may be recorded on a recording medium. Alternatively, instruction information for cutting out the final image data from the composition extraction target image data may be recorded in association with the composition extraction image data.
There may be further provided display means for displaying an image based on the composition extraction target image data and clearly indicating the extracted composition area in the display image.
The composition region extraction is performed on the composition extraction target image data obtained before the photographing operation by the photographer, and the final image data is set on the composition extraction target image data obtained by the imaging accompanying the photographing operation. May be performed. Prior to imaging associated with the shooting operation, focus adjustment and / or exposure calculation may be performed on the extracted composition area.
The composition area may be extracted from the composition extraction target image data obtained by the photographing operation by the photographer.
White balance may be set for the extracted composition area.
If a plurality of composition areas are extracted by the composition extraction means, a selection means for selecting any one of the composition areas may be further provided.
The composition extraction program according to the present invention comprises a computer that analyzes composition extraction target image data and extracts at least one region in the image data as a good composition region, and image data in the extracted composition region. Is stored as final image data.

  According to the present invention, it is possible for a photographer to obtain an image with a good composition without paying particular attention to the composition.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic camera in the present embodiment. The CPU 51 is connected to an imaging unit 52, an image recording unit 53, a display unit 54, an operation unit 55, a memory 56, and the like. The imaging unit 52 includes an imaging device that receives and photoelectrically converts a light beam transmitted through a photographic lens (not shown), an image processing circuit that performs various processes on the photoelectric conversion output of the imaging device to generate image data, and the like. The generated image data is recorded on the recording medium 57 via the image recording unit 53 as an image file that can be handled by a computer.

  The display unit 54 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal monitor capable of displaying an image, a menu screen, and the like, and a drive circuit thereof. The operation unit 55 includes various operation members such as a release button and switches that are linked to the operations.

  The CPU 51 automatically extracts a good composition area from image data obtained by imaging using a composition extraction program stored in the memory 56 in advance. The algorithm of the composition extraction program does not matter, but for example, one or more subjects in the image data are recognized based on the luminance distribution of the image data, and the subject is arranged at a preferred position in accordance with logic such as trisection method or trigonometry. Such a composition area can be extracted. It is also possible to recognize a person in the image data by using a known face recognition technique and extract a region having a composition centered on the person.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of automatic composition extraction. Reference numeral 11 denotes a composition area determined by the photographer holding the camera. In this composition area, a person 21 and a frame 22 behind the person 21 are included as subjects. However, in addition to the so-called Hinomaru composition in which the person 21 is located at the center, the space on the right side is unnatural, which is not an excellent composition. On the other hand, 12 is an automatically extracted composition area extracted by the CPU 51 by the composition detection program. In this case, the person 21 and the frame 22 are regarded as main subjects, and a composition area in which both of them are arranged at positions according to the three-division method is extracted. This composition area 12 is not a Hinomaru composition, is an unnatural space, and is generally considered to be excellent.

  The CPU 51 displays the composition extraction target image data (by image data in the composition area 11) obtained by imaging on the display unit 54, and displays the automatic extraction composition area 12 in a superimposed manner in a broken line frame as shown in FIG. To do. Further, the image data in the automatically extracted composition area is cut out from the composition extraction target image data, and the cut out image data is recorded in the recording medium 57 as a final photographed image. FIG. 3 shows image data cut out from the image data of FIG.

  The aspect ratio of the automatic extraction composition area may be a specification that always matches the aspect ratio of the composition extraction target image data, or may be a specification that is not related to the aspect ratio of the composition extraction target image data. Further, when the cut out image data is recorded, the composition extraction target image data may be recorded together.

  Here, when imaging is performed again after the composition is extracted by the CPU 51, it is desirable to perform focusing and AE calculation so that the subject in the automatic extraction composition area is in focus and exposure. Further, the number of automatically extracted composition areas is not limited to one. When two or more compositions are extracted, it is desirable that one of them can be selected. FIG. 4 shows an example in which two persons exist, and two composition areas 12 and 13 are extracted.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a procedure for realizing the above control in software.
When the camera is turned on, the CPU 51 activates this program and performs image capturing in step S1 to obtain image data. This image data is composition extraction target image data corresponding to the composition determined by the photographer. In step S2, composition extraction is automatically performed on the composition extraction target image data as described above. In step S3, the composition extraction target image data is displayed as a through image on the display unit 54, and at the same time, the automatic extraction composition area is clearly indicated by a dotted frame. The processes in steps S1 to S3 are repeated until it is confirmed in step S4 that the release button is half-pressed.

  Note that the composition area is automatically extracted and displayed only when the composition automatic extraction mode is set on the camera. When this mode is not set, normal shooting is performed.

  If the half-press operation is confirmed, one of the automatically extracted composition areas is selected in step S5. If there is originally only one automatically extracted composition area, that composition is selected by itself. If there are a plurality of automatically extracted composition areas, the CPU 51 can select the best determined according to a predetermined algorithm, or the photographer can select it. It may be. When the photographer makes a selection, the frame of the composition area in the selected state may be highlighted, and the highlight frame may be moved sequentially for each predetermined selection operation. The composition selection operation by the photographer is performed before the half-press operation, and the CPU 51 selects a composition area in step S5 in accordance with the selection operation.

  In step S6, the photographing lens is focused so that the subject in the composition area selected in step S5 is in focus. In step S7, an AE calculation is performed based on the luminance value in the composition area so that the subject in the selected composition area is exposed, and an exposure value (aperture value, shutter speed) is obtained. Further, the presence or absence of flashing is also determined based on the luminance value in the area.

  Next, the release button is fully pressed (release operation) or half-pressed is released in a loop of steps S8 and S9. If the half-press release is confirmed, the process returns to step S1, and if the full-press operation is confirmed, the process proceeds to step S10. In step S10, the aperture and shutter are controlled based on the exposure value obtained in step S7, and imaging is performed. In the case of flash photography, light control is performed on the selected composition area.

  In step S11, an optimal white balance is set for the image data (composition extraction target image data) obtained by imaging in step S10. In step S12, the image data in the selected automatic extraction composition area is cut out from the composition extraction target image data obtained in step S10. In step S13, an optimal white balance is set for the cut out image data. At the same time, image processing such as gradation correction and contour enhancement may be performed.

  In step S14, both the composition extraction target image data and the cut-out image data are recorded in the recording medium 57 as image files. In recording, the cut-out image data may not be recorded as it is, but may be recorded after resolution conversion (pixel interpolation) so as to have the same size as the composition extraction target image data.

  In addition, although the example which can select any one when there exist multiple automatic extraction composition was shown, you may enable it to select multiple. When a plurality of images are selected, a plurality of image data can be obtained in addition to the composition extraction target image data by a single release operation.

  In the above embodiment, an example in which automatic composition extraction is performed before the release operation is shown, but an example in which automatic composition extraction is performed on image data after the release operation is shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 6, when the release button is fully pressed (release operation), the CPU 51 starts this program. First, imaging is performed in step S51 to obtain composition extraction target image data. In step S52, the composition is automatically extracted from the composition extraction target image data. In step S53, the composition extraction target image data is displayed on the display unit 54, and at the same time, the automatic extraction composition area is clearly indicated by a dotted frame.

  In step S54, the process waits for a composition selection operation by the photographer. When there are a plurality of automatic extraction composition areas, any one or a plurality can be selected. After the selection, when the photographer performs a “decision” operation, the image data in the automatic extraction composition area selected in step S55 is cut out, and the image data (one or more) cut out in step S56 is recorded in the recording medium 57. To do. If there is only one automatic extraction composition area, the process of step S54 may be skipped.

  In the above, an example in which image data in the selected automatic extraction composition area is cut out from the composition extraction target image data and recorded is shown. However, the camera does not cut out, and instead, information that instructs the extraction is included in the composition extraction target. You may make it preserve | save corresponding to image data. In realizing this, additional information attached to the image file (for example, Exif information) can be used. That is, the camera adds information (coordinates) indicating the position of the selected automatic extraction composition area to the additional information, creates an image file by combining the additional information and the composition extraction target image data, and records the image file. Recording on the medium 57. Although compression is performed when an image file is recorded, a compression method may be used in which the image data in the selected automatic extraction composition area has a higher image quality than others. For example, in the case of JPEG2000 format, such a compression method is possible.

  When the image file recorded by the camera is transferred to an external device such as a computer, the software embedded in the external device reads the additional information to recognize the automatically extracted composition area, cuts out the image data in that area, and stores it on a hard disk or the like. save. According to this, since the camera only needs to record one image file for each shooting, it can be used with a recording medium having a relatively small capacity.

  Although the above has been described with reference to an electronic camera, by providing the above-described automatic composition extraction function (for example, the functions of steps S52 to S56 in FIG. 6) as a program, processing similar to that described above can be performed on a personal computer or the like. In this case, in addition to the image data captured from the electronic camera, an image obtained via a network can be composition extraction target image data.

The control block diagram of the electronic camera in one Embodiment. The figure which shows the example of a display at the time of automatic composition extraction. The figure which shows the automatic extraction composition area | region cut out from the composition of FIG. The figure which shows the other example of a display at the time of automatic composition extraction. The flowchart which shows an example of automatic composition extraction operation | movement. The flowchart which shows the other example of automatic composition extraction operation | movement.

Explanation of symbols

11 Composition Area 12, 13 Automatic Extraction Composition Area 21, 22 Subject 51 CPU
52 Imaging unit 53 Image recording unit 54 Display unit 55 Operation unit 56 Memory

Claims (10)

Imaging means for capturing a subject and obtaining composition extraction target image data;
Composition extraction means for analyzing the obtained composition extraction target image data and extracting at least one region in the image data as a good composition region;
A camera capable of extracting a composition, comprising setting means for setting image data in the extracted composition area as final image data.   The camera capable of automatic composition extraction according to claim 1, wherein the final image data is cut out from the composition extraction target image data, and the cut-out image data is recorded on a recording medium.   2. The automatic composition extraction according to claim 1, wherein instruction information for extracting the final image data from the composition extraction target image data is recorded on a recording medium in association with the composition extraction target image data. Camera.   The automatic according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising display means for displaying an image based on the composition extraction target image data and clearly indicating the extracted composition area in the display image. A camera that allows composition extraction.   The composition extraction means extracts the composition area from the composition extraction target image data obtained before the photographing operation by the photographer, and the setting means extracts the composition obtained by imaging associated with the photographing operation. 5. The camera capable of automatic composition extraction according to claim 1, wherein the final image data is set for target image data.   6. The camera capable of automatic composition extraction according to claim 5, wherein focus adjustment and / or exposure calculation are performed on the extracted composition area prior to imaging associated with the photographing operation.   5. The automatic composition extraction according to claim 1, wherein the composition extraction unit extracts the composition region from composition extraction target image data obtained by a photographing operation by a photographer. Possible camera.   The camera capable of automatic composition extraction according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein white balance is set for the extracted composition area.   The automatic composition extraction according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising selection means for selecting any composition area when a plurality of composition areas are extracted by the composition extraction means. Camera. Computer
Composition extracting means for analyzing composition extraction target image data and extracting at least one region in the image data as a good composition region;
A composition extraction program that functions as storage means for storing image data in the extracted composition area as final image data.

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