JP2008131533A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera that even a user inexperienced in the operation can easily perform photographing operation and reproducing operation and an operation error hardly occurs. <P>SOLUTION: When a beginner mode button is operated in a photographing mode, a photographing mode for beginner is set. In the photographing mode for beginner, the identification of half/full depression of release button is stopped, an image pickup part is set to wide angle and the maximum F value to make pan focus. The operations other than power source operation such as a power button, a release button, a flash button, a reproducing button, or minimal photographing operation, and an operation means required for mode switching operation are disabled. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital camera, and more particularly to a digital camera having an operation mode suitable for a beginner who is unfamiliar with operation.

  2. Description of the Related Art Digital cameras that capture an image formed by a photographic lens with an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, create digital image data, and store the digital image data in a storage medium such as a memory have become popular. In addition, various multifunctional digital cameras having a zoom lens and digital zoom by image processing, a variety of shooting modes corresponding to various shooting situations, a playback mode using various expression methods, and the like are also on the market.

  The various functions of the digital camera are useful for so-called advanced users who are accustomed to the operation, improving usability and enabling shooting under various shooting conditions. However, there is a problem that a so-called novice user who is unfamiliar with the operation of the digital camera and has little knowledge of shooting feels that the operation of the digital camera is difficult and causes an operation error.

  In order to solve the above problem, for example, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, the digital camera is provided with a first shooting mode for shooting using a viewfinder and a second shooting mode for shooting using an LCD. In the first shooting mode, exposure, focus adjustment and the like are automatically performed, and in the second shooting mode, the function of the digital camera is switched according to the user's level by changing the user's preference.

In addition, the conventional camera uses a release button that can perform a two-stage pressing operation, that is, a half-pressing operation that is pressed halfway through the movable range and a full-pressing operation that is pressed near the limit of the movable range. The exposure and focus are adjusted with, and shooting is performed by full-press operation. However, there is a problem that a half-press operation is difficult for a novice user. Therefore, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, an operation member for performing exposure and focus adjustment is provided separately from the release button, thereby omitting the half-press operation of the release button.
JP 2004-304830 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-184871

  However, the conventional multifunctional digital camera includes a large number of operation buttons, operation dials, and the like. Therefore, even in a digital camera as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example, by operating a button for changing a setting menu by mistake, an operation menu is displayed on the LCD, and an unintended operation mode or It may switch to the operating state. A novice user has a problem that it is difficult to return a digital camera whose operation state has been switched due to an operation error to the original operation mode for beginners. Similar problems occur in the playback mode.

  Moreover, as a simple camera image required for a novice user, there is a lens-equipped film unit that can be photographed immediately by pressing a release button. However, in the inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is necessary to perform shooting after half-pressing the release button or operating an exposure focus adjustment button, and the operation is more complicated than a film unit with a lens.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention can easily perform shooting operation and reproduction operation even by a user who is unfamiliar with the operation, is less prone to operation errors, and has an operational feeling like a film unit with a lens. Provide a digital camera that can.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a digital camera according to the present invention is operated when a power source switching unit that switches on / off a power source, an imaging unit that captures a subject image, and when the imaging unit performs an imaging operation. An operation for switching the operation mode between a release means, a flash switching means for switching light emission / non-light emission of the flash means, a shooting mode for shooting, and a playback mode for displaying a shot image on the display means A mode switching means, a beginner mode switching means for switching operation between the beginner mode and the other normal operation mode, a mode control means for switching the operation mode according to the operation of the operation mode switching means and the beginner mode switching means are provided. Is. The mode control means invalidates operations other than the power supply switching means, the release means, the flash switching means, the operation mode switching means, and the beginner mode switching means when the beginner mode is selected in the shooting mode. It is.

  Also, as a release means, detection is performed by identifying and detecting a release button that is pressed during shooting, a half-pressed state where the release button is pressed halfway through the movable range, and a fully-pressed state where the release button is pressed close to the limit of the movable range. And the mode control means controls the detection means so as to detect only one of the half-pressed state and the fully-pressed state when the beginner mode is selected in the shooting mode. It is.

  Further, when the imaging means includes an autofocus mechanism and an automatic exposure mechanism, the mode control means stops the focus lens included in the autofocus mechanism at a predetermined position when the beginner mode is selected in the shooting mode, In addition, the F value of the aperture included in the automatic exposure mechanism is set to the maximum. Further, when the image pickup means has a zoom optical system, the zoom optical system is fixed to the wide angle side when the beginner mode is selected in the shooting mode.

  Further, the mode control means operates other than the power supply switching means, the operation mode switching means, the beginner mode switching means, and the display image switching means for switching the image displayed on the display means when the beginner mode is selected in the playback mode. Is to be disabled.

  Further, the mode control means includes a beginner mode, a function restriction table in which functions and operations of each means when the beginner mode is canceled, and a mode control unit that restricts the functions and operations of each means based on the function restriction table. It is composed of

  According to the digital camera of the present invention, when the beginner mode is selected in the shooting mode, the power switching means, the release means, and the flash switching, which are operation means for performing the power operation of the digital camera and the minimum necessary shooting operation. Since operations other than the means, the operation mode switching means, the beginner mode switching means and the like are invalidated, even a beginner user can easily use them. Further, even if an operation means that is not used for photographing is erroneously operated, it is invalidated, so that a photographing mistake due to an erroneous operation does not occur.

  In addition, since the half-press operation of the release button is not required and the imaging means is switched to pan focus, it is possible to shoot an appropriate focus and exposure by simply pressing the release button, as in a film unit with a lens. A simple operation feeling can be obtained.

  Furthermore, since only the minimum necessary operation means can be operated even in the playback mode, even a novice user can easily perform playback and playback without operating mistakes.

  In the digital camera 2 of the present invention shown in FIG. 1A, a lens barrel 4 is disposed in the center of the front surface of the camera body 3. The lens barrel 4 incorporates a zoom lens that constitutes a zoom optical system, a focus lens that constitutes an autofocus mechanism, an aperture mechanism that constitutes an automatic exposure mechanism, a shutter mechanism, and the like, and is housed in the camera body 3. It is moved between the storage position to be moved and the protruding position protruding from the lens barrel opening 5 provided on the front surface of the camera body 3. A flash light emitting unit 6 that irradiates light toward a subject at the time of shooting is provided on the upper right portion of the front surface of the camera body 3.

  On the upper surface of the camera body 3, a power button 9, a mode dial 10, and a release button 11 are arranged. The power button 9 is, for example, a push-type operation button, and is pressed when the digital camera 2 is turned on / off. A power switch for detecting a pressing operation of the power button 9 is incorporated below the power button 2, and the power button 9 and the power switch constitute power switching means.

  The mode dial 10 is a rotary operation dial and is used for switching the photographing mode. In the shooting mode, “AUTO”, in which optimum shooting conditions are automatically set according to the shooting scene, and optimum shooting conditions in accordance with the shooting scene are set in advance, and a plurality of “ In addition to “scene position”, “aperture priority”, “shutter speed priority”, “manual” for the user to select the aperture and shutter speed, and the like are provided. Below the mode dial 10, a dial switch for detecting the rotational position of the mode dial 10 is incorporated. The dial switch and the mode dial 10 constitute an operation mode switching means.

  The release button 11 is a push-type operation button, and can perform a two-stage pressing operation, that is, a half-pressing operation that can be pressed halfway through the movable range and a full-pressing operation that can be pressed close to the limit of the movable range. it can. The camera body 3 performs exposure adjustment and focus adjustment when the release button 11 is pressed halfway, and performs a shooting operation when the release button 11 is fully pressed. A release switch that detects a half-pressing operation and a full-pressing operation of the power button 11 is incorporated below the power button 11, and a power source switching unit is configured by the release button 11 and the release switch.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, a display unit 14, a zoom button 15, a cross button 16, a menu button 17, a flash button 18, a play button 19, a beginner mode button 20, and the like are provided on the back of the digital camera 2. Yes. The display unit 14 which is a display means is composed of an LCD panel which is incorporated in the camera body 3 and whose display surface is exposed, and displays a through image at the time of shooting, a reproduced image which has been shot, various setting menus, and the like. To do.

  The zoom button 15 is a pair of push-type operation buttons arranged side by side and is used for a zoom operation. The zoom lens incorporated in the lens barrel 4 moves to the wide angle side by operating the left button 15a, and moves to the telephoto side by operating the right button 15b. A zoom switch for detecting a pressing operation is incorporated in the back of the zoom button 15.

  The cross button 16 is an operation button that can press the up, down, left, and right directions of the annular operation member, and is used for item selection at various settings, brightness adjustment of the display unit 14, and the like. Further, only the operation in the left-right direction is possible in the playback mode, and it is used for switching the display image. In the back of the cross button 16 is incorporated a cross switch for detecting a pressing operation in the up / down / left / right directions, and constitutes display image switching means together with the cross button 16.

  The menu button 17 is a push-type operation button provided inside the cross button 16, and is used as a setting menu call or an OK button for setting. A menu switch for detecting a pressing operation is incorporated in the back of the menu button 17.

  The flash button 18 is a push-type operation button and is used for switching the light emission mode of the flash light emitting unit 6. For example, each time the flash button 18 is pressed, the automatic light emission mode in which light is emitted according to the subject brightness, the forced light emission mode in which light is emitted regardless of the subject brightness, and the light emission inhibition mode in which light is not emitted are switched. A flash switch for detecting a pressing operation is incorporated inside the flash button 18, and a flash switching unit is configured by the flash button 18 and the flash switch.

  The playback button 19 is a push-type operation button, and is used to switch on / off a playback mode in which a captured image is played back and displayed on the display unit 14. Further, by operating in the power-off state, the power can be turned on in the reproduction mode. When the operation button 19 is operated in the photographing mode, the operation mode is switched to the reproduction mode, and when operated in the reproduction mode, the operation mode is switched to the photographing mode. Inside the playback button 19, a playback switch for detecting a pressing operation is incorporated, and the playback button 19 and the playback switch constitute an operation mode switching means.

  The beginner mode button 20 is a push-type operation button, and is used to turn on / off the beginner mode. When the beginner mode button 20 is operated in the shooting mode, the operation mode is switched between the beginner shooting mode and other shooting modes (hereinafter referred to as a normal shooting mode). When the beginner mode button 20 is operated in the playback mode, the operation mode is switched between the beginner playback mode and other playback modes (hereinafter referred to as normal playback mode). A mode switch for detecting a pressing operation is incorporated inside the beginner mode button 20, and a beginner mode switching means is configured by the beginner mode button 20 and the mode switch.

  A card slot 23 into which the memory card 22 is inserted is provided on the side surface of the digital camera 2. Image data created by shooting is stored in the memory card 22.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a zoom lens 26 and a focus lens 27 that are moved in the direction of the optical axis S, a diaphragm mechanism 28, and a shutter mechanism 29 are incorporated in the lens barrel 4. These are driven by a zoom motor 30, a focus motor 31, an aperture motor 32, and a shutter motor 33. The motors 30 to 33 are driven by drivers 34 to 37, and the drivers 34 to 37 are controlled by the CPU 38.

  The power switch 41, dial switch 42, release switch 43, zoom switch 44, cross switch 45, menu switch 46, flash switch 47, playback switch 48, and beginner mode switch 49 are connected to the CPU 38. The CPU 38 controls each part of the digital camera 2 according to the input signals of these switches 41 to 49.

  Behind the lens barrel 4, a CCD 51, which is an image sensor, is disposed. The CCD 51 operates based on the timing signal of the timing generator 52 and images a subject image formed by the zoom lens 26 and the focus lens 27. Further, the CCD 51 generates an analog imaging signal after imaging and inputs it to the signal processing circuit 53. Note that a CMOS type image sensor may be used instead of the CCD 51.

  The signal processing circuit 53 performs noise processing, amplification processing, A / D conversion, and the like on the analog imaging signal input from the CCD 51 to convert it into digital image data, and inputs the digital image data to the image processing circuit 56. In the digital camera 2, so-called photographing sensitivity can be changed by changing the amplification factor of the analog image pickup signal by the signal processing circuit 53. In the setting of the photographing sensitivity, “AUTO” that is automatically changed according to the subject brightness is provided in addition to the setting for specifying the ISO sensitivity such as 100 to 3200. The setting of the photographing sensitivity can be changed by calling a setting menu with the menu button 17.

  The image processing circuit 56 performs various image processing such as gradation conversion, white balance correction, and γ correction processing, and YC conversion processing. The image data converted into the luminance signal and the color difference signal by the YC conversion process is input to the driver 58 of the LCD 57 constituting the display unit 14. The driver 58 displays a through image on the LCD 57 based on the input image data.

  A backlight 61 that illuminates the LCD 57 is disposed behind the LCD 57. The backlight 61 is driven by a driver 62 controlled by the CPU 38. When the brightness setting of the display unit 14 is called by the menu button 17, the brightness is adjusted by operating the cross button 16.

  The AE / AF control circuit 64 calculates the appropriate exposure of the subject based on the image data generated by the signal processing circuit 56, and controls the aperture mechanism 28 and the shutter mechanism 29 based on the appropriate exposure. Also, the focus position of the focus lens 27 where the subject image is formed on the CCD 51 is calculated based on the image data, and the focus lens 27 is moved to this focus position.

  The flash light emitting unit 6 is driven by a flash control circuit 65 controlled by the CPU 38. The media controller 66 controls the memory card 22 inserted in the card slot 23 to write and read image data.

  The ROM 69 stores a control program used when the CPU 38 controls the digital camera 2 and a function restriction table 70 in which the function restrictions of each unit in each operation mode are defined. The CPU 38 is provided with a mode control unit 71 that controls the operation mode of the digital camera 2, and the mode control unit 71 is configured to restrict the function of each unit based on the function restriction table 70 when each operation mode is selected. To do. The RAM 72 appropriately stores data generated when the CPU 38 controls each unit.

  FIG. 3 shows, as comparison tables 75 and 76, a part of the shooting mode and the playback mode of the function restriction table 70, that is, the difference between the beginner shooting mode and the normal shooting mode, and the difference between the beginner playback mode and the normal playback mode. Note that in the playback mode, buttons and functions that are used only in the shooting mode are prohibited from operating, and therefore their description is omitted in the comparison table 76.

  Next, the effect | action of the said embodiment is demonstrated with reference to the flowchart of FIGS. As shown in FIG. 4, the digital camera 2 starts up in the normal shooting mode when the power of the digital camera 2 is turned on with the power button 9, and a through image is displayed on the display unit 14. When the beginner mode button 20 is operated, control of the beginner photographing mode shown in FIG. 5 is started.

  As shown in the comparison table 75, in the release switch control in the beginner shooting mode, the half-pressing operation and the full-pressing operation by the release switch 43 are prohibited, and the control is switched so that shooting is performed with either input. Thus, it is possible to perform shooting without a half-press operation that a beginner user is not good at, and it is possible to obtain an operation feeling that allows shooting to be performed simply by pressing a release button like a lens-fitted photo film unit.

  As shown in the comparison table 75, the shooting mode selected with the mode dial 10 can be selected between “AUTO”, “scene position”, etc. in the normal shooting mode, whereas the shooting mode for beginners can be selected. The mode is fixed to “AUTO”. This is to prevent a user unfamiliar with the operation of the digital camera 2 from being confused by the large number of options, and to perform appropriate shooting in most shooting scenes. Accordingly, the operation of the dial SW10 is prohibited in the beginner shooting mode. Thereby, since the operation of the mode dial 10 becomes invalid, the beginner photographing mode is not canceled due to an erroneous operation by the user.

  “Normal control” is used in lens control and aperture control in the normal photographing mode. In this “normal control”, automatic exposure control and autofocus control are performed by the AE / AF control circuit 64, the focus lens 27, the aperture mechanism 28, and the like. On the other hand, in the lens control and the aperture control in the beginner shooting mode, “pan focus fixed” and “maximum F value” are used. In “pan focus fixing”, the focus lens 27 is fixed at a predetermined position, for example, the bottom dead center closest to the CCD 51, and the zoom lens 26 is fixed at the widest angle side. Further, in the “maximum F value”, the aperture mechanism 28 is set to the maximum F value. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a pan focus that is in focus from a short distance to a long distance.

  As for shutter control and sensitivity switching related to exposure, “normal control” and “AUTO fixed” are used in the beginner photographing mode. Thereby, it is possible to perform photographing with exposure according to the subject luminance.

  In the beginner shooting mode, operations of the dial switch 42, the zoom switch 44, the cross switch 45, and the menu switch 46 are prohibited in order to prevent an erroneous operation by a beginner user. Further, the flash control is switched so that only light emission / non-light emission can be selected, and the flash photography selection becomes simple as in a film unit with a lens.

  Since only the power button 9, the release button 11, the flash button 18, the playback button 19, and the beginner mode button 20 can be operated in the beginner shooting mode, even a beginner user can easily perform shooting. When the beginner mode button 20 is operated, the control of the beginner shooting mode is canceled and the control of the normal shooting mode is started.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the power is turned on by operating the playback button 19, the digital camera 2 starts up in the playback mode, and a captured image is displayed on the display unit 14. When the beginner mode button 20 is operated, control of the beginner reproduction mode shown in FIG. 7 is started.

  As shown in the comparison table 76, the operation of the menu switch 46 is permitted in the normal reproduction mode, but the operation is prohibited in the beginner reproduction mode in order to prevent erroneous operation of the menu button 17. Further, since the brightness of the backlight 61 cannot be adjusted due to the prohibition of the operation of the menu button 17, the brightness of the backlight 61 is adjusted to, for example, a default setting value in the beginner reproduction mode. In addition to the default setting, the previous setting may be used. As a result, in the beginner shooting mode, only the power button 9, the cross button 16, the playback button 19, and the beginner mode button 20 can be operated, so that erroneous operations are reduced, and even a novice user can easily perform playback.

  In the above embodiment, the digital camera including the automatic exposure mechanism, the autofocus mechanism, and the zoom lens has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to a digital camera that does not include these. Further, the beginner shooting mode can be applied to a silver salt camera. Furthermore, the function limitation in the beginner shooting mode and the beginner playback mode is not limited to that described in the embodiment, and it is also included in the present invention to appropriately change according to the level of the target user.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance shape of the digital camera of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a digital camera. It is a comparison table of a function restriction table. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure of imaging | photography mode. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure of beginner imaging | photography mode. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure of reproduction | regeneration mode. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure of beginner reproduction | regeneration mode.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Digital camera 3 Camera body 6 Flash light emission part 9 Power button 10 Mode dial 11 Release button 14 Display part 15 Zoom button 16 Cross button 17 Menu button 18 Flash button 19 Play button 20 Beginner mode button 26 Focus lens 27 Zoom lens 28 Aperture mechanism 29 Shutter mechanism 38 CPU
61 Backlight 70 Function restriction table 71 Mode controller

Claims (6)

Power supply switching means for switching power on / off;
Imaging means for capturing a subject image;
Release means operated when the imaging means performs an imaging operation;
A flash switching means for switching the light emission / non-light emission of the flash means;
An operation mode switching means for switching the operation mode between a photographing mode for performing photographing and a playback mode for displaying a photographed image on the display means;
Beginner mode switching means for switching between beginner mode and other normal operation modes;
Switching the operation mode according to the operation of the operation mode switching means and the beginner mode switching means, and when the beginner mode is selected during the shooting mode, the power supply switching means, the release means, the flash switching means, A digital camera comprising mode control means for invalidating operations other than the operation mode switching means and the beginner mode switching means. The release means includes a release button that is pressed during shooting,
Detecting means for identifying and detecting a half-pressed state in which the release button is pressed halfway in the movable range and a fully-pressed state in which the release button is pressed near the limit of the movable range;
The mode control means causes the detection means to detect only one of the half-pressed state and the fully-pressed state when the beginner mode is selected in the photographing mode. Digital camera.   The imaging means has an autofocus mechanism and an automatic exposure mechanism, and the mode control means stops the focus lens included in the autofocus mechanism at a predetermined position when the beginner mode is selected in the shooting mode. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein an F value of an aperture included in the automatic exposure mechanism is set to a maximum.   4. The image pickup unit includes a zoom optical system, and the mode control unit fixes the zoom optical system to a wide angle side when the beginner mode is selected in the shooting mode. Digital camera.   Display mode switching means for switching an image displayed on the display means, wherein the mode control means is configured to switch the power source switching means and the operation mode switching means when the beginner mode is selected in the playback mode. 5. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein operations other than the beginner mode switching means and the display image switching means are invalidated.   The mode control means includes the beginner mode, a function restriction table in which functions and operations of each means when the beginner mode is canceled, and mode control for restricting functions and operations of the means based on the function restriction table. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising a unit.

Images