JP2009260600A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display an image reduced at a proper timing during picture taking. <P>SOLUTION: A digital camera displays a through image of a subject picked up with a CCD 113 on a monitor 104. Further, it is judged whether predetermined image display conditions are met by the processing of a CPU 101, and when the conditions are met, a thumbnail image obtained by reducing the picked-up image is overlapped on the through image and displayed on the monitor 104. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic camera.

  Conventionally, various methods for reproducing and displaying captured images already recorded in a camera have been proposed. In Patent Literature 1, when a user inputs a keyword such as a file name, a shooting date, and a name, a corresponding shot image is selected from shot images shot in the past and stored in a storage medium based on the keyword. There has been disclosed an electronic camera that retrieves and displays a retrieved photographed image in a reduced size.

JP 2006-166193 A

  In the electronic camera disclosed in Patent Literature 1, when displaying a reduced image, it is necessary to switch the operation mode to the reproduction mode. For this reason, it is impossible to display a reduced image at an appropriate timing during shooting.

  An electronic camera according to the present invention includes an imaging unit, a display unit that displays a through image of a subject imaged by the imaging unit, and a determination unit that determines whether or not a predetermined image display condition is satisfied. When the determination means determines that the image display condition is satisfied, the reduced image is displayed superimposed on the through image.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to display a reduced image at an appropriate timing during shooting.

  The electronic camera of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a camera system including a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. The camera system shown in FIG. 1 includes a digital camera 1, an access point 2, a server device 3, and a digital camera 4. The access point 2 and the server device 3 are connected via the Internet.

  The digital camera 1 is an electronic camera that captures a subject in accordance with a user instruction and records a captured image (captured image) obtained. The digital camera 1 has a wireless communication function for performing wireless communication with the access point 2. By this wireless communication, the digital camera 1 and the server device 3 are connected via the access point 2 and the Internet. The digital camera 1 can also perform wireless communication with the digital camera 4 that is another camera. The digital camera 1 and the digital camera 4 have the same configuration. Although the two digital cameras 1 and 4 are included in the camera system in FIG. 1, the number of digital cameras constituting the camera system is not limited to this. The configuration of the digital camera 1 will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS.

  The access point 2 is a device for enabling various devices including the digital camera 1 having a wireless communication function to communicate using a network such as the Internet. When the digital camera 1 and the access point 2 perform wireless communication, the digital camera 1 and the server device 3 are connected as described above.

  The server device 3 stores a captured image database. In this captured image database, the captured image acquired by the digital camera 1 or 4 is recorded in association with the position and direction detected at the time of shooting. That is, the captured image database of the server device 3 records captured images acquired by various cameras in association with the shooting position and shooting direction. Note that not all of the shooting position and shooting direction are recorded in association with the captured image, but only one of them may be recorded.

  Next, the configuration of the digital camera 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an appearance of the digital camera 1. 2, the digital camera 1 includes a shutter button 11, a power button 12, a zoom button 13, a playback button 14, a menu button 15, a delete button 16, a jog dial 17, a determination button 18, and a LAN (Local Area Network) access. LED (Light Emitting Diode) 19, flash charging LED 20, AF (Auto Focus) LED 21, memory access LED 22, power supply LED 23, and monitor 104.

  The shutter button 11 is an operation button for the user to give a shooting instruction to the digital camera 1 and has a two-stage switch of half-press and full-press. When the shutter button 11 is pressed halfway, the focus of the taking lens of the digital camera 1 is adjusted according to the subject. When the shutter button 11 is fully pressed, the subject is captured by the digital camera 1 and the acquired captured image is recorded. The power button 12 is an operation button for the user to switch the main power source of the digital camera 1 from on to off or from off to on. The zoom button 13 is an operation button used when the user adjusts the zoom amount by changing the focal length of the photographing lens of the digital camera 1.

  The playback button 14 is an operation button for the user to instruct the digital camera 1 to play back image data. The menu button 15 is an operation button for the user to instruct the digital camera 1 to call a menu screen. The delete button 16 is an operation button used when the user deletes image data from the memory card loaded in the digital camera 1.

  The jog dial 17 is a rotatable operation member for a user to give an instruction to move the cursor on the screen. The determination button 18 is an operation button for the user to determine setting contents on the menu screen.

  The LAN access LED 19 is a display device that lights up when the digital camera 1 is performing wireless communication with the access point 2. When the LED 19 for LAN access is turned on, the user can be notified that the digital camera 1 is communicating. The flash charging LED 20 is a display device that is lit while the flash is being charged. When the flash charging LED 20 is lit before shooting, the user can be informed that flash charging is in progress and preparation for shooting is not completed.

  The AF LED 21 is a display device for informing the user of the AF in-focus state. The memory access LED 22 is a display device that lights up in a memory access state, that is, when data is being written to a memory card loaded in the digital camera 1 and when data is being read from the memory card. The power LED 23 is a display device that lights up when the digital camera 1 is in a power-on state.

  The monitor 104 is a color display device using an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like, and displays various images. For example, when the monitor 104 displays a through image, the monitor 104 is used as a viewfinder at the time of shooting. Note that the through image (through image) is a captured image of the subject displayed on the monitor 104 in real time when an operation mode such as a shooting mode described later is set in the digital camera 1. Furthermore, the monitor 104 can also display and display a captured image acquired in the past, a menu screen, and the like.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the digital camera 1. As shown in this block diagram, the digital camera 1 includes a CPU 101, a compression / expansion circuit 102, a display driver 103, a monitor 104, a key input unit 105, a wireless LAN circuit 106, a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor 107, and a motion sensor 108. A capacitor 109, a battery 110, a flash 111, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) driver 112, a CCD 113, and a memory 114. A memory card 115 as a recording medium is loaded in a card slot (not shown).

  The CPU 101 is a circuit for executing various processes and controls, and is configured using a microcomputer or the like. The compression / decompression circuit 102 is a circuit that compresses / decompresses captured image data. The display driver 103 is a drive circuit that controls an image displayed on the monitor 104. The key input unit 105 is a circuit that detects operations of buttons, switches, dials, and the like provided in the digital camera 1.

  The wireless LAN circuit 106 is a communication circuit for communicating with an external device wirelessly. By performing wireless communication with the access point 2 by the wireless LAN circuit 106, the digital camera 1 is connected to the server device 3 through the access point 2 and the Internet. The wireless LAN circuit 106 can also perform wireless communication with the digital camera 4. The position of the digital camera 1 may be obtained by performing WiFi positioning using wireless communication by the wireless LAN circuit 106. In this case, the GPS sensor 107 is unnecessary.

  The GPS sensor 107 receives a GPS signal transmitted from a GPS satellite and outputs it to the CPU 101. Based on this GPS signal, the CPU 101 detects the position of the digital camera 1 (that is, the position of the CCD 113). The motion sensor 108 detects the posture change of the digital camera 1 in each direction of pitch, yaw, and roll. Note that when the optical axis of the digital camera 1 is oriented in the horizontal direction, the change in posture in the pitch direction represents a change in posture about an axis that is orthogonal to the optical axis, that is, a change in elevation angle, and a change in posture in the yaw direction. Represents a change in posture around an axis perpendicular to the optical axis, that is, a change in azimuth. Further, the posture change in the roll direction represents a posture change around the optical axis, that is, a change in the tilt of the digital camera 1.

  The capacitor 109 is charged by receiving power from the battery 110 and is used for light emission of the flash 111. It is also used to drive the camera as a backup power source in case of emergency. The battery 110 is a power source such as a lithium ion rechargeable battery that supplies power necessary for operating the digital camera 1. The remaining amount of the battery 110 is detected by the CPU 101.

  The flash 111 is a light emitting device that enables photographing even in a dark environment by irradiating a subject with photographing auxiliary light. The state of charge of the flash 111 is detected by the CPU 101. The CCD driver 112 is a circuit for driving the CCD 113. The CCD 113 is an image sensor for capturing a subject image via a photographing lens. When a subject image is picked up by the CCD 113, an image pickup signal is output from the CCD 113 to the CCD driver 112. The imaging signal is converted into captured image data by the CCD driver 112 and then output to the CPU 101.

  The memory 114 is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, and stores programs, data, and the like for use in control executed by the CPU 101. The memory card 115 records a captured image acquired by the digital camera 1 under the control of the CPU 101.

  Next, the operation of the digital camera 1 will be described. The digital camera 1 can set various operation modes including a shooting mode for capturing a subject and acquiring a captured image in accordance with a user operation.

  When the shooting mode is set, the digital camera 1 acquires a through image as described above based on the image of the subject imaged by the CCD 113 and displays it on the monitor 104 before imaging the subject. . When a shooting instruction is performed by a user operating the shutter button 11, the digital camera 1 captures a subject and acquires a captured image according to the shooting instruction, and the acquired captured image is controlled by the CPU 101 in a memory card. 115.

  When recording a captured image on the memory card 115, the digital camera 1 calculates a shooting position based on a GPS signal received by the GPS sensor 107 during shooting, and records shooting position information representing the shooting position together with the captured image. . Further, based on the posture change detected by the motion sensor 108 at the time of shooting, the shooting direction, that is, the azimuth angle indicating the horizontal direction of the digital camera 1 and the elevation angle indicating the vertical direction of the digital camera 1 are calculated. The shooting direction information indicating the shooting direction is recorded together with the captured image. These pieces of information are added to the captured image as meta-information of the captured image and recorded on the memory card 115. As a result, a captured image having information on the shooting position and shooting direction is recorded in the memory card 115.

  The captured image and meta information recorded on the memory card 115 are transmitted from the digital camera 1 to the server device 3 or the digital camera 4 by the wireless LAN circuit 106 in accordance with a user operation. The server device 3 and the digital camera 4 receive the captured image and meta information transmitted from the digital camera 1 and record them in association with each other.

  When the through image is displayed on the monitor 104 in the shooting mode, the digital camera 1 can select at least one of the memory card 115, the database of the server device 3, or the digital camera 4 as a search destination of the captured image. it can. The search destination may be selected according to a user instruction or automatically according to a connection state with the digital camera 1. Further, a plurality of search destinations may be selected at the same time, or all search destinations may be selected. Then, a captured image corresponding to the current position (camera position) and direction (camera direction) of the digital camera 1 is retrieved from the captured images recorded at the selected search destination.

  For example, the current camera position is set as the viewpoint, and a vector having a predetermined length extending from the viewpoint toward the camera is set as the line-of-sight vector. A captured image in which the shooting position is included within a predetermined range centered on the line-of-sight vector is searched and extracted. At this time, only a captured image whose shooting direction is within a predetermined range from the camera direction may be extracted. A thumbnail image obtained by reducing the captured image thus searched is displayed on the monitor 104 so as to be superimposed on the through image and presented to the user.

  When searching for a captured image as described above, if the camera position is fixed, detection of the camera position may be omitted by setting the camera position in advance. Further, when the memory card 115 of the digital camera 1 is selected as the search destination of the captured image, the captured image acquired at the imaging position that is not much different from the current camera position is set as the search target, so that the camera position is not used. It is also possible to search for a captured image only by the camera direction. For example, a captured image acquired within a certain period of time from the present time, or a captured image acquired up to now since the power was last turned on can be set as a search target.

  Even when the digital camera 4 is selected as the search destination of the captured image, the range in which the digital camera 1 and the digital camera 4 can communicate is limited, and thus the captured image is not used by the camera position but only by the camera direction. Can be searched.

  As for the camera direction, only the horizontal direction, that is, the azimuth angle may be used for retrieval of the captured image. That is, in the vertical direction, the entire space range can be searched. Alternatively, in addition to the horizontal direction, the captured image may be searched using the vertical direction, that is, the elevation angle.

  When the database of the server device 3 is selected as the search destination for the captured image, information on the camera position and camera direction detected by the digital camera 1 is transmitted to the server device 3 via the access point 2 and the Internet. Information extracted from the database of the server device 3 is transmitted to the digital camera 1 via the Internet and the access point 2. On the other hand, when the digital camera 4 is selected as a search destination, these pieces of information are directly transmitted and received between the digital camera 1 and the digital camera 4.

  In addition, when the database of the server device 3 is selected as the search destination for the captured image, the captured image acquired by the user may be excluded from the search target, or may not be excluded. When excluded, the captured image corresponding to the camera position and the camera direction detected by the digital camera 1 is searched from the captured images captured by the digital camera 4 and transmitted to the server device 3 and recorded in the database. . On the other hand, if not excluded, the camera position and the camera direction detected by the digital camera 1 from the captured images that are taken by one of the digital cameras 1 and 4 and transmitted to the server device 3 and recorded in the database. A captured image corresponding to is searched.

  FIG. 4 is an example of a screen displayed on the monitor 104 when the shooting mode is set. When the shutter button 11 is not pressed in the shooting mode, such a screen is displayed.

  In the screen of FIG. 4, thumbnail images 31, 32, and 33 obtained by reducing the captured image are displayed so as to overlap the through image. The thumbnail images 31 to 33 are images obtained by reducing the captured images searched as described above. That is, a captured image retrieved from the memory card 115, the database of the server device 3, or the digital camera 4 that is selected as the captured image search destination, and the imaging position and the imaging direction of the digital camera 1 Thumbnail images 31 to 33 are displayed based on the captured images corresponding to the detected camera position and camera direction. The display positions of the thumbnail images 31 to 33 on the through image on the screen at this time are determined according to the shooting position of the captured image.

  Further, a focus adjustment area 34 for adjusting the focus of the photographing lens is also displayed on the screen of FIG. When the user issues a focus adjustment instruction for the photographic lens by pressing the shutter button 11 halfway, the digital camera 1 detects the focus adjustment state of the photographic lens for the subject in the focus adjustment area 34. Then, focus adjustment is performed based on the detection result. The setting position of the focus adjustment area 34 can be arbitrarily moved by the user. Alternatively, the main subject may be determined in the digital camera 1, and the position of the focus adjustment area 34 may be determined based on the determination result.

  As shown in FIG. 4, by displaying the thumbnail images 31 to 33 so as to overlap the through images, the user can know what captured images can be acquired when shooting in the direction before shooting. it can. Thus, the digital camera 1 superimposes a thumbnail image obtained by reducing the captured image corresponding to the camera position and the camera direction on the through image and displays the thumbnail image on the monitor 104 in the shooting mode. It should be noted that such thumbnail images 31 to 33 superimposed on the through image are displayed only when a predetermined image display condition is satisfied, as will be described later.

  The user can select one of the thumbnail images 31 to 33 by operating the digital camera 1. This thumbnail image selection operation can be performed using, for example, the jog dial 17. Alternatively, the selection operation may be performed by changing the posture of the digital camera 1. For example, a cursor for selecting a thumbnail image is displayed on the through image, and the cursor is moved in accordance with a change in posture of the digital camera 1 detected by the motion sensor 108. That is, the cursor is moved in the left-right direction in accordance with a change in posture of the digital camera 1 in the yaw direction, that is, a change in azimuth. Further, the cursor is moved in the vertical direction in accordance with a change in posture of the digital camera 1 in the pitch direction, that is, a change in elevation angle. When such a selection operation method is used, the user can intuitively operate the digital camera 1 to select an arbitrary thumbnail image.

  In the shooting mode, the user does not necessarily have to select a thumbnail image. That is, none of the thumbnail images 31 to 33 can be selected.

  When the user presses the shutter button 11 halfway with any of the thumbnail images 31 to 33 selected, the digital camera 1 detects the operation as a display screen switching instruction. In this case, the digital camera 1 reproduces and displays a plurality of captured images including captured images corresponding to the currently selected thumbnail image on the monitor 104. On the other hand, when none of the thumbnail images 31 to 33 is selected and the shutter button 11 is pressed halfway by the user, the digital camera 1 detects the operation as a focus adjustment instruction. In this case, the digital camera 1 detects the focus adjustment state of the photographing lens with respect to the subject in the focus adjustment area 34, and performs focus adjustment based on the detection result. Thereafter, when the user fully presses the shutter button 11, the CCD 113 captures an image of the subject and acquires a captured image, which is recorded in the memory card 115.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of a screen displayed on the monitor 104 when the shutter button 11 is pressed halfway with any thumbnail image selected. Hereinafter, such a display screen is referred to as a select view screen. The select view screen of FIG. 5 shows an example in which the captured images 41 to 43 corresponding to the thumbnail images 31 to 33 are reproduced and displayed when the thumbnail image 31 is selected on the screen of FIG. The captured images 41 to 43 are adjusted in size according to the display range on the screen.

  On the select view screen in FIG. 5, a maximum of four captured images can be displayed. Therefore, when five or more thumbnail images are displayed on the through image, the captured image corresponding to the currently selected thumbnail image and the captured images corresponding to the three thumbnail images displayed at positions close to the thumbnail image are displayed. Images are displayed on the select view screen. Note that the maximum number of captured images that can be displayed on the select view screen is not limited to four, and may be any number.

  In the select view screen of FIG. 5, among the captured images 41 to 43, the captured image 41 is surrounded by a selection frame. The position of this selection frame can be changed according to the operation of the digital camera 1. For example, the position of the selection frame may be changed in accordance with the posture change of the digital camera 1 such as the elevation angle, azimuth angle, and tilt. Alternatively, the position of the selection frame may be changed according to the operation of the jog dial 17.

  When the shutter button 11 is fully pressed on the select view screen, the captured image selected at that time is enlarged and displayed on the monitor 104. The screen displayed at this time is hereinafter referred to as a one-view screen. FIG. 6 shows an example of the one-view screen when the captured image 41 is selected. On the other hand, when the half-press operation of the shutter button 11 is released, the screen returns to the screen of FIG.

  The digital camera 1 is recorded in the memory card 115, the database of the server device 3, or the digital camera 4 selected as the search destination of the captured image by executing the processing described above in the shooting mode. The captured image corresponding to the camera position and the camera direction is searched from the captured images. Then, a thumbnail image obtained by reducing the retrieved captured image is superimposed and displayed on the through image. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing at this time. This flowchart is executed by the CPU 101. Hereinafter, the flowchart of FIG. 7 will be described.

  In step S10, captured image data based on the imaging signal from the CCD 113 is received from the CCD driver 112, and a through image of the subject is acquired. In step S20, the through image acquired in step S10 is displayed on the monitor 104.

  In step S30, the camera position is detected. Here, the camera position is detected by detecting the current position of the digital camera 1 based on the GPS signal received by the GPS sensor 107.

  In step S40, the camera posture is detected. Here, based on the posture change of the digital camera 1 detected by the motion sensor 108, the direction in which the digital camera 1 is facing and the tilt of the digital camera 1 are detected.

  In step S50, it is determined whether or not a predetermined image display condition is satisfied. This image display condition is a condition for determining whether or not to display a thumbnail image on the through image displayed in step S20, and can have various contents. If it is determined that the image display condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S60. If it is determined that the image display condition is not satisfied, the process returns to step S10. The specific contents of the image display conditions used for the determination in step S50 will be described later.

  In step S60, a captured image is searched based on the camera position detected in step S30 and the camera direction detected in step S40. At this time, the camera position and the camera in which the shooting position and the shooting direction are detected from the captured image recorded in the search destination selected from the memory card 115, the database of the server device 3, or the digital camera 4 are selected. A captured image corresponding to each direction is searched.

  In step S70, the thumbnail image of the captured image searched in step S60 is displayed on the monitor 104. Here, a thumbnail image is displayed so as to be superimposed on the through image displayed in step S20. Thereby, a screen as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed.

  In step S80, one of the thumbnail images displayed in step S70 is selected. Here, as described above, the selection cursor is moved in accordance with the operation of the jog dial 17 or the posture change of the digital camera 1, and any thumbnail image is selected. Alternatively, no thumbnail image is selected.

  In step S90, it is determined whether or not the shutter button 11 has been pressed halfway by the user. When the half-press operation is not performed, the process returns to step S10, and when the half-press operation is performed, the process proceeds to step S100.

  In step S100, it is determined whether any of the thumbnail images displayed in step S70 has been selected by the process in step S80. If any thumbnail image is selected, the process proceeds to step S110. On the other hand, if no thumbnail image is selected, the flowchart of FIG. 7 ends. In this case, the focus of the photographic lens of the digital camera 1 is adjusted according to the subject, and the CCD 113 can take an image. Thereafter, when the shutter button 11 is fully pressed, shooting is performed, and a captured image is acquired and recorded in the memory card 115.

  In step S110, a select view screen as shown in FIG. On this select view screen, a captured image including at least a captured image corresponding to the thumbnail image determined to be selected in step S100 is reproduced and displayed.

  In step S120, it is determined whether or not the user has fully pressed the shutter button 11 on the select view screen displayed in step S110. If the full-press operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step S130, and a one-view screen as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the monitor 104 for the photographed image selected on the select view screen. If step S130 is performed, the flowchart of FIG. 7 will be complete | finished. On the other hand, if the shutter button 11 is not fully pressed, the process returns to step S110.

  Next, image display conditions used for the determination in step S50 will be described. This image display condition is set with various contents as described below so that the display state of the thumbnail image can be switched at an appropriate timing during the display of the through image.

  For example, it can be determined whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the zoom amount of the photographing lens. That is, according to the operation of the zoom button 13 by the user, a lens driving mechanism (not shown) is driven under the control of the CPU 101 to adjust the zoom amount (focal length) of the photographing lens. When the zoom amount exceeds the threshold value or when the zoom amount reaches the maximum, it is determined that the image display condition is satisfied, and the thumbnail image is displayed superimposed on the through image. Alternatively, contrary to the above, it may be determined that the image display condition is satisfied when the zoom amount becomes less than the threshold value or when the zoom amount becomes the minimum.

  In addition, the CPU 101 can detect the mounting state of the lens cap attached to the photographing lens, and determine whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the detection result. That is, when it is detected that the lens cap is attached to the photographing lens, it can be determined that the user does not intend to shoot, so it is determined that the image display condition is satisfied, and the thumbnail image is converted to a through image. Superimposed on the display. The mounting state of the lens cap can be detected based on, for example, a contact point that changes in contact state depending on whether or not the lens cap is mounted on the photographing lens. Alternatively, the mounting state of the lens cap can be detected based on the amount of light received by the CCD 113. Here, any light shielding member other than the lens cap may be used as long as the light incident on the photographing lens is blocked. For example, the photographing lens can be shielded from light using a light shielding shutter provided at the front of the photographing lens.

  In addition, the distance to the subject can be detected by the processing of the CPU 101, and it can be determined whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the detection result. That is, the distance from the digital camera 1 to the subject is calculated based on the focal length of the photographing lens and the focus adjustment state. For example, when this distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is determined that the image display condition is satisfied, and the thumbnail image is displayed superimposed on the through image.

  The accuracy of the camera position detected in step S30 in FIG. 7 may be estimated by the CPU 101, and it may be determined whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the estimation result. For example, if the accuracy of the estimated camera position is greater than or equal to a predetermined accuracy, it is considered that an appropriate search result can be obtained in the subsequent search of the captured image performed in step S60, and therefore it is determined that the image display condition is satisfied. . On the other hand, if the accuracy of the estimated camera position is lower than the predetermined accuracy, it is determined that the image display condition is not satisfied, and the captured image is not searched.

  Further, it may be determined whether the image display condition is satisfied based on the tilt of the digital camera 1 detected in step S40 of FIG. For example, when the tilt of the digital camera 1 is within a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the user is holding the digital camera 1 horizontally and preparing for shooting, and therefore it is determined that the image display condition is not satisfied. . On the other hand, if the tilt of the digital camera 1 or the average tilt (within a predetermined time) is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the image display condition is satisfied, and the thumbnail image is superimposed on the through image. indicate.

  By the way, in the digital camera 1, it is also possible to select one of a plurality of types of shooting modes, for example, a normal shooting mode, a continuous shooting mode, a moving image mode, and the like according to a user operation by the processing of the CPU 101. . In this case, it is preferable to determine whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the selection result of the shooting mode. For example, when the continuous shooting mode or the moving image mode is selected, the processing load on the CPU 101 increases as compared to normal shooting, so it is determined that the image display condition is not satisfied. This reduces the processing load by not displaying thumbnail images.

  In the digital camera 1, grid lines and figures for confirming the composition may be superimposed on the through image and displayed on the monitor 104. At this time, when grid lines or figures are displayed, it is preferable not to display the thumbnail image by determining that the image display condition is not satisfied in order not to prevent the user from confirming the composition. .

  Further, in the digital camera 1, it is possible to perform a person recognition process in which the face portion of the subject is detected from the through image by the processing of the CPU 101 and the focus is adjusted in accordance with the detected face portion. When such a person recognition process is performed, it may be determined whether an image display condition is satisfied based on a detection result of the face portion. That is, when a face is detected, it is determined that the image display condition is satisfied, and the thumbnail image is displayed superimposed on the through image. At this time, it is preferable to display the thumbnail image while avoiding the portion where the face is detected. Furthermore, at this time, information related to the person corresponding to the detected face, for example, information such as the past number of times of photographing or pre-registered person introduction may be searched and displayed together with the thumbnail image. Alternatively, if a face is detected, it may be determined that the image display condition is not satisfied, and the thumbnail image may not be displayed superimposed on the through image.

  In addition, for example, it is possible to determine whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the remaining amount of the battery 110 and the state of charge of the flash 111. That is, when the remaining amount of the battery 110 is less than a predetermined threshold or when the flash 111 is being charged, it is determined that the image display condition is not satisfied in order to suppress wasteful power consumption, The thumbnail image is not displayed superimposed on the through image. Note that the remaining amount of the battery 110 and the state of charge of the flash 111 are detected by the processing of the CPU 101 as described above.

  The digital camera 1 can make the determination in step S50 using the image display conditions described above. At this time, arbitrary plural types of image display conditions may be combined. When a plurality of types of image display conditions are combined, thumbnail images may be displayed superimposed on the through image when at least one of the image display conditions is satisfied. Alternatively, when all image display conditions are satisfied, the thumbnail image may be displayed superimposed on the through image.

According to the embodiment described above, the following operational effects are obtained.
(1) The digital camera 1 displays the through image of the subject imaged by the CCD 113 on the monitor 104 (step S20). Further, it is determined whether or not a predetermined image display condition is satisfied (step S50). If it is determined that the predetermined image display condition is satisfied, a thumbnail image obtained by reducing the captured image is displayed superimposed on the through image (step S70). Since it did in this way, the image reduced at the appropriate timing during imaging | photography can be displayed.

(2) The digital camera 1 adjusts the zoom amount of the photographing lens under the control of the CPU 101. In step S50, it is possible to determine whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the zoom amount. In this way, it is possible to switch the display of thumbnail images appropriately according to the shooting situation.

(3) The digital camera 1 can detect the mounting state of the light shielding member with respect to the photographing lens under the control of the CPU 101. In step S50, it can be determined whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the detection result. In this way, thumbnail images can be displayed at an appropriate timing when the user does not intend to shoot.

(4) The digital camera 1 detects the distance to the subject under the control of the CPU 101. In step S50, it is possible to determine whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the distance to the subject. In this way, it is possible to switch the display of thumbnail images appropriately according to the shooting situation.

(5) The digital camera 1 can estimate the accuracy of the camera position detected in step S30 under the control of the CPU 101. In step S50, it can be determined whether image display conditions are satisfied based on the accuracy of the camera position. In this way, thumbnail images can be displayed when appropriate search results are obtained.

(6) In step S50, it can be determined whether image display conditions are satisfied based on the tilt of the digital camera 1 detected in step S40. In this way, it is possible to prevent the thumbnail image from being displayed when the user is holding the digital camera 1 horizontally and preparing for shooting.

(7) The digital camera 1 can select one of a plurality of shooting modes under the control of the CPU 101. In step S50, it can be determined whether the image display condition is satisfied based on the selection result of the photographing mode. In this way, when the processing load on the CPU 101 increases compared to normal shooting as in the continuous shooting mode and the moving image mode, the processing load can be reduced by not displaying thumbnail images.

(8) The digital camera 1 can superimpose and display a line or figure for confirming the composition on the through image on the monitor 104. If the line or figure is displayed superimposed on the through image, it can be determined in step S50 that the image display condition is not satisfied. In this way, it is possible to avoid that the confirmation of the composition by the user is hindered by the display of the thumbnail image.

(9) The digital camera 1 can detect the face portion of the subject from the through image by the processing of the CPU 101. In step S50, it can be determined whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the detection result of the face portion. In this way, it is possible to switch the display of thumbnail images appropriately according to the shooting situation.

(10) The digital camera 1 detects the remaining amount of the battery 110 by the CPU 101. In step S50, it is possible to determine whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the detection result of the remaining amount of the battery 110. In this way, wasteful power consumption can be suppressed by not displaying thumbnail images when the remaining amount of the battery 110 is low.

(11) The digital camera 1 detects the charge state of the flash 111 by the CPU 101. In step S50, it can be determined whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the detection result of the state of charge of the flash 111. In this way, wasteful power consumption can be suppressed by not displaying thumbnail images when the flash 111 is being charged.

(12) The digital camera 1 detects the camera position by the processing of the CPU 101 (step S30), and searches for a photographed image based on the detected camera position (step S60). If it is determined in step S50 that the image display condition is satisfied, the thumbnail image retrieved in step S60 is displayed on the monitor 104 in a superimposed manner at a position on the through image corresponding to the shooting position (step S50). S70). Since it did in this way, it can be displayed on a through image clearly in which position the picked-up image corresponding to the thumbnail image was taken.

(13) The digital camera 1 can select any one of the thumbnail images displayed superimposed on the through image (step S80). When the shutter button 11 is pressed halfway while selecting any one of the thumbnail images by this processing (steps S90 and S100), the digital camera 1 at least picks up a captured image corresponding to the selected thumbnail image. The captured image is reproduced and displayed on the monitor 104 as a select view screen (step S110). On the other hand, when the shutter button 11 is pressed halfway when none of the thumbnail images is selected, the digital camera 1 adjusts the focus of the photographing lens. Since it did in this way, operation | movement content can be switched appropriately according to the selection state of a thumbnail image.

  In the embodiment described above, when the search destination is the memory card 115, the thumbnail image of the last recorded image recorded on the memory card 115 is superimposed on the through image regardless of the imaging position and the imaging direction. May be displayed. In this way, as a reference at the time of photographing, it is possible to inform the user of what kind of photographed image was acquired immediately before.

  In the embodiment described above, the focus adjustment area 34 is set on the through image as shown in the screen of FIG. A thumbnail image to be displayed may be determined based on the set position of the focus adjustment area 34. For example, among the captured images searched in step S60, a thumbnail image whose display position on the through image corresponding to the image capturing position is out of the predetermined range from the focus adjustment area 34 is displayed on the monitor 104 while being superimposed on the through image. To do. In this way, it is possible to prevent the main subject from being hidden by the thumbnail image.

  Alternatively, contrary to the above, among the captured images searched in step S60, a thumbnail image whose display position on the through image corresponding to the image capturing position is within a predetermined range from the focus adjustment area 34 is superimposed on the through image. Then, it may be displayed on the monitor 104. In this way, it is possible to display a thumbnail image corresponding to the range that the user is paying attention to when shooting.

  In the embodiment described above, when the shutter button 11 is pressed halfway while any thumbnail image is selected, the select view screen as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed, and the shutter button 11 is fully pressed. When operated, the one-view screen as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed. However, the display of the select view screen may be omitted. That is, when the user presses the shutter button 11 halfway with any thumbnail image selected, only a captured image corresponding to the thumbnail image may be displayed on the monitor 104 as a one-view screen.

  In each of the above embodiments, the digital camera 1 which is an electronic camera has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to other devices. For example, the present invention can be applied to a mobile electronic device such as a camera-equipped mobile phone.

  The embodiment and various modifications described above are merely examples. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to these contents as long as the characteristics of the present invention are not impaired.

It is a block diagram of the camera system by one embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the digital camera by one embodiment of this invention. 1 is a block diagram of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the screen displayed when imaging | photography mode is set. It is a figure which shows the example of a select view screen. It is a figure which shows the example of a one view screen. It is a flowchart of the process performed in the digital camera by one embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1, 4: Digital camera 2: Access point 3: Server device 11: Shutter button 101: CPU
104: Monitor 107: GPS sensor 110: Battery 111: Flash 113: CCD
115: Memory card

Claims (16)

Imaging means;
Display means for displaying a through image of the subject imaged by the imaging means;
Determination means for determining whether or not a predetermined image display condition is satisfied,
An electronic camera characterized in that the display means displays a reduced image superimposed on the through image when the determination means determines that the image display condition is satisfied. The electronic camera according to claim 1,
A zoom amount adjusting means for adjusting the zoom amount of the photographing optical system;
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the image display condition is satisfied based on the zoom amount. The electronic camera according to claim 1 or 2,
A light shielding member detecting means for detecting a mounting state of the light shielding member with respect to the photographing optical system;
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on a detection result by the light shielding member detection unit. In the electronic camera as described in any one of Claims 1-3,
Further comprising distance detection means for detecting a distance to the subject;
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on a distance to the subject detected by the distance detection unit. In the electronic camera as described in any one of Claims 1-4,
Position detecting means for detecting the position of the electronic camera;
Further comprising position accuracy estimation means for estimating the accuracy of the position detected by the position detection means,
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on the accuracy of the position estimated by the position accuracy estimation unit. In the electronic camera as described in any one of Claims 1-5,
Further comprising tilt detecting means for detecting the tilt of the electronic camera;
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the image display condition is satisfied based on the inclination detected by the inclination detection unit. In the electronic camera as described in any one of Claims 1-6,
A mode selection means for selecting one of a plurality of shooting modes;
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on a selection result of the shooting mode by the mode selection unit. In the electronic camera according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The display means displays a line or figure for confirming the composition superimposed on the through image,
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines that the image display condition is not satisfied when the line or the graphic is displayed superimposed on the through image on the display unit. In the electronic camera according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
Further comprising face detection means for detecting a face portion of the subject from the through image,
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on a detection result of the face portion by the face detection unit. The electronic camera according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
A battery remaining amount detecting means for detecting a remaining amount of a battery that supplies power to the electronic camera;
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on a detection result of the remaining battery level by the remaining battery level detection unit. In the electronic camera according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
A charge state detection means for detecting a charge state of the light emitting device that outputs the photographing auxiliary light;
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the image display condition is satisfied based on a detection result of a charging state of the light emitting device by the charging state detection unit. In the electronic camera as described in any one of Claims 1-11,
A recording control means for recording an image of the subject imaged by the imaging means on a recording medium;
The display means, when the determination means determines that the image display condition is satisfied, displays an image obtained by reducing the image recorded last on the recording medium so as to be superimposed on the through image. Electronic camera. In the electronic camera as described in any one of Claims 1-11,
Position detecting means for detecting the position of the electronic camera;
Image search means for searching for an image based on the position detected by the position detection means,
When the determination unit determines that the image display condition is satisfied, the display unit superimposes an image obtained by reducing the image searched by the image search unit on a position on the through image according to a shooting position. An electronic camera characterized by being displayed. The electronic camera according to claim 13.
A focus adjustment area setting means for setting a focus adjustment area for performing focus adjustment of the photographing optical system on the through image;
The display means displays an image obtained by reducing an image whose display position on the through image corresponding to the photographing position is out of a predetermined range from the focus adjustment area among the images searched by the image search means. An electronic camera characterized by The electronic camera according to claim 13.
A focus adjustment area setting means for setting a focus adjustment area for performing focus adjustment of the photographing optical system on the through image;
The display means displays an image obtained by reducing an image whose display position on the through image corresponding to the shooting position is within a predetermined range from the focus adjustment area among the images searched by the image search means. An electronic camera characterized by In the electronic camera as described in any one of Claims 1-15,
Image selecting means for selecting any of the images displayed superimposed on the through image by the display means;
An operation member operated to instruct the focus adjustment of the photographing optical system according to the subject,
When the operation member is operated while any one of the images is selected by the image selection unit, a captured image including at least a captured image corresponding to the selected image is reproduced and displayed by the display unit. ,
An electronic camera that performs focus adjustment of the imaging optical system when the operation member is operated when none of the images is selected by the image selection unit.

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