JP2010034838A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To take a group photograph including a photographer himself or herself without using a tripod or the like. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic camera includes: an imaging means 12; photography assisting mean 21 (24) and 17 of, after photography of each frame for photographing N subject persons, prompting framing of next-frame photography such that an unphotographed person next to a main subject person of previous-frame photography is a main subject of the next-frame photography and photographic ranges of the previous-frame photography and next-frame photography overlap with each other and, after (N-1)-frame photography, prompting framing of Nth-frame photography such that a first photographer who performed the (N-1)-frame photography changes to a photographed person other than a main subject person of the (N-1)-frame photography and moves to a position on the opposite side from the changing person and next to the main subject person of the (N-1)-frame photography to be a main subject of N-fame photography, and photographic ranges of the (N-1)-frame photography and Nth-frame photography overlap with each other; and recording means 21, 15 and 16 of recording a plurality of image data of the multiple photography while relating them to one another. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic camera.

  A camera that assists in taking a group photo of a person or the like is known (see Patent Document 1). In the prior art, a face portion detected from a preview image is enlarged and displayed on a display unit, and a face to be enlarged is displayed by a selection operation, so that a photographer can check each face image.

JP-A-2005-102175

  In conventional group photography, there was a problem that the photographer himself could not join the group photograph without using a tripod.

  The electronic camera according to the present invention includes an imaging unit that captures a subject image and outputs image data, and an unphotographed image next to the main subject person at the time of the previous frame photographing after each frame for photographing N subject persons. The person is assumed to be the main subject of the next frame shooting, and framing of the next frame shooting is performed so that a part of the shooting range overlaps between the previous frame shooting and the next frame shooting, and (N-1) after the frame shooting (N-1) The first photographer who performed the shooting operation at the time of frame shooting and (N-1) the photographed person other than the main subject person at the time of frame shooting were changed, and the position was on the opposite side of the replacement person. (N-1) The first photographer moves next to the main subject person at the time of frame shooting, and the first photographer is set as the main subject at the time of N-th frame shooting. Frame the Nth frame so that part of the shooting range overlaps with the shooting And a recording unit for recording a plurality of image data associated with a plurality of images in association with each other.

  The electronic camera according to the present invention can take a high-quality group photo including the photographer himself.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an electronic camera includes an imaging optical system 11, an imaging device 12, an AFE (Analog front end) circuit 13, an image processing unit 14, a buffer memory 15, a recording interface (I / F) 16, A monitor 17, an operation member 18, a half-push switch 19 a, a full-push switch 19 b, a CPU 21, and a vertical / horizontal sensor 50 are provided.

  The CPU 21, the recording interface 16, the image processing unit 14, the buffer memory 15, and the monitor 17 are connected via a bus 22.

  The imaging optical system 11 includes a plurality of lens groups including a zoom lens and a focusing lens, and forms a subject image on the light receiving surface of the imaging element 12. In order to simplify FIG. 1, the imaging optical system 11 is shown as a single lens.

  The image sensor 12 is configured by a CCD image sensor, a CMOS image sensor, or the like in which light receiving elements are two-dimensionally arranged on a light receiving surface. The image sensor 12 photoelectrically converts a subject image generated by a light beam that has passed through the imaging optical system 11 to generate an analog image signal. The analog image signal is input to the AFE circuit 13.

  The AFE circuit 13 performs correlated double sampling and gain adjustment on the analog image signal, and converts the analog-processed image signal into digital data. The digital image data is input to the image processing unit 14. The image processing unit 14 performs various types of image processing (color interpolation processing, gradation conversion processing, contour enhancement processing, white balance adjustment processing, etc.) on the digital image data.

  The buffer memory 15 temporarily stores image data in the pre-process and post-process of image processing by the image processing unit 14. The recording interface 16 has a connector (not shown), and the recording medium 23 is connected to the connector. The recording interface 16 writes data to the connected recording medium 23 and reads data from the recording medium 23. The recording medium 23 includes a memory card with a built-in semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive, or the like.

  The monitor 17 is composed of a liquid crystal panel, and reproduces and displays images, operation menus, and the like in accordance with instructions from the CPU 21. The operation member 18 includes a command dial, a cross key, an enter button, and the like. The operation member 18 sends an operation signal corresponding to each operation such as a mode switching operation and a menu selection operation to the CPU 21.

  The half-push switch 19a and the full-push switch 19b each output an ON signal to the CPU 21 in conjunction with a pressing operation of a release button (not shown). The ON signal (half-press operation signal) from the switch 19a is output when the release button is pressed down to about half of the normal stroke, and the output is canceled when the half-stroke press-down operation is released. The ON signal (full pressing operation signal) from the switch 19b is output when the release button is pressed down to the normal stroke, and the output is canceled when the normal stroke pressing operation is released. The half-press operation signal instructs the CPU 21 to start shooting preparation. The full-press operation signal instructs the CPU 21 to start photographing.

  The CPU 21 comprehensively controls operations performed by the electronic camera by executing a program stored in a ROM (not shown). The CPU 21 performs not only AF (autofocus) operation control, automatic exposure (AE) calculation, and auto white balance calculation, but also calculations necessary for group photo shooting described later. The AF operation uses, for example, a contrast detection method for obtaining a focus position of a focusing lens (not shown) based on contrast information of a through image. The through image refers to a monitor image acquired by the image sensor 12 before a shooting instruction.

  The CPU 21 also functions as the face detection unit 24. The face detection unit 24 detects a face area included in the through image. In the face detection process, feature points such as eyebrow, eye, nose, and lip end points are extracted by a known feature point extraction process, and it is determined whether or not the face region is based on the extracted feature points. Note that a correlation function between a through image and reference data (face image or the like) prepared in advance may be obtained, and the face area may be determined when this function exceeds a predetermined determination threshold.

  The vertical / horizontal sensor 50 detects that the electronic camera is held in a vertical position or posture, or sends a detection signal to the CPU 21.

  The electronic camera according to the present embodiment is characterized by the operation when taking a group photo including the photographer itself, and will be described with a focus on this shooting operation. For example, when the shooting assist function is turned on by a menu selection operation in the shooting mode, the CPU 21 of the electronic camera activates the process of the shooting assist mode for all members. The all-photographing assist mode is a mode in which a person is photographed one by one and finally the photographer is changed to assist another person to photograph the original photographer.

  Further, the CPU 21 is configured not to activate the all-photographing assist mode when the photographing assist function is set to OFF by a menu selection operation. When the full-photographing assist mode is not activated, normal photographing processing described later is performed.

<All shooting assistance>
A flow of processing performed by the CPU 21 in the “all-photographing assist” mode will be described with reference to flowcharts illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. When the “all shooting assistance” function is turned on by the menu selection operation, the CPU 21 activates a program for performing the process of FIG. 2 and assists the user in taking a group photo.

  In step S <b> 101 of FIG. 2, the CPU 21 displays a setting screen on the monitor 17 in accordance with an operation signal from the operation member 18. When the CPU 21 performs the setting according to the operation signal from the operation member 18, the process proceeds to step S102. If there is no need to change the setting, step S101 may be omitted and the process may proceed to step S102.

  In step S102, the CPU 21 causes the image sensor 12 to start imaging for a through image, and proceeds to step S103. The through image is repeatedly acquired at a frame rate of 30 frames / second, for example. The CPU 21 performs face detection and autofocus adjustment using the through image, and waits for a shooting instruction (release operation) while sequentially displaying the through image on the monitor 17.

  In step S103, the CPU 21 performs face detection processing. The CPU 21 temporarily records information indicating the position of the detected face area in a work memory (not shown), and superimposes the face mark indicating the detected face area on the through image being displayed on the monitor 17, and then proceeds to step S104. . FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display screen by the monitor 17. In FIG. 4, two faces are detected inside the frame 100, and face marks (frame 101 and frame 102) indicating the detected face area are displayed in an overlapping manner. The frame frame 100 corresponds to the imaging range of the through image. The subject person is A and B.

  In step S104, the CPU 21 sets the number of detected faces to Z, temporarily stores the value of Z in a work memory (not shown), and proceeds to step S105. In step S105, the CPU 21 determines whether Z ≧ 2 is satisfied. If Z ≧ 2 is satisfied, the CPU 21 makes an affirmative determination in step S105 and proceeds to step S106. If Z ≧ 2 is not satisfied, the CPU 21 makes a negative determination in step S105 and proceeds to step S500.

  In step S106, the CPU 21 determines whether or not to perform shooting assistance for all members. The CPU 21 waits for an operation signal from the operation member 18 by causing the monitor 17 to display, for example, a message “Would you like to assist shooting for all?” Superimposed on the through image being displayed on the monitor 17. If an operation signal indicating an affirmative operation is input from the operation member 18, the CPU 21 makes an affirmative decision in step S106 and proceeds to step S107. When an operation signal indicating a negative operation is input from the operation member 18, the CPU 21 makes a negative determination in step S106 and proceeds to step S500. The process proceeds to step S500 when the user does not want to assist in shooting.

(All members take pictures)
The process proceeds to step S107 when the user desires photographing assistance. In step S107, the CPU 21 displays, for example, a message “I will shoot (Z + 1) images including those for the photographer” on the through image being displayed on the monitor 17, and proceeds to step S108.

  In step S108, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the camera is in the vertical position. When a signal indicating the vertical position is input from the vertical / horizontal sensor 50, the CPU 21 makes an affirmative determination in step S108 and proceeds to step S109. When a signal indicating the vertical position is not input from the vertical / horizontal sensor 50, the CPU 21 performs a step. A negative determination is made in S108, and the process returns to Step S107.

  In step S <b> 109, the CPU 21 displays a face mark and a frame center mark on the monitor 17 and assists in photographing a person. Specifically, a through image is displayed, and a frame (face mark) indicating the face area detected in step S103 and a cross line (vertical line 110V and horizontal line 110H) for indicating the center of the frame 100 are configured. The frame center mark to be displayed is superimposed on the through image being displayed, and the process proceeds to step S110.

  The user individually captures the Z faces detected on the display screen illustrated in FIG. 4 and the other face with a camera held in the vertical position. In this example, since Z = 2, the assist is performed to shoot three images of the person A of the face indicated by the frame 101, the person B of the face indicated by the frame 102, and the person (person C) who is the original photographer.

  In step S110, the CPU 21 performs display control that prompts the user to hold the camera including the “face” area in the center of the frame 100, and proceeds to step S111.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a display screen by the monitor 17. In FIG. 5, the through image, the frame center mark (110V, 110H), and the face mark (frame 101) are superimposed and displayed inside the frame frame 100. Among these, the face mark is displayed only when a face area is detected from the through image in the frame 100. The display color of the face mark is green when the face mark is located at substantially the center of the frame 100 (for example, the frame center 110a that is the intersection of the vertical line 110V and the horizontal line 110H is located within the face mark). When the mark is not substantially at the center of the frame 100 (the frame center 110a is located outside the face mark), the mark is red. The photographer may hold the camera so that the frame center 110a is included in the face mark.

  In step S111, the CPU 21 accepts a half-press operation of a release button (not shown), and proceeds to step S112 when a half-press operation signal is received from the half-press switch 19a. In step S112, the CPU 21 performs autofocus adjustment based on the contrast information in the face mark based on the through image data, and automatic exposure calculation based on the luminance information in the face mark.

  For example, the CPU 21 when assisting the photographing of the person of the face indicated by the face mark 101 (first image photographing) performs autofocus adjustment and automatic exposure calculation using the through image data in the face mark 101. Similarly, the CPU 21 when assisting the photographing of the person of the face indicated by the face mark 102 (second image photographing) performs autofocus adjustment and automatic exposure calculation using the through image data in the face mark 102. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display screen by the monitor 17 displayed in step S110 in this case.

  In step S113, the CPU 21 determines whether or not a release button (not shown) has been fully pressed. When the CPU 21 receives a full-press operation signal from the full-press switch 19b, the CPU 21 makes a positive determination in step S113 and proceeds to step S114. When the CPU 21 does not receive the full-press operation signal from the full-press switch 19b, the CPU 21 makes a negative determination. The process returns to step S107.

  In step S114, the CPU 21 causes the image sensor 12 to capture the Nth image, and proceeds to step S115. In step S115, the CPU 21 records the Nth image data sent to the image processing unit 14 via the AFE circuit 13 in the buffer memory 15, and proceeds to step S116. In step S116, the CPU 21 displays a confirmation image based on the Nth image data on the monitor 17, and proceeds to step S117.

  In step S117, the CPU 21 accepts a confirmation operation. The user performs an affirmative operation when viewing the confirmation image displayed on the monitor 17 and instructing OK, and performs a negative operation when viewing the confirmation image displayed on the monitor 17 and instructing reshooting. When an operation signal indicating an affirmative operation is input from the operation member 18, the CPU 21 makes an affirmative decision in step S117 and proceeds to step S118. When an operation signal indicating a negative operation is input from the operation member 18, the CPU 21 makes a negative determination in step S117, returns to step S107, and repeats the imaging assistance for the Nth image.

  In step S118, the CPU 21 determines whether N = Z is satisfied. When N = Z is established, the CPU 21 makes an affirmative decision in step S118 and proceeds to step S300 in FIG. 3, and when N = Z is not established, the CPU 21 makes a negative decision and proceeds to step S119. In step S119, the CPU 21 adds 1 to N, returns to step S107, and assists in photographing the next image. By repeating the above processing, Z image data from the first image to the Zth image are recorded in the buffer memory 15 in association with each other.

  In step S300 in FIG. 3, the CPU 21 changes, for example, “change the photographer with a person different from the Zth person (person B in this example) from the left. The shooting position until the camera is passed to the next photographer. "Please do not move" is displayed on the monitor 17. Further, the CPU 21 displays a message “Please move to the right next to the Zth person from the left” on the monitor 17 and proceeds to step S320. As a result, the photographer of the Zth image (referred to as person C) passes the electronic camera to a different person (person A in this example) from the Zth person (in this example, person B). Move to the right next to the person (person B). On the other hand, the person A holds the electronic camera at the shooting position where the person C as the next photographer took the first image to the Zth image.

  In step S320, the CPU 21 displays the face mark 103 and the frame center mark 110a on the monitor 17 and assists in photographing a person. Specifically, a through image is displayed, and a frame (face mark 103) indicating the detected face area and a cross line (vertical line 110V and horizontal line) indicating the center of the frame 100 are displayed in the same manner as in step S103. 110H), the frame center mark 110a is displayed on the through image being displayed. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a display screen by the monitor 17.

  The photographer photographs the face of the person C detected on the display screen illustrated in FIG. 7 with a camera held in the vertical position as follows. Here, at least a part of the Zth person (person B) is included in the frame. As in step S110, the CPU 21 performs display control that prompts the photographer to hold the camera including the “face” region in the center of the frame 100.

  When assisting shooting of the person of the face indicated by the face mark 103 ((Z + 1) image shooting), the CPU 21 performs autofocus adjustment and automatic exposure calculation using the through image data in the face mark 103.

  When the release button (not shown) is fully pressed, the CPU 21 causes the image sensor 12 to capture the (Z + 1) th image and proceeds to step S321. In step S321, the CPU 21 records the (Z + 1) th image data sent to the image processing unit 14 via the AFE circuit 13 in the buffer memory 15 in association with the first image data to the Zth image data, and then proceeds to step S322. move on. In step S322, the CPU 21 displays a confirmation image based on the (Z + 1) th image data on the monitor 17, and the process proceeds to step S323.

  In step S323, the CPU 21 accepts a confirmation operation. The photographer performs an affirmative operation when viewing the confirmation image displayed on the monitor 17 and instructing OK, and performs a negative operation when viewing the confirmation image displayed on the monitor 17 and instructing reshooting. When an operation signal indicating an affirmative operation is input from the operation member 18, the CPU 21 makes a positive determination in step S323 and proceeds to step S200. When an operation signal indicating a negative operation is input from the operation member 18, the CPU 21 makes a negative determination in step S323, returns to step S320, and repeats the photographing assistance for the (Z + 1) image.

  In step S200, the CPU 21 causes the monitor 17 to display a message indicating that the composition process is to be performed, and then proceeds to step S201. In step S <b> 201, the CPU 21 performs a combining process for connecting the associated first image to (Z + 1) th image. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the synthesis process. The CPU 21 stitches the first image 81, the second (Z) image 82, and the third (Z + 1) image. Since each of the images 81 to 83 has an overlapping part of the frame, the overlapping image information is connected to match each other. The frame 301 is a frame corresponding to a frame frame after trimming described later for convenience, and is not included in the actual image. The CPU 21 further performs a trimming process on the combined image and proceeds to step S202.

  In step S202, the CPU 21 sends an instruction to the recording interface 16, records the trimmed image data on the recording medium 23, and terminates the processing in FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an image after trimming. In the present embodiment, an example in which a composite image having a wider range than the frame 100 ′ corresponding to the frame 100 in FIG. 4 (that is, a shooting range during normal shooting described later) is obtained has been described. You may comprise so that the synthesized image of the same range may be obtained.

(Normal shooting)
In step S500, which proceeds after making a negative determination in step S105 or S106, the CPU 21 accepts a half-press operation of a release button (not shown), and proceeds to step S501 when a half-press operation signal is received from the half-press switch 19a.

  In step S501, the CPU 21 performs auto focus adjustment on the average based on the contrast information based on the through image data in the plurality of face marks indicating the face area, and based on the luminance information based on the through image data in the face mark. Then, an average automatic exposure calculation is performed, and the process proceeds to step S502.

  In step S502, the CPU 21 determines whether or not a release button (not shown) has been fully pressed. When the CPU 21 receives a full-press operation signal from the full-press switch 19b, the CPU 21 makes a positive determination in step S502 and proceeds to step S503. When the CPU 21 does not receive a full-press operation signal from the full-press switch 19b, the CPU 21 makes a negative determination. To return to step S500.

  In step S503, the CPU 21 causes the image sensor 12 to capture an image and proceeds to step S504. In step S <b> 504, the CPU 21 records the image data transmitted to the image processing unit 14 via the AFE circuit 13 in the buffer memory 15. Further, the CPU 21 displays a confirmation image based on the image data on the monitor 17, and sends an instruction to the recording interface 16 to record the image data on the recording medium 23 and ends the processing shown in FIG. 2.

According to the embodiment described above, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(1) After shooting each frame for shooting N subject persons A and B, setting the unphotographed person next to the main subject person at the time of previous frame shooting as the main subject for the next frame shooting, Encourage framing of the next frame shooting so that a part of the shooting range overlaps with the next frame shooting, and after (N-1) frame shooting, the shooting operation at (N-1) frame shooting is performed. The photographed person A other than the main subject person at the time of (N-1) frame shooting changes and the position opposite to the substitute person A at the (N-1) frame shooting time. The first photographer C moves next to the main subject person B, the first photographer C is set as the main subject at the N-th frame shooting, and (N-1) frame shooting and N-frame shooting are performed. CPU 21 that prompts to frame the Nth frame so that a part of the range overlaps, A CPU 21, a buffer memory 15 and a recording interface (I / F) 16 that associate and record a plurality of image data obtained by a plurality of photographings, so that the photographing process including the photographer itself can be performed without using a tripod. Can lead.

(2) Since a predetermined number of faces (two people in this example) are detected from the through image, the process proceeds to the group photo shooting assist (step S105). Can lead to processing.

(3) Since the monitor 17 is displayed on the monitor 17 so as to bring the face mark indicating the detected face to the center of the frame and perform framing (steps S110 and S320), each person's face to be included in the group photo is captured in the shooting frame. Assist you to shoot at the center of the. In addition, each imaging | photography frame mutually overlaps with another imaging | photography frame. Since the center of the frame is less susceptible to the optical aberration of the photographic lens than the end of the frame, a high-quality image can be obtained.

(4) The first image to the (Z + 1) th image for a predetermined number of people who photographed each person's face included in the group photo at the center of the photographing frame were synthesized so as to be joined together (FIG. 8). As a result, a group photo of (Z + 1) people who photographed each person's face with high quality can be composed of one image. In general, when photographing using a wide-angle lens, the images of the subject located at both ends of the frame are easily distorted. However, according to the electronic camera of this embodiment, such an influence can be suppressed.

(5) The image obtained by synthesizing the first image to the (Z + 1) th image is trimmed so that a wider range of image can be obtained than the shooting frame in the case of normal shooting, so that a wide image such as a panoramic image can be obtained. (Fig. 9)

(6) Since the change is urged before the (Z + 1) -th shooting (step S300), it is possible to reliably lead to a shooting process including the photographer himself.

(7) When the first image to the (Z + 1) th image are captured, the captured confirmation images are displayed on the monitor 17 (steps S116 and S322), and the next person is displayed when the operation member 18 is affirmed. Since the process proceeds to target shooting (steps S117 and S323), the photographer can check each person's image and lead to the next shooting process.

(8) When shooting the first image to the (Z + 1) th image, the camera is guided to hold the camera in the vertical position, so that even if the background height differs between the adjacent images, the two images It is easy to secure a synthesis allowance when connecting and combining. Furthermore, the vertical direction of the subject is also hardly affected by the optical aberration of the photographing lens, and a high-quality image can be obtained.

(9) Since the image obtained by combining the first image to the (Z + 1) th image is trimmed so that a wider range of image can be obtained than the shooting frame in the case of normal shooting, a wide image such as a panoramic image can be obtained. (Fig. 9)

(Modification 1)
Although an example in which the combining process is performed in the electronic camera has been described, the combining process may be performed by an external device such as a personal computer. In this case, the electronic camera associates the data of the first image and the second image temporarily recorded in the buffer memory 15 and records them on the recording medium 23, respectively. The external device generates a combined image data by joining a series of image data recorded on the recording medium 23 and further trimming.

(Modification 2)
When photographing the first image to the (Z + 1) th image, the photographed confirmation images are displayed on the monitor 17, and when the operation member 18 is affirmed, the process proceeds to photographing for the next person. . Instead of this, or in addition to this, the CPU 21 may automatically determine the suitability of the image by using each captured image data. For example, if the CPU 21 detects “eye blink” from the image, the CPU 21 does not proceed to shooting for the next person, and redo the image of the person determined to be “eye blink”. Further, when the CPU 21 detects “smile” from the image, the CPU 21 proceeds to shooting for the next person.

(Modification 3)
The example in which the display color of the face mark performed in steps S110 and S320 varies depending on whether or not the face mark is positioned at the approximate center of the frame 100 has been described. Instead of this, the display brightness of the face mark may be varied or the lighting / flashing may be switched depending on whether or not the face mark is positioned at substantially the center of the frame 100. Further, by emitting an electronic sound from a speaker (not shown), it may be notified by sound whether or not the face mark is positioned at the approximate center of the frame 100. Furthermore, a humanoid mark indicating the standing position of the person may be displayed over the displayed through image so that at least a part of the Zth person (person B) is included in the frame.

(Modification 4)
In the above description, when the photographer is changed, the case of moving to the right side as viewed from the photographer side has been described as an example. However, the photographer may move to the left side as viewed from the photographer side. In this case, the message "Please change the photographer to a person different from the Zth person from the right. Do not move the shooting position until the camera is passed to the next photographer" and "Zth from the right" Please move to the left next to the other person ”message on the monitor 17.

(Modification 5)
Although an example has been described in which the monitor 17 displays a message prompting the change of the photographer or prompting the camera to be held vertically, the message may be prompted by a voice guide reproduced from a speaker (not shown).

   The above description is merely an example, and is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the electronic camera by one embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the flow of the process which CPU performs at the whole person photography assist mode. It is a flowchart explaining the flow of the process which CPU performs at the whole person photography assist mode. It is a figure which illustrates the display screen by a monitor. It is a figure which illustrates the display screen by a monitor. It is a figure which illustrates the display screen by a monitor. It is a figure which illustrates the display screen by a monitor. It is a figure explaining a synthetic | combination process. It is a figure which illustrates the image after trimming.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Imaging optical system 12 ... Imaging element 15 ... Buffer memory 16 ... Recording interface 17 ... Monitor 18 ... Operation member 21 ... CPU
24 ... Face detection unit 50 ... Vertical / horizontal sensor

Claims (7)

Imaging means for capturing a subject image and outputting image data;
After shooting each frame that captures N subject persons, the unphotographed person next to the main subject person at the time of the previous frame shooting is set as the main subject for the next frame shooting, and the shooting range of the previous frame shooting and the next frame shooting is determined. Encourage the framing of the next frame shooting so that some of the frames overlap, and after the (N-1) frame shooting, the first photographer who has performed the shooting operation during the (N-1) frame shooting and the (N-1) A photographed person other than the main subject person at the time of frame shooting changes, and is located at a position opposite to the substitute person and next to the main subject person at the time of (N-1) frame shooting. The one photographer moves, the first photographer is set as a main subject at the time of N-th frame shooting, and the (N-1) frame shooting and the N-th frame shooting have a part of the shooting range overlapping. Shooting assist means for urging framing of the Nth frame shooting;
An electronic camera comprising: a recording unit that records a plurality of image data obtained by the plurality of shootings in association with each other. The electronic camera according to claim 1,
A display device for reproducing and displaying a monitor image based on the image data;
Detecting means for detecting a face area included in the monitor image;
The electronic camera is characterized in that the photographing assisting unit performs the assisting process when a plurality of the face regions are detected from the monitor image. The electronic camera according to claim 2,
The photographing assisting unit is configured to display the face in the monitor image reproduced and displayed on the display device according to whether or not the face region is positioned at the center of the photographing range at the time of framing each frame. An electronic camera comprising display control means for changing a display mode indicating an area. The electronic camera according to claim 2,
The electronic camera is characterized in that, during the framing of each frame shooting, the framing during each frame shooting is urged so that a part of the main subject person at the time of the previous frame shooting is included in the shooting range. In the electronic camera as described in any one of Claims 2-4,
Attitude detection means for detecting whether the camera is in a vertical position; and
An electronic camera, further comprising: a control unit that receives a photographing operation when the vertical position / posture is detected by the posture detection unit. The electronic camera according to any one of claims 2 to 5,
An operation member for inputting a signal for instructing the suitability of the image after photographing each frame;
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the assist means starts assist for next frame shooting when an appropriate signal is input from the operation member. In the electronic camera as described in any one of Claims 1-6,
An electronic camera, further comprising image composition means for synthesizing one person group photo from the first image to the Nth image in which a part of the photographing range overlaps.

Images