JP2011047985A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To maintain a focused state at a ranging point in such a manner that the ranging point in the focused state, selected by a user, is not changed against the intention of the user, even when the position of an imaging apparatus is changed. <P>SOLUTION: When a focused state is maintained even after a change in a camera position at a ranging point selected by a user about the camera position before the position is changed, an AF process is not performed for the ranging point selected by the user about the camera position after the position is changed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus capable of selecting a focus detection area (ranging point).

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera is known in which a user can select one or more ranging points from a plurality of prescribed focus detection areas (ranging points). In this type of imaging device, for example, the position of the ranging point changes even if the orientation of the imaging device is changed by selecting the ranging point while holding the camera in a horizontal position and then holding it vertically. It was never done. However, in this case, since the position of the distance measuring point on the composition changes, the focus control is performed at the distance measuring point not intended by the user.

  As a technique for dealing with this problem, a technique for changing the arrangement pattern of a plurality of prescribed distance measuring points in accordance with the attitude of the imaging apparatus has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-233170 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, the arrangement pattern of distance measuring points is changed without considering the in-focus state. For this reason, in Patent Document 1, although the focus point selected by the user before changing the posture of the imaging apparatus is in focus, the focus point may be changed when the posture is changed. there were. In other words, in Patent Document 1, when the posture of the imaging apparatus is changed, there is a case where the focused distance measuring point is changed against the intention of the user.

  The present invention has been made under such a technical background. The purpose of the present invention is to determine the focus point in the in-focus state selected by the user even if the attitude of the imaging apparatus is changed. On the other hand, the in-focus state at the distance measuring point can be maintained without being changed.

  To achieve the above object, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes an attitude detection unit that detects an attitude of the imaging apparatus, and a registration unit that registers a distance measuring point for each attitude of the imaging apparatus that can be detected by the attitude detection unit. And a control unit that performs focus control on a distance measuring point that is registered by the registration unit and is detected by the posture detection unit, and the control unit performs the focus control. Even when the attitude of the imaging device changes, if the in-focus state is maintained at the distance measurement point related to the focus control, the distance measurement point related to the changed attitude registered by the registration means On the other hand, the focus control is not executed.

  According to the present invention, even if the orientation of the imaging apparatus is changed, the focus point at the focus point selected by the user is not changed against the user's will. Can be held.

FIG. 1A is a rear view of an imaging apparatus (digital camera) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a diagram showing distance measuring point marks displayed on the optical viewfinder of the digital camera. It is a functional block diagram which shows the function of the said digital camera. It is a circuit diagram which shows the attitude | position sensor of the said digital camera. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the data structure of registration ranging point information. It is a flowchart which shows the ranging point registration process in the said digital camera. It is a flowchart which shows the imaging | photography process in the said digital camera.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A is a rear view of the imaging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and the imaging apparatus is configured as a digital camera 100. In the digital camera 100, a user can select and register a desired distance measuring point from a prescribed focusing area (ranging point). As operation members for selecting and registering the distance measurement points, a distance measurement point selection start button 101 and a distance measurement point selection dial 102 are provided on the back of the digital camera 100, and a distance measurement point registration button 103 is provided on the upper surface. Is deployed.

  A release button 104 is provided on the top surface of the digital camera 100, an optical viewfinder 105 for displaying a real image of the subject on the back surface, and an LCD display unit 106 for displaying an image of the subject photoelectrically converted by an image sensor (not shown). Has been deployed.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, distance measuring points are set at three predetermined positions on the center line of the field frame of the optical viewfinder 105, and the distance measuring points related to the distance measuring points selected by the user. The marks M1, M2, and M3 are lit and displayed by superimposing. In the present embodiment, the distance measuring point marks M1, M2, and M3 are lit on the optical viewfinder 105, but can be displayed together with the image of the subject on the LCD display unit 106.

  In the present embodiment, even if the attitude of the digital camera 100 is changed, the relative positional relationship of the distance measuring point marks M1, M2, and M3 shown in FIG. Absent. For example, when the camera posture is changed from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture, the field frame and the distance measuring point marks M1 to M3 only change from the state of FIG. 1 (b) to a state rotated 90 degrees. The positional relationship of the distance measuring point marks M1 to M3 with respect to the field frame does not change.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing functions of the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 includes an attitude detection unit 201, a storage unit 202, a reading unit 203, a focus determination unit 204, a control unit 205, a display control unit 206, and an operation unit 207, which are connected by an internal bus 208. ing.

  The posture detection unit 201 includes the posture sensor illustrated in FIG. 3 and detects the posture of the digital camera 100 such as a horizontal position (horizontal posture) and a vertical position (vertical posture). The storage unit 202 stores the distance measuring point selected by the user in a rewritable storage medium such as a flash memory in association with the camera posture detected by the posture detection unit 201. The reading unit 203 reads a distance measuring point corresponding to the camera posture detected by the posture detecting unit 201 from the storage unit 202.

  The in-focus determination unit 204 determines whether or not the in-focus state is held at a distance measuring point corresponding to the camera posture detected by the posture detection unit 201. The focus determination unit 204 has a distance measuring function and a focus control function in addition to the above determination function. The control unit 205 appropriately controls the posture detection unit 201, the storage unit 202, the reading unit 203, the focus determination unit 204, and the display control unit 206 via the internal bus 208 according to the operation signal from the operation unit 207. . The display control unit 206 performs display control for displaying an image of the subject on the LCD display unit 106 and performs display control for displaying the distance measuring point marks M1 to M3 on the optical viewfinder 105 in a superimposed manner.

  The operation unit 107 is turned on / off by various switch buttons such as the distance measurement point selection start button 101, the distance measurement point selection dial 102, the distance measurement point registration button 103, the release button 104, and the operation of these switch buttons. Has a switch.

  The release switch connected to the release button 104 is a first switch that is turned on when the first stroke of the release button 104 is pressed, and a second switch that is turned on when the second stroke deeper than the first stroke is pressed. (Not shown). When the first switch is turned on, the AF function such as the distance measurement function, the focus control function, and the focus determination function described above by the focus determination unit 204 is executed, and the AE function and the like are also executed. In addition, when the second switch is turned on, a shutter (not shown) is driven to shoot a subject.

  FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the attitude sensor included in the attitude detection unit 201. The posture sensor of the posture detection unit 201 has two photosensors HV1 and HV2, and these photosensors HV1 and HV2, strictly speaking, gap portions G1 and G2, which will be described later, are relatively arranged at an angle of approximately 90 °. ing. The photosensors HV1 and HV2 are configured as photointerrupters, and include light emitting diodes L1 and L2, phototransistors PT1 and PT2t, and light shielding balls B1 and B2, respectively.

  The light shielding balls B1 and B2 can reciprocate in the gap portion G1 between the light emitting diode L1 and the phototransistor PT1 and the gap portion G2 between the light emitting diode L2 and the phototransistor PT2 according to the attitude of the digital camera 100. Yes. The phototransistors PT1 and PT2 output currents HVSW1 and HVSW2 corresponding to the positions of the light-shielding balls B1 and B2 that move according to the attitude of the digital camera 100, that is, according to the amount of light shielded from the light-emitting diodes L1 and L2, respectively. Output as.

  The posture detection unit 201 detects whether the digital camera 100 is in a horizontal posture (horizontal position) or a vertical posture (warp yarn) based on these output signals HVSW1 and HVSW2. Here, in the state of FIG. 1A, that is, when the long side of the casing of the digital camera 100 is in a direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity, it is defined as a horizontal position (lateral position), and the direction of gravity Is defined as a vertical posture (vertical position).

  In the present embodiment, the posture detection unit 201 detects two types of postures of “horizontal position” and “vertical position”, but may detect three or more postures. Further, as a posture detection method, for example, a method using a physical sensor such as a sensor combining a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor other than a photo sensor, a magnetic sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a detection method based on image information is used. it can.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a data structure of distance measuring point information stored in the storage unit 202. The storage unit 202 has a rewritable storage medium such as a flash memory, and an area for storing the registered distance measuring point information 401 is formed on the storage medium. As the area for storing the registered distance measuring point information 401, an area for storing the number of distance measuring points corresponding to the number of camera attitudes that can be detected by the attitude detecting unit 201 is formed.

  In the present embodiment, since the posture detection unit 201 can detect two types of postures of the digital camera 100, the vertical position and the horizontal position, the registered distance measuring point information 401 includes the vertical position registered distance measuring point 402 and the horizontal position registered. Two distance measuring points of the distance measuring point 403 can be stored. In other words, in the present embodiment, one distance measuring point can be selected and registered for each of the vertical posture and the horizontal posture of the camera.

  Next, ranging point registration processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the user depresses the ranging point selection start button 101 (S501). In response to the pressing operation of the distance measuring point selection start button 101, the control unit 205 causes the display control unit 206 to turn on and display the distance measuring point marks M1 to M3 at the current distance measuring point position on the optical viewfinder 105.

  Next, when the user rotates the distance measuring point selection dial 102 (S502), the control unit 205 switches the distance measuring point position according to the amount of rotation, and the display control unit 206 switches the distance measuring point at the switching position. The marks M1 to M3 are lit and displayed on the optical viewfinder 105.

  In this case, when the distance measuring point selection dial 102 is rotated clockwise, the distance measuring point marks M1 to M3 are cyclically turned on one by one like M1, M2, M3, M1, and so on. . When the distance measuring point selection dial 102 is rotated counterclockwise, the distance measuring point marks M1 to M3 are turned on one by one cyclically as M1 → M3 → M2 → M1 →. These lit ranging point marks M1 to M3 indicate that the positions of the lit ranging point marks M1 to M3 are selected as ranging points.

  Next, for example, the user presses the distance measuring point registration button 103 in a state where the distance measuring point marks M1 to M3 at desired positions are lit and displayed (S503). When the ranging point registration button 103 is pressed, the control unit 205 acquires the current posture information of the digital camera 100 from the posture detection unit 201, and whether or not the current posture information is “vertical position”. Is discriminated (S504).

  If the current posture information of the digital camera 100 is “vertical position”, the control unit 205 causes the storage unit 202 to register the distance measuring point selected in S502 as the vertical position registered distance measuring point 402 (S505). . On the other hand, if the current posture information of the digital camera 100 is “horizontal position” instead of “vertical position”, the control unit 205 registers the distance measurement point selected in S502 by the storage unit 202 in the horizontal position. It is registered as a distance measuring point 403 (S506).

  It should be noted that the user is undecided whether to shoot in the vertical or horizontal camera posture, and changes the camera posture after registering the distance measurement point, and the camera focuses on the desired distance measurement point in any camera posture. If it is desired to take a picture, a distance measuring point is registered for each camera posture.

  Next, photographing processing of the digital camera 100 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. The controller 205 waits for the first switch to be turned on by pressing the first stroke of the release button 104 (S601). When the first switch is turned on, the control unit 205 acquires the current posture information of the digital camera 100 from the posture detection unit 201, and whether or not the current posture information is “vertical position”. Is discriminated (S602).

  As a result, if the current posture information is “vertical position”, the control unit 205 reads out the vertical position registered distance measuring point 402 from the storage unit 202 and the distance measuring point mark corresponding to the vertical position registered distance measuring point 402. Lighting of M1 to M3, ranging, and focusing control are performed (S603). If the current posture information is “horizontal position”, the control unit 205 reads the horizontal position registered distance measuring point 403 from the storage unit 202, and the distance measuring point marks M1 to M3 corresponding to the lateral position registered distance measuring point 403. Lighting, ranging, and focusing control are performed (S604).

  After performing the AF process of S603 or S604, the control unit 205 determines whether or not the second switch is turned on by pressing the second stroke of the release button 104 (S605). When the second switch is turned on, the control unit 205 performs shooting by driving the shutter (S608). On the other hand, if the second switch is not turned on, the control unit 205 determines whether or not the posture of the digital camera 100 has changed after the camera posture determination processing in S602 (S606). As a result, if the posture of the digital camera 100 has not changed, the control unit 205 returns to S605 and determines whether or not the second switch is turned on.

  On the other hand, when the posture of the digital camera 100 has changed, the control unit 205 still focuses after the posture change at the distance measuring point before the posture change, that is, the distance measuring point related to the focus control performed in S603. It is determined whether or not the state is maintained (S607). As a result, when the in-focus state is maintained after the posture change, the control unit 205 returns to S605 and determines whether or not the second switch is turned on.

  On the other hand, if the in-focus state is not maintained after the posture change at the distance measuring point before the posture change, the control unit 205 returns to S602, and the current posture information of the digital camera 100, that is, the posture after the posture change. It is determined whether or not the information is “vertical position”.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when the focused state is maintained after the posture change at the distance measurement point selected by the user with respect to the camera posture before the posture change, the camera posture after the posture change is performed. The AF process is not executed for the distance measuring point selected by the user.

  Therefore, even if the posture of the digital camera (imaging device) is changed, the focus point at the focus point selected by the user is not changed against the user's will. Can be held. When the user keeps the in-focus state and changes his / her posture, it is considered that the user is operating with the intention of “just changing the composition after ranging”. Therefore, in the above-described embodiment, control is performed so that an operation in accordance with the intention is performed.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the present invention relates to an imaging apparatus capable of selecting and registering a plurality of distance measuring points for one posture. It is also possible to apply technical ideas.

  In this case, for example, when there are both ranging points that are in focus even after the posture change and ranging points that are no longer in focus after the posture change, the posture corresponding to the ranging point that is no longer in focus. It can be considered that AF processing is performed again only on the distance measuring points related to the selection / registration after the change. Alternatively, if there is even one focusing point that remains in focus after the posture change, it may be considered that AF processing after the posture change is not performed at all.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Digital camera 102 ... Distance measuring point selection dial 103 ... Distance measuring point registration button 105 ... Optical finder 201 ... Attitude detection part 202 ... Memory | storage part 204 ... Focus determination part 205 ... Control part 206 ... Display part 402 ... Vertical position registration Distance measuring point 403: Horizontal position registered distance measuring points M1, M2, M3: Distance measuring point mark

Claims (3)

Attitude detection means for detecting the attitude of the imaging device;
Registration means for registering a distance measuring point for each posture of the imaging apparatus that can be detected by the posture detection means;
Control means for performing focusing control on a distance measuring point registered by the registration means and detected by the posture detection means;
The control means is registered by the registration means when the focus state is maintained at the distance measuring point related to the focus control even when the posture of the imaging apparatus is changed after the focus control is performed. An imaging apparatus, wherein focus control is not performed on a distance measuring point related to the changed posture.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attitude detection unit detects two attitudes of a vertical attitude and a horizontal attitude as attitudes of the imaging apparatus.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the registration unit registers a distance measuring point one by one for each attitude of the imaging apparatus that can be detected by the attitude detection unit.