JP2011082827A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a user-friendly electronic camera which stores setup information of a plurality of functions to be set. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic camera 10 includes: a plurality of individual storage areas 31A storing each of the first setup information 310A of the first setup function group and second setup information 311A of the second setup function group among a plurality of setup functions; a selection section 22 selecting any one of the individual storage areas; and a setup control section 21 for the first setup control to control the first setup information 310A stored in the selected individual storage area to be a setup 40 of setup functions of the first setup function group in the camera 10. In performing the first setup control, the setup control section 21also performs second setup control to control the second setup information 311A stored in the selected individual storage areas to be a setup 50 of setup functions of the second setup function group in the electronic camera 10, and the electronic camera 10 further includes a switching section 23 for switching the second setup control. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic camera capable of storing setting information of a plurality of setting items.

  Conventionally, there is an electronic camera having a function capable of storing setting information of a plurality of setting items related to operation or processing (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, it is possible to store a plurality of setting item groups of setting items such as specific shooting conditions, for example, ISO sensitivity setting, white balance, and image quality mode. Then, it is possible to call a setting item group of appropriate setting items according to the shooting state.

JP 2009-33398 A

  However, since the setting items of the conventional camera are limited, some users may want to set other items. In some cases, it is desired to call only a part of the items that can be set.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a user-friendly electronic camera that can store setting information of a plurality of setting items.

  The present invention solves the above problems by the following means. In addition, in order to make an understanding easy, although the code | symbol corresponding to embodiment of this invention is attached | subjected and demonstrated, it is not limited to this.

The invention according to claim 1 is the first setting information (310A, 310B, 310C, 310D) relating to the setting items of the first setting item group among the plurality of setting items in the electronic camera (10), and the plurality of the setting items. Among the setting items, a plurality of individual storages each capable of storing second setting information (311A, 311B, 311C, 311D) related to the setting items of the second setting item group different from the first setting item group A selection unit (22) capable of selecting an area (31A, 31B, 31C, 31D) and any one of the plurality of individual storage areas (31A, 31B, 31C, 31D) (for example, 31A) And the first setting information (310A) stored in the selected individual storage area (for example, 31A) is used as the setting item of the first setting item group in the electronic camera (10). A setting control unit (21) that performs first setting control to be set (40), and the setting control unit (21) performs the first setting control when the selected individual storage unit is selected. Second setting control is also possible in which the second setting information (311A) stored in (for example, 31A) is set as a setting item (50) of the second setting item group in the electronic camera (10). The electronic camera (10) further includes a switching unit (23) capable of switching whether or not to perform the second setting control.
Invention of Claim 2 is an electronic camera (10) of Claim 1, Comprising: The setting item contained in the said 1st setting item group is a setting item regarding the parameter at the time of image processing, An electronic camera (10) characterized by
The invention described in claim 3 is the electronic camera (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the setting item included in the second setting item group is a setting item related to exposure. The electronic camera (10).
The invention described in claim 4 is the electronic camera (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the setting item included in the second setting item group is a setting item related to focus. The electronic camera (10).
The invention according to claim 5 is the electronic camera (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the common second setting information (321) relating to the setting items of the second setting item group. Is further stored in the common storage area (32) different from the plurality of individual storage areas (31A, 31B, 31C, 31D), and the setting control unit (21) includes the plurality of individual storage areas (31A , 31B, 31C, 31D), when the individual storage area (for example, 31A) is selected and the second setting control is not performed, the common second setting information (321) is changed to the second setting information (321). This is an electronic camera (10) characterized in that the setting item setting (50) of the setting item group is set.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is the electronic camera (10) according to the fifth aspect, wherein the setting control unit (21) is configured so that any one of the plurality of individual storage areas (31A, 31B, 31C, 31D) When the one individual storage area (for example, 31A) is selected and the second setting control is performed, the second setting information (311A) of the selected individual storage area (for example, 31A) is set to the common second setting. The electronic camera (10) is characterized in that it is replaced with information (321), and the common second setting information (321) is set as a setting item setting (50) of the second setting item group.
The invention described in claim 7 is the electronic camera (10) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the setting control unit (21) is changed from a state where the second setting control is performed to a state where the second setting control is not performed. When switching, setting (50) of the setting item of the second setting item group is the second setting information (311) and the common second setting information (321),
An electronic camera (10) characterized by
Note that the configuration described with reference numerals may be modified as appropriate, and at least a part of the configuration may be replaced with another component.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in the electronic camera which can memorize | store the setting information of a several setting item, a user-friendly electronic camera can be provided.

It is the external view which looked at the electronic camera to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied from the back. It is a block block diagram of an electronic camera. It is a conceptual diagram of the imaging | photography menu screen in a display part. It is a conceptual diagram of the imaging | photography menu switching setting screen in a display part. It is a conceptual diagram of the extended imaging | photography menu setting screen in a display part. It is a block diagram explaining a setting memory | storage part. It is an action explanatory view in the state where an extension item is not applied. It is action explanatory drawing in the state where the imaging | photography menu was switched. It is an action explanatory view in the state where an extension item was applied. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing at the time of switching the extension item in 2nd Embodiment from OFF to ON. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing at the time of switching the extension item in 2nd Embodiment from ON.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings and the like.
FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic camera 10 to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied as viewed from the back. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electronic camera 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electronic camera 10 includes an imaging unit 11, an operation unit 12, a display unit 13, an image processing unit 14, and an image recording unit 15. The electronic camera 10 includes a control unit 20 that performs overall control of the electronic camera 10 and a setting storage unit 30.

  The imaging unit 11 includes an imaging optical system and an imaging element such as a lens and a diaphragm (not shown). The imaging unit 11 converts the subject image formed on the imaging element by the lens into an electrical signal (imaging data), and outputs it to the image processing unit. The imaging optical system in the imaging unit 11 is configured separately from the camera body and is detachable from the camera body.

  The operation unit 12 includes a power button and a shutter button (not shown), a cross key 12A, a menu button 12B, an OK button 12C, and a plurality of other operation buttons. The operation unit 12 is operated by the user and outputs the operation information to the control unit 20. Further, an operation screen displayed on the rear panel 13A of the display unit 13 to be described later can be set by operating by operating the cross key 12A or the like. A plurality of operation screens are prepared corresponding to a plurality of functions by a program recorded by the control unit 20 described later, and the operation screen is switched from the menu screen for operation. As a result, many functions can be set by a limited number of operation buttons.

  The display unit 13 includes a back panel 13 </ b> A provided on the back surface of the electronic camera 10 and a top panel 13 </ b> B provided on the top surface of the electronic camera 10. The display unit 13 is controlled by a control unit 20 described later, and displays setting information related to photographing input by the user via the operation unit 12, such as shutter speed, aperture, and exposure correction information, on the top panel 13B. Further, the rear panel 13A displays a setting screen for setting the captured image and the function of the operation unit 12.

The image processing unit 14 performs various digital signal processing on the imaging data input from the imaging unit 11 to generate image information.
The image recording unit 15 includes a recording medium 15A such as a removable memory. The image recording unit 15 records the captured image processed by the image processing unit 14 on the recording medium 15A.

  The control unit 20 is configured by a microcomputer or the like. Then, the control unit 20 integrates each unit of the electronic camera 10 based on operation information such as pressing of a shutter button input from the operation unit 12 and setting information stored and held in a setting storage unit described later. Control. The control unit 20 also controls the display unit 13 to display a captured image, various information, a setting menu used for various settings, and the like on the back panel 13A. The control unit 20 records a program for executing each of these processes in advance. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the control unit 20 includes a setting control unit 21, a menu selection unit 22, and an extension switching unit 23.

  The setting storage unit 30 is configured by a non-volatile memory, and stores and holds various settings and information related to shooting. In the present embodiment, the setting storage unit 30 includes an individual storage area 31 that stores setting information of each setting item in the plurality of shooting menus A, B, C, and D input via the setting menu screen of the display unit 13. A common storage area 32 for storing common exposure information is provided.

  In the electronic camera 10 having the above-described configuration, the imaging unit 11 converts the subject image formed on the imaging element into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal to the image processing unit 14 via the control unit 20. Image data is formed and recorded in the image recording unit 15. As described above, the display unit 13 displays various setting information, shooting information, a shot image, a setting operation screen, and the like.

Next, each control function of the setting control unit 21, the menu selection unit 22, and the extension switching unit 23 in the control unit 20 in the first embodiment will be described.
The setting storage unit 30 is configured to hold individual setting information for a plurality of shooting menus A, B, C, and D and common extension item setting information described later in independent areas. At the time of shooting, the setting control unit 21 performs shooting using these pieces of information stored in the setting storage unit 30 as settings of the electronic camera 10.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of the shooting menu screen X on the display unit 13. A plurality of shooting menus A, B, C, and D held by the setting storage unit 30 store settings of various items related to shooting shown in FIG. 3, and the shooting menus A, B, C, and D are stored at the time of shooting. Any setting of D is applied (an example in which the shooting menu A is applied is shown in FIG. 3). The selection of the shooting menu is performed by the menu selection unit 22 based on the operation of the operation unit 12. The initial setting at the time of shipment from the factory is the shooting menu A, and the shooting menu A is applied when the electronic camera 10 is used without selecting (switching) the shooting menu.
In the initial setting, each item in the shooting menus A, B, C, and D is set to the same standard value in advance.

Selection (switching) of the shooting menus A, B, C, and D is performed by operating the operation unit 12 to display an operation screen as shown in FIG.
That is, the menu button 12 </ b> B of the operation unit 12 is pressed to display the shooting menu screen X shown in FIG. 3 on the rear panel 13 </ b> A of the display unit 13. In the shooting menu screen X, as shown in FIG. 3, in addition to “switching shooting menu”, “resetting shooting menu”, “setting of extended shooting menu”, standard items set in the shooting menu are scroll menus. Displayed in the format.

  FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of the shooting menu switching setting screen Y on the display unit 13. When the cross key 12A or the like of the operation unit 12 is operated to select and decide “switch shooting menu” on the shooting menu screen X in FIG. 3, a shooting menu switching setting screen Y is displayed. On the shooting menu switching setting screen Y, a list of shooting menus (that is, A, B, C, D) is displayed, and the shooting menu A selected at that time is brightly displayed. An arbitrary shooting menu display is selected (bright display) by operating the cross key 12A or the like. Thereafter, by pressing the OK button 12C or operating another operation button, the shooting menu switching operation is completed, and a shooting standby state in which a new shooting menu is applied is entered.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of the extended shooting menu setting screen Z on the display unit 13. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the setting storage unit 30. As shown in FIG. 6, each of the shooting menus A, B, C, D includes standard item setting information 310A, 310B, 310C, 310D (hereinafter collectively referred to as 310) and extended item setting information 311A, 311B, 311C, 311D (hereinafter collectively referred to as 311)) is stored.
The standard item setting information 310 is a setting item mainly related to image processing in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the standard item setting information 310 includes image quality mode, white balance, color space, sensitivity setting, and the like in this embodiment. There are 15 items.
The extended item setting information 311 is located in the lower level of the extended shooting menu which is one item of the standard item setting information 310 shown in FIG. The extension item setting information 311 is exposure information in the present embodiment, and includes an exposure mode, a shutter speed, an aperture value, and the like. These items are the same as the common extended item setting information 321 described later, and the exposure mode is a combination mode of the shutter speed and the aperture value with respect to the EV value, and is a shutter speed priority automatic shooting mode and aperture priority automatic shooting. Mode, program mode, and manual mode for manually setting the shutter speed and aperture value.

  The extension item setting information 311 can be turned ON / OFF, and is OFF in the initial setting. That is, in the initial setting, only the standard item setting information 310 in the selected shooting menu is applied, and the extended item setting information 311 is not applied.

  The extension item setting information 311 is turned on / off in the same manner as the “shooting menu switching” operation described above, after the shooting menu screen X shown in FIG. Select “Menu Settings”. Thereby, the extended shooting menu switching screen Z shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. On the extended shooting menu switching screen Z, one of the “Yes / No” indications selected at that time is brightly displayed. An arbitrary display of “Yes / No” is selected by operating the operation unit 12. Thereafter, by pressing the OK button 12C, the extension switching unit 23 of the control unit 20 sets ON / OFF of the extension shooting menu.

  The common extended item setting information 321 held by the setting storage unit 30 is the exposure mode, shutter speed, aperture value, and the like, similar to the extended item setting information 311 described above.

  Next, operations of the menu selection unit 22 and the extension switching unit 23 will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, the display of the common extended item setting information 321 and the extended item setting information 311 in FIGS. 7 to 9 indicates the exposure mode, the shutter speed, and the aperture value in order. As for the exposure mode, “S” is the shutter speed priority auto mode, “A” is the aperture priority auto mode, “P” is the program auto mode, and “M” is the manual mode. Further, “*” indicates that it is indefinite because it is automatically set by the electronic camera.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an operation in a state where the extended item setting information 311 is not applied in the shooting menu A (the extended switching unit 23 is OFF). FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory diagram in a state where the shooting menu A is switched to the shooting menu B. FIG. FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory diagram in a state where the extended item setting information 311 in the shooting menu is applied (the extended switching unit 23 is ON).

  As shown in FIG. 7, when the extension switching unit is OFF (hereinafter, referred to as a standard mode), the setting control unit 21 sets the standard item setting value 40 of the electronic camera 10. The value is stored in the standard item setting information 310 (310A corresponding to the set shooting menu A) of the shooting menu (shooting menu A is set in FIG. 7), and the extension item setting value 50 is set to the common extension. The value stored in the item setting information 321 is set.

  The contents (standard item setting value 40 and extended item setting value 50) that have been changed by operating the operation unit 12 during shooting are the standard item setting information 310 in the selected shooting menu (shooting menu A in FIG. 7). Reflected (update setting) in the setting of (310A). That is, the most recent setting content (standard item setting value 40, extended item setting value 50) is the setting content of each item in the shooting menu. Therefore, when the use of the electronic camera 10 is finished and resumed, the electronic camera 10 starts up with the setting at the end of use.

  In a state in which the extension switching unit is OFF (hereinafter referred to as the standard mode), the exposure setting is applied with the setting of the common extension item setting information 321 (A · * · F4 in FIG. 7) and the extension item setting information. Since the setting of 311 (M · 1/125 · F2.8) is not applied, the shooting menu is not changed. That is, when the shooting menu A is switched to the shooting menu B during use, for example, the standard item setting 40 is switched from the standard item setting information 310A to the standard item setting information 310B as shown in FIG. The setting (A * F4) of the common extension item setting information 321 is continuously applied as it is.

  On the other hand, when the extension item setting information 311 is applied by the extension switching unit 23 (hereinafter referred to as an extension mode), the standard item setting value 40 and the extension item setting value 50 of the electronic camera 10 are as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the information set in the standard item setting information 310A of the set shooting menu A and the exposure setting (M · 1/250 · F2.8) set in the extended item setting information 311A of the shooting menu A ) And the setting based on. The setting (A • * • F4) of the common extended item setting information 321 is not applied.

For this reason, in the extended mode, for example, when the shooting menu A is switched to the shooting menu B during shooting, both the standard item setting information 310 and the extended item setting information 311 are switched to the setting of the shooting menu B. That is, the exposure setting (X · 1/250 · F5.6) of the extended item setting information 311 in the shooting menu B is newly applied, and the exposure setting changes.
Also in this extended mode, the contents set by operating the operation unit 12 at the time of shooting are reflected (updated) on each item in the selected shooting menu including the exposure setting.

  In the above configuration, an arbitrary shooting menu can be selected from a plurality of shooting menus A, B, C, and D that have been set in advance for predetermined items, and the shooting menu is set to the shooting menu. The information is configured in two stages: standard item setting information 310 and extended item setting information 311. Exposure information is set in the extended item setting information 311. By setting the exposure setting according to the shooting situation assumed by the shooting menu, the exposure setting can be switched simultaneously with the switching of the shooting menu. As a result, rapid shooting can be performed without requiring an exposure setting changing operation. The application of the extension item setting information 311 can be turned on / off, and can be turned off when it is not necessary to switch the exposure setting.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the operation of the menu selection unit 22 and the extension switching unit 23 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11.
FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory diagram when switching from the state where the extended item setting information 311A of the shooting menu A in the second embodiment is not applied (the extension switching unit 23 is OFF) to the state where it is applied (ON). FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory diagram when switching from a state in which the extended item setting information 311A of the shooting menu A in the second embodiment is applied (the expansion switching unit 23 is ON) to a state in which it is not applied (OFF).
The basic configuration of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and only the handling of the exposure setting at the time of switching the shooting menu is different. For this reason, in the figure, elements having the same functions as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In the second embodiment, when the standard mode and the extended mode are switched during use, the exposure setting (common extended item setting information 321) that has been applied is continued.
That is, in the standard mode in which the extension item setting information 311 is not applied, for example, the exposure setting (M · 1/250 · F2.8) of the extension item setting information 311 of the shooting menu A is not applied and the common extension is applied. The setting (A ** F4) of the item setting information 321 is applied. From this state, when the extension switching unit 23 switches to the extension mode (OFF → ON), as shown in FIG. 10, the exposure setting (A · * · F4) is updated in the expanded item setting information 311 of the shooting menu A and applied as it is. That is, the exposure setting (A * F4) is continued even when the standard mode is switched to the extended mode.

Conversely, when the extended mode is switched to the standard mode, as shown in FIG. 11, the exposure setting (M · 1/250 · F2.8) of the extended item setting information 311 in the shooting menu A that has been applied so far is shown. ) Is updated in the common extended item setting information 321 and continued.
When the shooting menu is switched in the extended mode to which the extended item setting information 311 is applied, the setting of the extended item setting information 311 in the changed shooting menu is not updated. Applies. For example, when the shooting menu A is switched to the shooting menu D in FIG. 10, the setting of the extension item setting information 311 in the shooting menu D is set (S · 1/1000 · *).

In the configuration of the second embodiment, when the extension item setting information 311 is switched during use, the information applied at the time of switching is continuously applied to the exposure setting as it is.
Thereby, even when the shooting menu is switched according to the shooting situation, the exposure setting at that time can be continued. Therefore, when the shooting menu is switched, the exposure setting does not correspond to the current state and the setting change is not required, and the appropriate exposure using the appropriate shooting menu enables quick shooting without missing a photo opportunity. .

As described above, this embodiment has the following effects.
(1) The electronic camera 10 includes two areas of standard item setting information 310 and extended item setting information 311 in a shooting menu that can be arbitrarily selected from a plurality of settings, and application of the extended item setting information 311 Can be turned ON / OFF. Thereby, along with the switching of the shooting menu, more detailed settings according to the shooting situation assumed by the shooting menu can be switched at the same time, and can be turned off when unnecessary. In other words, the setting corresponding to the shooting situation can be made in more detail by switching the shooting menu, and quick shooting is possible.

(2) The electronic camera 10 can set the exposure information as the extended item setting information 311 so that the exposure setting can be switched at the same time as the shooting menu is switched. As a result, when the shooting menu is switched in accordance with a change in the shooting situation, it is possible to perform quick shooting without requiring an exposure setting changing operation.

(3) In the electronic camera 10 according to the second embodiment, when the standard mode and the extended mode are switched during use, the exposure setting applied until then is continued. Thereby, even when the shooting menu is switched according to the shooting situation, the exposure setting at that time can be continued. Therefore, when the shooting menu is switched, the exposure setting does not correspond to the current state and the setting change is not required, and the appropriate exposure using the appropriate shooting menu enables quick shooting without missing a photo opportunity. .

(Deformation)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and changes as described below are possible, and these are also within the scope of the present invention.
(1) In this embodiment, setting items mainly related to image processing are set in the standard item setting information 310 in the shooting menu, and exposure information is set in the extended item setting information 311. However, the items set in the standard item setting information 310 and the extended item setting information 311 are not limited to this, and can be set as appropriate.

(2) In the present embodiment, only the exposure information is set in the extended item setting information 311. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be information relating to the focus such as a focus point or a focus mode in the case of autofocus. Furthermore, for example, the exposure correction (program shift), flash mode, photometry mode, etc. may be set.

(3) In the present embodiment, the items of the extended item setting information 311 have been set in advance. However, the items may be arbitrarily set (custom set) by the user.
In addition, although embodiment and a deformation | transformation form can also be used in combination suitably, detailed description is abbreviate | omitted. Further, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.

  10: electronic camera, 11: imaging unit, 12: operation unit, 13: display unit, 20: control unit, 21: setting control unit, 22: menu selection unit, 23: extension switching unit, 30: setting storage unit, 31 (31A, 31B, 31C, 31D): shooting menu, 310: standard item setting information, 311: extended item setting information, 32: common extended item setting information

Claims (7)

Of the plurality of setting items in the electronic camera, the first setting information related to the setting item of the first setting item group, and the second setting item different from the first setting item group among the plurality of setting items. A plurality of individual storage areas each capable of storing second setting information regarding group setting items;
A selection unit capable of selecting any one of the plurality of individual storage areas;
A setting control unit that performs first setting control in which the first setting information stored in the selected individual storage area is set as a setting item of the first setting item group in the electronic camera,
When the setting control unit performs the first setting control, the setting control unit sets the second setting information stored in the selected individual storage unit to the setting item of the second setting item group in the electronic camera. Second setting control is also possible,
A switching unit capable of switching whether to perform the second setting control;
An electronic camera comprising: The electronic camera according to claim 1,
The setting items included in the first setting item group are setting items relating to parameters at the time of image processing;
An electronic camera characterized by The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein
The setting item included in the second setting item group is a setting item related to exposure,
An electronic camera characterized by The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein
The setting item included in the second setting item group is a setting item related to focus;
An electronic camera characterized by The electronic camera according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A common storage area different from the plurality of individual storage areas in which common second setting information related to the setting items of the second setting item group is stored;
The setting control unit
When any one individual storage area is selected from the plurality of individual storage areas and the second setting control is not performed,
The common second setting information is set as a setting item of the second setting item group. The electronic camera according to claim 5,
The setting control unit
When any one individual storage area is selected from the plurality of individual storage areas and the second setting control is performed,
Replacing the second setting information of the selected individual storage area with the common second setting information, and setting the common second setting information as a setting item of the second setting item group;
An electronic camera characterized by The electronic camera according to claim 5 or 6,
The setting control unit
When switching from the state in which the second setting control is performed to the state in which the second setting control is not performed, setting the setting items of the second setting item group as the second setting information and the common second setting information;
An electronic camera characterized by

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