JP2012156863A - Imaging apparatus, control method of the same, program, and record medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus which even when performing white balance data take-in operation by long press of a button, is capable of executing the white balance data take-in operation at timing intended by a user.SOLUTION: The imaging apparatus comprises: imaging means 22; operation buttons 70 for executing the functions of the apparatus; determination means which determines whether an operation button 70 remains pressed for a prescribed time or longer after being pressed; and control means 50 which when the pressing is cancelled after the determination means determines that the operation button 70 remains pressed for the prescribed time or longer, performs control so as to perform the white balance data take-in operation relating to the imaging by the imaging means 22 in response to the cancel.

Description

  The present invention mainly relates to an imaging apparatus, an operation method thereof, and a control method thereof.

  In recent years, along with the miniaturization of the imaging device main body, the size of a liquid crystal screen for displaying an image such as a photograph has been increased. In such a device, it is necessary to reduce the number of operation members and to reduce the size of the operation member itself due to restrictions on its physical arrangement.

  On the other hand, in the imaging apparatus, higher functions are advanced, and as a result, in order to make it possible to operate those functions with fewer operation members, contrivances in operation with a graphic user interface (GUI) are made. For example, contrivances have been made such as making the operation hierarchy deeper or assigning a plurality of functions to one operation member according to the operation method.

  Patent Document 1 proposes an imaging apparatus in which different functions are assigned to a short press and a long press on the same operation button. In Patent Document 1, when the display setting button is pressed for a short time and released (when pressed shortly), the display content of the liquid crystal display device is switched, and when the display setting button is pressed for a predetermined time or longer (when pressed for a long time). It is disclosed to switch the luminance of a liquid crystal display device.

  In addition, a waterproof case having a pressure-resistant structure that is used by being mounted on an image pickup apparatus body is also known, and is used for scuba diving and other leisure activities at the waterside. Patent Document 2 discloses a waterproof case provided with a case-side button for operating a part of a camera-side operation button housed inside the waterproof case from the outside of the waterproof case.

  On the other hand, when taking a white balance (hereinafter referred to as “WB”) in the image pickup apparatus, a white paper or the like is shot under a light source at a shooting location to acquire WB data (white capture), and the WB data is used. A technique for operating a WB circuit during normal photographing is known. In Patent Document 3, when manual white balance data is acquired, the AF distance measurement point is limited to the center of the screen, the AF time is shortened, and the AF judgment level is lowered to further increase the input time. It is disclosed to shorten.

JP 2006-227187 A JP 2007-256366 A JP 2007-068206 A

  As in Patent Document 2, if a large number of functions are to be realized in the same manner as in a normal operation by using fewer operation members on the waterproof case side than the operation members of the imaging apparatus main body, a plurality of functions are provided on a single operation member. Will be assigned. For example, it is conceivable to realize a large number of functions with a small number of operation members by assigning a plurality of functions to a single operation member by properly using short press and long press as in Patent Document 1. However, if the function is activated at a timing when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of pressing, as in the long press operation of Patent Document 1, the user does not know the timing at which the function is activated unless the time from the start of pressing is counted. . Therefore, it is difficult to activate the function at the timing intended by the user.

  On the other hand, as an imaging device, there is a case where it is desired that the timing of activating a function be exactly the timing intended by the user. For example, when trying to perform manual white capture operation of WB, especially when shooting underwater such as scuba diving that is used in a waterproof case, maintaining a posture while keeping a white subject within the shooting range It is difficult compared to Therefore, if the user continues to press the button and does not know when the function is activated, the probability that the white capturing operation will fail increases. Therefore, it is desired that the user can perform the white capturing operation at the moment when the user puts the white subject in the photographing range.

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus capable of executing white capture at a timing desired by a user even when a white capture operation of a WB is performed by a long press operation of a button.

  The imaging apparatus of the present invention includes an imaging unit, an operation button for executing an apparatus function, a determination unit that determines whether or not the operation button has been pressed for a predetermined time or more after being pressed, When the determination unit determines that the button has been pressed for a predetermined time or more and then cancels the pressing, in response to the release, the white balance white capturing operation related to the imaging of the imaging unit is performed. Control means for controlling to perform.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to execute white capture at a timing desired by the user even when the white capture operation of WB is performed by long-pressing the operation button.

It is a figure which shows an example of the external appearance of the imaging device of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of the imaging device of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the external appearance of the waterproof case which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen at the time of performing white capture of white balance with the image pick-up device simple substance of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen at the time of performing white capture of white balance in the state which attached the waterproof case to the imaging device of this invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen when a white capture button is pressed and a predetermined time or more has elapsed when white capture of white balance is performed with the waterproof case attached to the imaging apparatus of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations when performing white capture of white balance with the image pickup apparatus of the present invention alone. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of operation at the time of taking in white of white balance in the state which attached the waterproof case to the imaging device of this invention.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an external view of a digital camera as an example of an imaging apparatus of the present invention. The display unit 28 is a display unit that displays images and various types of information. The shutter button 61 is an operation unit for issuing a shooting instruction. The mode dial 60 is an operation unit for switching various modes. The connector 112 is a connector between the connection cable 111 and the digital camera 100. The operation unit 70 is an operation unit including operation members such as various switches and buttons for receiving various operations from the user. The controller wheel 73 is a rotatable operation member included in the operation unit 70. Reference numeral 72 denotes a power switch that switches between power-on and power-off. The recording medium 200 is a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk. The recording medium slot 201 is a slot for storing the recording medium 200. The recording medium 200 stored in the recording medium slot 201 can communicate with the digital camera 100. A lid 202 is a lid of the recording medium slot 201.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the digital camera 100 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 2, a photographing lens 103 is a lens group including a zoom lens and a focus lens. The shutter 101 is a shutter having an aperture function. The imaging unit 22 is an imaging element as an imaging unit configured by a CCD, a CMOS element, or the like that converts an optical image into an electrical signal. The A / D converter 23 converts an analog signal into a digital signal. The A / D converter 23 is used to convert an analog signal output from the imaging unit 22 into a digital signal. The barrier 102 covers the imaging system including the imaging lens 103 in the digital camera 100, thereby preventing the imaging system including the imaging lens 103, the shutter 101, and the imaging unit 22 from becoming dirty or damaged.

  The image processing unit 24 performs resizing processing such as predetermined pixel interpolation and reduction and color conversion processing on the data from the A / D converter 23 or the data from the memory control unit 15. The image processing unit 24 performs predetermined calculation processing using the captured image data, and the system control unit 50 performs exposure control and distance measurement control based on the obtained calculation result. Thereby, AF (autofocus) processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, and EF (flash pre-emission) processing of the TTL (through-the-lens) method are performed. The image processing unit 24 further performs predetermined calculation processing using the captured image data, and also performs TTL AWB (auto white balance) processing based on the obtained calculation result.

  Output data from the A / D converter 23 is directly written into the memory 32 via the image processing unit 24 and the memory control unit 15 or via the memory control unit 15. The memory 32 stores image data obtained by the imaging unit 22 and converted into digital data by the A / D converter 23 and image data to be displayed on the display unit 28. The memory 32 has a storage capacity sufficient to store a predetermined number of still images, a moving image and sound for a predetermined time.

  The memory 32 also serves as an image display memory (video memory). The D / A converter 13 converts the image display data stored in the memory 32 into an analog signal and supplies the analog signal to the display unit 28. Thus, the display image data written in the memory 32 is displayed on the display unit 28 via the D / A converter 13. The display unit 28 performs display according to the analog signal from the D / A converter 13 on a display such as an LCD. A digital signal once A / D converted by the A / D converter 23 and stored in the memory 32 is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 13 and sequentially transferred to the display unit 28 for display, thereby displaying an electronic viewfinder. It can function as a through image display.

  The nonvolatile memory 56 is an electrically erasable / recordable memory, and for example, an EEPROM or the like is used. The nonvolatile memory 56 stores constants, programs, and the like for operating the system control unit 50. Here, the program is a program for executing various flowcharts described later in the present embodiment.

The system control unit 50 controls the entire digital camera 100. By executing the program recorded in the non-volatile memory 56 described above, each process of the present embodiment to be described later is realized. A system memory 52 is a RAM. In the system memory 52, constants and variables for operation of the system control unit 50, programs read from the nonvolatile memory 56, and the like are expanded. The system control unit 50 also performs display control by controlling the memory 32, the D / A converter 13, the display unit 28, and the like.
The system timer 53 is a time measuring unit that measures the time used for various controls and the time of a built-in clock.
The mode switch 60, the first shutter switch 62, the second shutter switch 64, and the operation unit 70 are operation means for inputting various operation instructions to the system control unit 50.

  The mode switch 60 switches the operation mode of the system control unit 50 to any one of a still image recording mode, a moving image recording mode, a reproduction mode, and the like. Modes included in the still image recording mode include an auto shooting mode, an auto scene discrimination mode, a manual mode, various scene modes for shooting settings for each shooting scene, a program AE mode, a custom mode, and the like. Scene mode has underwater mode in which shooting conditions specialized for underwater photography are set, portrait mode in which imaging conditions specialized for portrait photography are set, and sports in which imaging conditions specialized for moving subjects are set Mode etc. are included. The mode changeover switch 60 can directly switch to any of these modes included in the still image shooting mode. Alternatively, after switching to the still image shooting mode once with the mode switching switch 60, it may be switched to any of these modes included in the still image shooting mode using another operation member. Similarly, the moving image shooting mode may include a plurality of modes. The first shutter switch 62 is turned on when the shutter button 61 provided in the digital camera 100 is being operated, so-called half-press (shooting preparation instruction), and generates a first shutter switch signal SW1. In response to the first shutter switch signal SW1, operations such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, AWB (auto white balance) processing, and EF (flash pre-emission) processing are started.

  The second shutter switch 64 is turned ON when the operation of the shutter button 61 is completed, that is, when it is fully pressed (shooting instruction), and generates a second shutter switch signal SW2. In response to the second shutter switch signal SW2, the system control unit 50 starts a series of shooting processing operations from reading a signal from the imaging unit 22 to writing image data on the recording medium 200.

  Each operation member (operation button) of the operation unit 70 is appropriately assigned a device function for each scene by selecting and operating various function icons displayed on the display unit 28, and functions as various function buttons. Examples of the function buttons include an end button, a return button, an image advance button, a jump button, a narrowing button, and an attribute change button. For example, when a menu button is pressed, various setting menu screens are displayed on the display unit 28. The user can make various settings intuitively using the menu screen displayed on the display unit 28, and the four-way button and the SET button.

  The controller wheel 73 is a rotatable operation member included in the operation unit 70, and is used when a selection item is instructed together with a direction button. When the controller wheel 73 is rotated, an electrical pulse signal is generated according to the operation amount, and the system control unit 50 controls each unit of the digital camera 100 based on the pulse signal. From this pulse signal, it is possible to determine the angle at which the controller wheel 73 is rotated, how many rotations, and the like. The controller wheel 73 may be any operation member that can detect a rotation operation. For example, a dial operation member that generates a pulse signal by rotating the controller wheel 73 itself in accordance with a user's rotation operation may be used. Further, an operation member made of a touch sensor may detect the rotation operation of the user's finger on the controller wheel 73 without rotating the controller wheel 73 itself (so-called touch wheel).

  The power control unit 80 includes a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, a switch circuit that switches a block to be energized, and the like, and detects whether or not a battery is installed, the type of battery, and the remaining battery level. Further, the power control unit 80 controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection result and an instruction from the system control unit 50, and supplies a necessary voltage to each unit including the recording medium 200 for a necessary period.

  The power supply unit 30 includes a primary battery such as an alkaline battery or a lithium battery, a secondary battery such as a NiCd battery, a NiMH battery, or a Li battery, an AC adapter, or the like. The recording medium I / F 18 is an interface with the recording medium 200 such as a memory card or a hard disk. The recording medium 200 is a recording medium such as a memory card for recording a captured image, and includes a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an appearance when the waterproof case 300 digital camera 100 is housed. FIG. 3 is a view when the waterproof case 300 is opened, and shows a portion that becomes the inner side when the waterproof case 300 is closed. When the digital camera 100 is housed inside and closed, the operation member 310 on the waterproof case 300 side is pressed from the outside of the waterproof case 300 so that some buttons included in the operation unit 70 on the digital camera 100 side are pressed. It is configured to be pressed. The operation unit 310 on the waterproof case 300 side has fewer operation buttons than the operation buttons included in the operation unit 70 of the digital camera 100. That is, the operation of the direction buttons included in the operation unit 70 of the digital camera 100, the menu button, the display switching button, the controller wheel, and the like cannot be performed.

  On the other hand, the set button can be operated while being in the waterproof case by pressing a button included in the operation unit 310. Further, the waterproof case 300 is provided with a protrusion that keeps the menu button pressed down when the digital camera 100 is stored and closed. When the digital camera 100 is housed in the waterproof case 300, the menu button remains pressed by this protrusion, and therefore it is detected that the menu button has been pressed for a predetermined time, and automatically enters the waterproof case storage mode. Transition. In the waterproof case storage mode, it is possible to further switch to an auto shooting mode, an underwater mode included in the scene mode, a snow beach mode, or the like according to a user operation.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present embodiment will be schematically described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 shows a display screen at the time of white capture of the manual WB when not in the waterproof case storage mode (hereinafter referred to as normal time). When manual white capture is performed, the through image 403 is viewed as shown in FIG. 4, and a reference white subject is stored in a white capture frame 401 displayed in the display unit 28. Then, by pressing (short pressing) a menu button included in the operation unit 70, white capture is performed at the timing of pressing (capturing and acquiring white balance data). The guidance 402 is guidance indicating that a white capturing operation can be executed by pressing the menu button for a short time.

  FIG. 5 shows a display screen at the time of white capture of the manual WB in the waterproof case storage mode. When stored in the waterproof case, the menu button cannot be operated from the outside. Therefore, the white capture execution function is assigned to the set button long press instead of the normal menu button short press. However, the timing for executing the white capturing function is not the time when a predetermined time has elapsed since the set button was pressed, but the timing when the set button was released after the predetermined time had elapsed since the set button was pressed. In other words, if the user wants to capture white, the user keeps pressing the set button for a predetermined time or longer, and then performs framing so that the white subject enters the white capture frame 501 while viewing the through image 503, and the white subject captures the white capture frame. Release the set button the moment you enter 501. By operating in this way, white capture can be performed at the intended timing. Guidance 502 is guidance indicating that a white capturing operation can be executed by long-pressing the set button. Guidance 504 is guidance indicating that the white capture screen can be terminated by short-pressing the set button (pressing the set button and releasing it before a predetermined time has elapsed).

  FIG. 6 shows a display example on the display unit 28 when a predetermined time elapses while the set button is pressed during white capture of the manual WB in the waterproof case storage mode. The guidance 602 is guidance that is displayed in place of the guidance 502 in FIG. 5 after a predetermined time has passed while the set button is pressed, and white capture can be performed at that timing by releasing the set button that is pressed. Is shown. Note that the display of FIG. 6 includes a capture frame 601, a through image 603, and a guidance 604.

  In this way, white capture can be performed at the timing intended by the user (the timing at which the set button that has been kept pressed for a predetermined time or longer is released). The ability to capture white at the timing intended by the user is particularly effective in photographing underwater where it is difficult to maintain the same posture.

  Next, the state of the operation at the normal time and when the waterproof case is attached will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. The flowcharts of FIGS. 7 and 8 are realized by developing a program recorded in the nonvolatile memory 56 in the system memory 52 and executing it by the system control unit 50.

  FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the white capturing operation at the normal time. In the normal state, when the screen is shifted to the white capture screen, first, in step S701 in FIG. 7, the system control unit 50 causes the display unit 28 to display the white capture screen in FIG. In step S702, the system control unit 50 determines whether the set button has been pressed. When the set button is pressed, the white capture screen is terminated. If the set button has not been pressed, the system control unit 50 determines in step S703 whether the menu button has been pressed. If the menu button has not been pressed, the process returns to step S702 and the process is repeated.

  If the menu button is pressed, the process proceeds to step S704 and a white capturing operation is performed. The white capturing operation is an operation of performing imaging, calculating a reference WB from a white image captured by imaging (capturing white balance data), and recording the calculated value in the nonvolatile memory 56. In the subsequent photographing, white balance is performed based on the white balance data thus captured. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S705 to wait until the menu button is released. When the menu button is released, the process returns to step S702 and waits for the set button or the menu button to be pressed.

  FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of the white capturing operation in the waterproof case storage mode. When the white capture screen is displayed when the waterproof case is attached (in the waterproof case storage mode), first, in step S801 in FIG. 8, the system control unit 50 causes the display unit 28 to display the white capture screen in FIG. In step S802, the system control unit 50 determines whether the set button has been pressed. If the set button has not been pressed, the process returns to step S802 and the process is repeated.

  When the set button is pressed, the system control unit 50 starts the system timer 53 to measure the button pressing time in step S803, and then in step S804, a predetermined time (a predetermined time of about 2 seconds). ). If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the system control unit 50 determines in step S805 whether the set button has been pressed. If it is determined that the set button has been released (the press has been released) without the predetermined time elapses, it is considered that a short press has been performed, and the white capture screen is terminated. If the set button has not been released, the process returns to step S804.

  If it is determined in step S804 that a predetermined time has elapsed since the set button was pressed, the process proceeds to step S806, and the system control unit 50 causes the display unit 28 to display a guidance indicating that white capture is ready. (FIG. 6). Thereafter, in step S807, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not the set button has been released. If the set button has not been released, the process returns to S807 and continues. If it is determined that the set button has been released, the process proceeds to step S808, where the system control unit 50 executes white capture, and returns the guidance to the display form of FIG. 5 in step S809, and returns to step S802. Continue processing.

  In addition, although the example which switches to waterproof case accommodation mode automatically when it accommodates in a waterproof case was demonstrated, it is good also as a structure switched by mode switching operation with respect to the operation part 70 of a user. In this way, the present invention can also be applied to a case where the waterproof case without projections for automatically switching to the waterproof case storage mode is stored.

  As described above, when a waterproof case with fewer operation members is mounted, even when a function whose timing is important must be activated by pressing and holding a button, the function can be activated at a desired timing. It becomes possible.

The control of the system control unit 50 may be performed by one piece of hardware, or the entire apparatus may be controlled by a plurality of pieces of hardware sharing the processing.
Although the present invention has been described in detail based on the preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. included. Furthermore, each embodiment mentioned above only shows one embodiment of this invention, and it is also possible to combine each embodiment suitably.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a digital camera has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and can be applied to any imaging apparatus that performs white balance white capturing operation. It is. That is, the present invention is applicable to a digital camera, a digital single lens reflex camera, a digital video camera, a camera-equipped mobile phone terminal, a camera-equipped music player, a camera-equipped game machine, a camera-equipped electronic book reader, and the like.

  Furthermore, as another embodiment, the present invention is realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media. Then, the computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads out and executes the program code. In this case, the program and the storage medium storing the program constitute the present invention.

13 D / A converter, 15 Memory control unit, 18 Recording medium I / F, 22 Imaging unit, 23 A / D converter, 24 Image processing unit, 28 Display unit, 30 Power supply unit, 32 Memory, 50 System control unit , 52 System memory, 53 System timer, 56 Non-volatile memory, 60 Mode selection switch, 61 Shutter button, 62 First shutter switch, 70 Operation unit, 73 Controller wheel, 80 Power control unit, 100 Digital camera, 101 Shutter, 102 Barrier, 103 photographing lens, 111 connection cable, 112 connector, 200 recording medium, 201 recording medium slot, 202 lid.

Claims (9)

Imaging means;
Operation buttons for executing device functions;
Determination means for determining whether or not the operation button has been pressed for a predetermined time or more after being pressed;
When the determination unit determines that the button has been pressed for a predetermined time or more and then cancels the pressing, in response to the release, the white balance white capturing operation related to the imaging of the imaging unit is performed. An image pickup apparatus comprising: control means for performing control.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is controlled in a specific operation mode.   The image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the specific operation mode is an operation mode used when stored in a waterproof case.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the specific operation mode is an operation mode that is automatically switched in response to being stored in a waterproof case.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in an operation mode other than the specific operation mode, white balance white capture operation is performed by different operations.   A display unit that, when it is determined that the button has been pressed for a predetermined time or more by the determination unit, performs a white balance white capturing operation when the display unit is released. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display control means for displaying guidance. Imaging means;
Operation buttons for executing device functions;
A determination unit that determines whether or not the operation button has been pressed for a predetermined time or more after being pressed,
When the determination unit determines that the button has been pressed for a predetermined time or more and then cancels the pressing, in response to the release, the white balance white capturing operation related to the imaging of the imaging unit is performed. A control method of an imaging apparatus, characterized by performing control so as to be performed.   The program for functioning a computer as each means of the imaging device of any one of Claims 1-6.   A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each unit of the imaging apparatus according to claim 1.

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