JP2012222615A - Imaging apparatus and control method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase a possibility that a desired image is in consecutively photographed images stored in a ring buffer.SOLUTION: A buffer memory (102) is operated as a ring buffer for storing image data within latest fixed time from a camera section (102). An image selection section (104) selects image data desired by a user in the image data in the buffer memory (102). A time difference recording section (109) records a time difference between a shutter operation by the user and imaging timing of an image selected by the image selection section (104), and a predicted timing determination section (110) predicts a time difference between the shutter operation and the imaging timing of the image to be selected by the user in the next photographing from a plurality of time differences in the past. A storage timing determination section (111) stops update of the buffer memory (102) at the timing of storing the image data corresponding to the predicted timing in the buffer memory (102) according to the shutter operation.

Description

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

  Conventionally, a digital camera that digitally records a captured image on a recording medium such as a memory card is known. In recent years, a technique has also been proposed in which images continuously shot at high speed are temporarily stored in a buffer memory, and a user selects a desired image from a plurality of stored images and records it on a recording medium. (For example, Patent Document 1). With such a function, the user can record an optimum image regardless of whether the shutter operation is too late or too early by selecting a desired image from a plurality of continuous shot images.

JP 2008-227820 A

  As described above, by using the continuous shooting function, there is an increased possibility of recording an image at a moment that is truly desired to be recorded (recorded) on a recording medium. However, the number of images that can be temporarily stored in the buffer memory by the continuous shooting function is limited by the capacity of the buffer memory. For example, when 3 seconds of high-speed continuous shot images can be stored in the buffer memory, a desired image cannot be stored in the buffer memory unless recording is instructed within 3 seconds that precedes the moment of shooting. For this reason, if the user does not instruct recording after 3 seconds after the desired screen, there is a possibility that the image temporarily stored in the buffer memory does not include an image at the moment the user desires.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, recording start and recording end are controlled at the timing when the shutter button is fully pressed. In this method, if the difference between the timing of fully pressing the shutter button and the moment desired by the user increases, it becomes difficult to record an image at the moment desired by the user.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus and a control method therefor that can more reliably record an instantaneous image to be recorded using continuous shooting.

  An imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes an imaging unit, a memory for storing image data from the imaging unit, and repeatedly writing the image data obtained by the imaging unit into the memory, and in response to a stop instruction from a user. Control means for stopping writing of the image data to the memory and holding the image data of a predetermined number of screens immediately before stopping the writing in the memory, and image data of the predetermined number of screens held in the memory Selection means for selecting image data to be recorded from, and recording means for recording the image data selected by the selection means on a recording medium, wherein the control means is selected by the timing of the stop instruction and the selection means The writing of the image data to the memory is stopped based on the time difference of the imaging timing of the captured image data. The features.

  According to the present invention, an image of a moment that a user wants to shoot can be stored in a memory with higher probability than before.

It is a schematic block diagram of one Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows calculation of imaging | photography selection timing time difference. It is an example of a log | history of imaging | photography selection timing time difference. It is explanatory drawing of the recording end timing by a recording start end timing determination part. It is an example of a screen of photographing selection prediction timing display and manual setting. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the high-speed continuous shooting of a present Example.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. The camera unit 101 performs A / D conversion on the image signal of the subject imaged through the lens, performs image processing such as white balance and gamma processing, and outputs the image signal to the buffer memory 102. The buffer memory 102 temporarily stores image data output from the camera unit 101. The buffer memory 102 functions as a ring buffer when images of a predetermined number of frames are continuously captured per unit time in the high-speed continuous shooting mode, and has a capacity capable of storing image data for a predetermined period immediately before. For example, when the camera unit 101 outputs 1000 frames of image data per second in the high-speed continuous shooting mode, the camera unit 101 has a capacity capable of storing 3 seconds of image data, that is, 3000 frames of image data.

  The display unit 103 displays the image data stored in the buffer memory 102 in an imaging standby state. The display unit 103 can also display a menu screen for performing various settings.

  The encoding unit 105 encodes the image data read from the buffer memory 102 by a known encoding method such as JPEG. The recording unit 106 records the encoded image data output from the encoding unit 105 on the recording medium 114. The recording medium 114 is a random access recording medium such as a memory card. The encoded image data of each image recorded on the recording medium 114 is managed as a file.

  The control unit 112 includes a microcomputer, and controls each unit of the imaging apparatus in accordance with instructions from the operation unit 113. The control unit 112 realizes functions as an image selection unit 104, a shooting timing determination unit 107, a time difference calculation unit 108, a time difference recording unit 109, a prediction timing determination unit 110, and a storage timing determination unit 111.

  In response to an instruction from the operation unit 113, the image selection unit 104 selects image data to be recorded from among a plurality of image data recorded in the buffer memory 102 in the high-speed continuous shooting mode. In response to an instruction from the operation unit 113, the shooting timing determination unit 107 determines a timing at which shooting is performed by a user pressing the shutter button. The time difference calculation unit 108 calculates the time difference between the imaging timing of the image captured at the imaging timing determined by the imaging timing determination unit 107 and the imaging timing of the image selected by the image selection unit 104 in the high-speed continuous shooting mode. . Hereinafter, this time difference is referred to as a photographing selection timing time difference. The time difference recording unit 109 records the photographing selection timing time difference calculated by the time difference calculation unit 108. The prediction timing determination unit 110 predicts a moment (hereinafter referred to as image selection prediction timing) that the user wants to shoot according to the shooting selection timing time difference recorded by the time difference recording unit 109, and the relative time difference from the shooting timing. Calculate as

  The storage timing determination unit 111 controls the storage operation of the image data in the buffer memory 102 according to the shooting timing determined by the shooting timing determination unit 107 and the image selection prediction timing determined by the prediction timing determination unit 110. This control is executed in the high-speed continuous shooting mode.

  The operation in the normal shooting mode will be described. When the operation unit 113 is turned on, the control unit 112 controls the camera unit 101 to capture an image of the subject. Image data output from the camera unit 101 is written into the buffer memory 102. The control unit 112 sequentially reads out the image data stored in the buffer memory 102 and displays it as an image on the display unit 103, and sets each unit in a shooting standby state. In the shooting standby state, the camera unit 101 captures an image of 30 frames per second and sequentially outputs it to the buffer memory 102. The display unit 103 displays an image of 30 frames per second acquired by the camera unit 101 as a moving image.

  When receiving a shooting instruction from the operation unit 113 in this shooting standby state, the control unit 112 controls the camera unit 101 to shoot one screen corresponding to the shooting instruction, and the buffer memory 102 uses the image data of this one screen as a still image. To store. The control unit 112 reads out the image data of one screen from the buffer memory 102 to the encoding unit 105. The encoding unit 105 encodes the image data and sends the encoded image data to the recording unit 106. The recording unit 106 records the encoded image signal data from the encoding unit 105 on the recording medium 114.

  The operation in the high-speed continuous shooting mode will be described. When the high-speed continuous shooting mode is set by the operation unit 113 in the shooting standby state, the control unit 112 sets the camera unit 101 to take a predetermined number of frames corresponding to the high-speed continuous shooting mode per unit time. To do. The control unit 112 operates the buffer memory 102 as a ring buffer. In the ring buffer operation, the buffer memory 102 stores the image data from the camera unit 101 while sequentially specifying the addresses of the buffer memory 102. When the image data from the camera unit 101 is stored up to the last address in the buffer memory 102, the head address is designated again, and new image data from the camera unit 101 is overwritten on the already stored image data. . In the high-speed shooting mode, the user operates the shutter button of the operation unit 111 at an arbitrary timing to notify the control unit 112 of the shooting timing. As described later, the storage timing determination unit 111 finishes storing image data in the buffer memory 102 according to the shooting timing determined by the shooting timing determination unit 107 and the image selection prediction timing determined by the prediction timing determination unit 110. Instruct. When there is an instruction to end recording by the storage timing determination unit 111, the control unit 112 stops storing image data from the camera unit 101 in the buffer memory 102. By such a ring buffer operation, the buffer memory 102 stores the latest certain number of image data in the past or image data shot at a high speed within a certain time. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the buffer memory 102 can store image data of 3 seconds obtained by shooting in the high-speed continuous shooting mode. Further, during shooting in the high-speed continuous shooting mode, the display unit 103 extracts and displays the image data stored in the buffer memory 102 at a predetermined interval.

  The function of the time difference calculation unit 108 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the timing at which the control unit 112 receives a shooting instruction by the user pressing the shutter button is set as a shooting timing.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the temporal relationship between the shooting timing, the shooting period of the image data temporarily stored in the buffer memory 102, and the shooting timing of the selected image. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the shutter button is pressed at time t1. Time t3 indicates the storage end timing when the storage timing determination unit 111 ends the storage of the image data in the buffer memory 102. Time t10 indicates the imaging timing of the image data selected by the user from the image data stored in the buffer memory 102 after the storage in the buffer memory 102 is completed at time t3. Time t2 indicates the time obtained by subtracting the time (3 seconds in this embodiment) that image data can be stored in the buffer memory 102 from time t3. At the end of the storage in the buffer memory 102, the image data of a plurality of frames continuously shot at high speed during the period from the time t2 to the time t3 is stored in the buffer memory 102.

  The time difference calculation unit 108 calculates a time difference between the imaging timing of the image captured at the imaging timing determined by the imaging timing determination unit 107 and the imaging timing of the image selected by the image selection unit 104. That is, after setting to the high-speed continuous shooting mode, the difference between the time t1 when the user performs the shutter button pressing operation and the time t10 when the image selected by the user is captured is the shooting selection timing time difference (t1−t10). ). In this embodiment, an image of a predetermined number of frames per unit time is taken. Therefore, by detecting the number of selected images out of the predetermined number of frames stored in the buffer memory 102, the imaging timing (t10) of the selected image can be determined.

  When an image captured at a time later than the imaging timing is selected, the imaging selection timing time difference takes a negative value. This can be assumed to be a case where the user has operated the shutter button faster than the image capturing timing that the user actually wanted to record. On the other hand, when an image captured at a time earlier than the imaging timing is selected, the imaging selection timing time difference takes a positive value. This can be assumed to be a case where the user has operated the shutter button after the timing of capturing an image that the user actually wanted to record. Of course, you may make it determine with a reverse code | symbol.

  The time difference recording unit 109 records the shooting selection timing time difference calculated by the time difference calculation unit 108 in this way in association with the shooting date information as shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows an example of information recorded by the time difference recording unit 109 for each photographing. In FIG. 3, information on the photographing date and the photographing selection timing time difference is recorded for ten photographings.

  The prediction timing determination unit 110 refers to the photographing selection timing time difference recorded in the time difference recording unit 109 and determines the image selection prediction timing by the method described below. Three methods can be adopted as a method for determining the image selection prediction timing. First, an average value of all photographing selection timing time differences is adopted. Second, the average value of the photographing selection timing time differences in a predetermined period is adopted. Third, the average value of the photographing selection timing time differences excluding the irregular case is adopted.

  When employing the average value of all photographing selection timing time differences, the prediction timing determination unit 110 calculates the average value of all photographing selection timing time differences recorded in the time difference recording unit 109 and sets it as the image selection prediction timing. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the average value of all the photographing selection timing time differences from No. 1 to No. 10 is 160 ms, which is the image selection prediction timing.

When the average value of the shooting selection timing time difference in the predetermined period is adopted, the prediction timing determination unit 110 extracts the shooting selection timing time difference in the predetermined period from the time difference recording unit 109, calculates the average value, and calculates the image selection prediction timing. To do. In the example shown in FIG. 3, if the current date is December 1 and it is two months that go back a predetermined period (in this example, October 1 to November 30), shooting selections from No. 5 to No. 10 are selected. Timing time difference is the target. The prediction timing determination unit 110 calculates an average value (−100 ms) of the photographing selection timing time differences from number 5 to number 10,
Image selection prediction timing.

  When the average value of the shooting selection timing time differences excluding the irregular case is adopted, it is as follows. That is, the prediction timing determination unit 110 first calculates an average value of all the photographing selection timing time differences recorded in the time difference recording unit 109. An imaging selection timing time difference smaller than a certain threshold is extracted from the absolute value of the difference between the average value of all the imaging selection timing time differences and the individual imaging selection timing time differences. Then, the average value of the extracted photographing selection timing time differences is calculated and set as the image selection prediction timing. In the example shown in FIG. 3, for example, the threshold is set to 500 ms. The shooting selection timing time difference in which the absolute value of the difference between the average value of all shooting selection timing time differences (160 ms) and the shooting selection timing time difference is smaller than the threshold (500 ms) is the shooting selection timing time difference except for the number 3. As a result, the prediction timing determination unit 110 extracts the photographing selection timing time difference excluding the number 3, and sets the average value (67 ms) as the image selection prediction timing.

  Although the example in which the prediction timing determination unit 110 determines one image selection prediction timing has been described, a plurality of image selection prediction timings may be determined. For example, the image selection prediction timing may be determined at times before and after the shooting timing. For example, when two image selection prediction timings are determined, three determination methods are conceivable. First, the average value of the photographing selection timing time difference before and after the photographing timing is adopted. Secondly, an average value of the photographing selection timing time differences in a predetermined period before and after the photographing timing is adopted. Thirdly, an average value of the time difference between the photographing selection timings excluding the irregular case before and after the photographing timing is adopted.

  When adopting the average value of the photographing selection timing time difference before and after the photographing timing, the following is performed. That is, the prediction timing determination unit 110 calculates the average value of the shooting selection timing time difference before and after the shooting timing recorded in the time difference recording unit 109 and sets it as the image selection prediction timing. In the example shown in FIG. 3, at the time before the shooting timing, the shooting selection timing time difference from No. 1 to No. 5 corresponds, and the average value (480 ms) is set as the first image selection prediction timing. At the time after the shooting timing, the shooting selection timing difference from number 6 to number 10 corresponds, and the average value (−160 ms) is set as the second image selection prediction timing.

  When adopting the average value of the photographing selection timing time difference in a predetermined period before and after the photographing timing, the following is performed. In other words, the prediction timing determination unit 110 calculates the average value of the shooting selection timing time difference in a predetermined period before and after the shooting timing recorded in the time difference recording unit 109, and sets it as the image selection prediction timing. In the example shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that the current date is December 1 and it is two months (October 1 to November 30) that goes back a predetermined period. At this time, the shooting selection timing time difference of No. 5 corresponds before the shooting timing, and the average value (the value is 200 because it is single) (200 ms) is set as the first image selection prediction timing. After the shooting timing, the difference in shooting selection timing from No. 6 to No. 10 corresponds, and the average value (−160 ms) is set as the second image selection prediction timing.

  In the case where the average value of the photographing selection timing time differences excluding the irregular case before and after the photographing timing is adopted, the following is performed. That is, the prediction timing determination unit 110 calculates the average value of the shooting selection timing time difference before and after the shooting timing recorded in the time difference recording unit 109. Before the shooting timing, a difference in shooting selection timing time that is smaller than a certain threshold is extracted as an absolute value of the difference from the shooting selection timing time difference average before the shooting timing, and the average value is used as the first image selection prediction timing. . Similarly, after the shooting timing, a difference in shooting selection timing time that is smaller than a certain threshold is extracted from the average value of the difference between the shooting selection timing time difference average values after the shooting timing, and the average value is calculated as the second image selection prediction. Timing.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, the threshold is set to 500 ms. At the time before the shooting timing, the absolute value of the difference between the shooting selection timing time difference average value and the shooting selection timing time difference is smaller than the threshold value (500 ms). The shooting selection timings of No. 1, No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5 It is a time difference. Therefore, the prediction timing determination unit 110 extracts the shooting selection timing time differences of No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, and No. 5, and sets the average value (350 ms) as the first image selection prediction timing. In addition, at the time after the photographing timing, the absolute value of the difference between the photographing selection timing time difference average value and the photographing selection timing time difference is smaller than the threshold value of No. 6, No. 7, No. 8, No. 9, and No. 10. This is the time difference between shooting selection timings. Accordingly, the prediction timing determination unit 110 extracts the shooting selection timing time differences of No. 6, No. 7, No. 8, No. 9, and No. 10, and sets the average value (−160 ms) as the second image selection prediction timing.

  Note that there may be a case where the time difference recording unit 109 does not record the photographing selection timing time difference used by the prediction timing determination unit 110 to calculate the image selection prediction timing. In this case, the prediction timing determination unit 110 employs an initial value (for example, 0 ms) as the image selection prediction timing.

  The operation of the storage timing determination unit 111 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A shows an example of recording end timing with respect to one image selection prediction timing, and FIG. 4B shows an example of recording end timing with respect to two image selection prediction timings.

  The storage timing determination unit 111 determines the storage end timing of the image data in the buffer memory 102 according to the shooting timing determined by the shooting timing determination unit 107 and the image selection prediction timing determined by the prediction timing determination unit 110. .

  A method for determining the storage end timing in the buffer memory 102 when one image selection prediction timing is set will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A shows an example in which the shooting selection prediction timing is 160 ms. The storage timing determination unit 111 determines the storage end timing so that the image selection prediction timing is located in the middle of the imaging period (t3-t2) of the image data stored in the buffer memory 102. For example, it is assumed that the buffer memory 102 can store image data (for a plurality of frames by high-speed continuous shooting) for 3 seconds. In this case, the recording end timing is determined so that the image selection prediction timing is located in the middle (1.5 seconds before the end of recording) of the image capturing time (3 seconds) stored in the buffer memory 102. That is, since the image selection prediction timing is 160 ms before the shooting timing, the storage in the buffer memory 102 is terminated after 1340 ms from the shooting timing. Thereby, the image selection prediction timing is located in the middle of the imaging period (t3-t2) of the image data stored in the buffer memory 102.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the storage end timing of the buffer memory 102 is set so that the image data corresponding to the image prediction timing is stored in the buffer memory 102, preferably in the center of the storage period. decide. As a result, even if the moment desired by the user slightly deviates from the image selection prediction timing, there is a high possibility that the image data at that moment is stored in the buffer memory 102.

  A method for determining the end timing of storage in the buffer memory 102 when two image selection prediction timings are set will be described with reference to FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 4B, the shooting selection prediction timing after the shooting timing is −200 ms, and the shooting selection prediction timing before the shooting timing is 160 ms. The storage timing determination unit 111 calculates the sum (−40 ms) of the image selection prediction timing (−200 ms) before the shooting timing and the image selection prediction timing (160 ms) after the shooting timing. Then, the storage timing determination unit 111 determines the recording end timing so that the sum is located at the center of the image capturing time (t3-t2) of the image stored in the buffer memory 102.

  For example, assume that the buffer memory 102 can store image data for one second. In this case, the timing corresponding to the sum of the two image selection prediction timings (−40 ms) is located at the center of the image capturing time (3 seconds) stored in the buffer memory 102 (1.5 seconds before the end of recording). Thus, the storage end timing is determined. That is, since the sum of the two image selection prediction timings is −40 ms, the recording may be terminated after 1540 ms from the photographing timing.

  By determining the storage end timing of the buffer memory 102 in this way, it can be ensured that the image data captured at two image selection prediction timings or in between is stored in the buffer memory 102. Thereby, it is possible to increase the possibility that the image data at the moment desired by the user can be finally recorded on the recording medium 114.

  Even when the storage end timing of the buffer memory 102 is determined as described above, the image data at the moment desired by the user may not be stored in the buffer memory 102. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 5, the image selection prediction timing determined by the above method may be displayed on the display unit 103, and the user may manually specify the image selection prediction timing. In this case, the prediction timing determination unit 110 determines the timing designated by the user as the image selection prediction timing.

  FIG. 6 shows a process flowchart for high-speed continuous shooting according to the present embodiment. With reference to FIG. 6, the operation at the time of high-speed continuous shooting in this embodiment will be described.

  When the high-speed continuous shooting mode is set in the shooting standby state, the camera unit 101 captures an image of a predetermined number of frames corresponding to the high-speed continuous shooting mode per unit time in step S601. In step S <b> 602, the image data from the camera unit 101 is sequentially stored in the buffer memory 102. In step S <b> 603, the prediction timing determination unit 110 checks whether or not the photographing selection timing time difference necessary for determining the image selection prediction timing is recorded in the time difference recording unit 109. When the shooting selection timing time difference necessary for determining the image selection prediction timing is recorded, in step S604, the prediction timing determination unit 110 determines the image selection prediction timing according to the shooting selection timing time difference. When the photographing selection timing time difference necessary for determining the image selection prediction timing is not recorded, in step S605, the prediction timing determination unit 110 sets an initial value as the image selection prediction timing.

  In step S606, the user waits for the user to press the shutter button. When the shutter button is pressed, in step S607, the storage timing determination unit 111 determines image data storage end timing in the buffer memory 102 according to the shooting timing and the image selection prediction timing. In step S608, the buffer memory 102 ends the storage of the image data at the storage end timing determined by the storage timing determination unit 111. That is, the update of the storage in the buffer memory 102 is stopped.

  In step S <b> 609, the display unit 103 displays images of a plurality of image data stored in the buffer memory 102. In step S <b> 610, the user selects a desired image from a plurality of screen images displayed on the display unit 103.

  In step S611, the encoding unit 105 reads the image data of the screen selected by the user from the buffer memory 102 and encodes it. In step S612, the recording unit 106 records the image data encoded by the encoding unit 105 on the recording medium 114.

  In step S613, the time difference calculation unit 108 calculates the time difference between the shooting timing and the image selection timing. In step S614, the time difference recording unit 109 records the photographing selection timing time difference calculated by the time difference calculation unit.

  In the present embodiment, in accordance with the start of the high-speed continuous shooting mode, the imaging operation and the storage operation of the captured image data in the buffer memory 102 are started, and the buffer memory 102 stores image data for a certain period going back in the past. The Then, the storage end timing in the buffer memory 102 is determined according to an instruction at the start of shooting by the user, and the imaging operation and the storage operation of the captured image data in the buffer memory 102 are ended at the storage end timing. That is, the imaging start instruction of the present embodiment ends the imaging operation and the update of the buffer memory 102 at a timing determined with reference to a separately set image selection prediction timing. In this sense, the shooting start instruction of the present embodiment can be said to be a shooting end instruction or an update stop instruction for the buffer memory 102, and the operation unit 113 corresponds to an instruction means for inputting an update stop instruction. The user selects image data at a desired moment from the image data stored in the buffer memory 102 for a predetermined period until the update is stopped. Since the image selection prediction timing is determined according to the past selection results, the image data temporarily stored in the buffer memory 102 contains the image data at the moment desired by the user with a high probability. As a result, the user can record image data at a desired moment on the recording medium 114 with a higher probability than before.

  As described above, by determining the end timing of image storage in the buffer memory 102, the image data at the moment the user wants to record can be finally recorded more reliably.

Claims (9)

Imaging means;
A memory for storing image data from the imaging means;
The image data obtained by the imaging unit is repeatedly written to the memory, and the writing of the image data to the memory is stopped according to a stop instruction from a user, and the predetermined number of screens immediately before the writing is stopped. Control means for holding image data in the memory;
Selecting means for selecting image data to be recorded from the predetermined number of image data held in the memory;
Recording means for recording the image data selected by the selection means on a recording medium,
The image pickup apparatus characterized in that the control means stops writing of the image data to the memory based on a time difference between the timing of the stop instruction and the image pickup timing of the image data selected by the selection means.   The control means predicts the shooting timing of the image data that will be selected by the selection means in the next shooting based on the time difference between the timing of the stop instruction and the shooting timing of the selected image data, The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein writing of the image data to the memory is stopped so that the image data corresponding to the predicted timing is held in the memory.   The control means stops writing image data to the memory so that the predicted timing comes to the center of the shooting period of image data of a predetermined number of screens held in the memory. Item 3. The imaging device according to Item 2. The control means determines, as the prediction timing, one that is temporally before the update stop instruction of the instruction means and one that is temporally after the update stop instruction of the instruction means,
The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein writing of image data to the memory is stopped so that an intermediate between the two prediction timings is held in the memory.   The control means stops writing image data into the memory so that an intermediate between the two prediction timings is in the middle of the shooting period of image data of a predetermined number of screens held in the memory. The imaging device according to claim 4.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit determines the prediction timing according to an average value of a plurality of the time differences.   The control means calculates an average value of a plurality of the time differences, and determines the prediction timing according to an average value of time differences in which absolute values of differences between the average values and the individual time differences are smaller than a threshold value. The imaging device according to any one of claims 2 to 6.   The said control means selects the time difference which concerns on imaging | photography of a predetermined period among the said some time differences, and determines the said prediction timing using the selected time difference, The any one of Claim 2 to 5 characterized by the above-mentioned. The imaging device described. Imaging means;
A memory for storing image data from the imaging means;
The image data obtained by the imaging unit is repeatedly written to the memory, and the writing of the image data to the memory is stopped according to a stop instruction from a user, and the predetermined number of screens immediately before the writing is stopped. Control means for holding image data in the memory;
Selecting means for selecting image data to be recorded from the predetermined number of image data held in the memory;
A method of controlling an imaging apparatus comprising: recording means for recording image data selected by the selection means on a recording medium;
Calculating the time difference between the timing of the stop instruction and the imaging timing of the image data selected by the selection means;
A method of controlling an imaging apparatus, wherein writing of the image data to the memory is stopped based on the calculated time difference.

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