JP2013080996A - Imaging device and method of controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the operability at the time when a photographer operates a touch panel while looking through a finder.SOLUTION: An imaging device has: a finder having both an optical finder that enables observation of a subject optical image, and an electronic finder superposing an optical image from a display image of a display device on the subject optical image observed at the optical finder; a photographing lens that can change a focal length; a solid-state imaging element receiving incoming light from a subject through the photographing lens, and outputting a captured image signal depending on the subject optical image; and a touch panel for designating a position on the subject optical image observed at the optical finder by a touch operation. In the imaging device, a size of a touch region where the touch operation can be performed on the touch panel is changed to be smaller as the focal length becomes longer, and it is restricted that the size of the touch region becomes smaller than a limit size that is the minimum limit by which the touch operation can be performed (at steps S5 and S6).

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus equipped with a finder having both an optical viewfinder and an electronic viewfinder, and more particularly, an imaging apparatus that combines a touch panel function provided in a display unit for displaying a captured image and a finder function. It is related with the method of controlling.

  Conventionally, a digital camera equipped with a solid-state imaging device and digitally processing captured image data in the camera and storing it in a recording medium is also provided with an optical viewfinder (hereinafter also referred to as OVF), and a photographer can After looking through the viewfinder and confirming the composition of the subject, the shutter button was pressed. The optical viewfinder has an advantage that the shutter button can be pressed without missing a photo opportunity even if the subject is moving because the actual light image of the subject can be seen as it is.

  However, in recent digital cameras, a through image output from a solid-state image sensor is displayed on a large-sized liquid crystal display device provided on the back of the camera without providing an optical viewfinder, and it is common to substitute for a finder. ing. Then, as described in Patent Document 1, a touch panel is attached to a large-sized liquid crystal display device, and the main subject image on the display screen is touched and specified with the fingertip to focus on the main subject or to adjust the exposure. It is supposed to match.

  However, in a digital camera that displays a through image on the large liquid crystal display on the back of the camera, the camera must be seen away from the face in order to check the through image, and camera shake occurs when the shutter button is pressed. There is a problem of end up. In addition, since a through image output from a solid-state image sensor and subjected to image processing is displayed, there is a slight time lag compared to the actual subject state, and an image that is different from the image confirmed on the display screen and shifted in time. There is also a problem that images are captured.

  Some digital cameras that display a through image on a large liquid crystal display device are equipped with an optical viewfinder. In such a digital camera, as described in Patent Document 2 below, the photographer touches the touch panel attached to the large liquid crystal display device with his / her fingertip while looking through the optical viewfinder, and the shutter speed and Some devices can operate ranging points and the like.

  However, this prior art does not consider the difference between the range that can be seen through the optical viewfinder and the range that is received by the solid-state imaging device (image sensor) through the photographing lens and displayed as a through image, that is, parallax. The object to be operated through the touch panel is limited to information not related to parallax.

  Some digital cameras have an electronic viewfinder (hereinafter also referred to as EVF) instead of the optical viewfinder. In the electronic viewfinder, a small liquid crystal display device is provided in a viewing window of a small finder, and a through image output from the solid-state image sensor is displayed on the small viewfinder so that a photographer can confirm the composition of the subject.

  This electronic viewfinder has a problem that since a small liquid crystal display device that displays a through image has a small number of pixels, only a rough image can be displayed, and a photographer cannot check a fine portion of a subject. Further, similarly to the above, since a through image output from the solid-state imaging device and subjected to image processing is displayed, there is a problem that a slight time lag exists compared to the actual state of the subject.

  Since the optical viewfinder and the electronic viewfinder have advantages and disadvantages as described above, for example, a finder device described in Patent Document 3 below is considered.

  This finder device has a configuration in which a half mirror of 45 degrees is placed in the middle of the optical path of the optical viewfinder, and light of an image displayed on the screen of a small liquid crystal display device is projected onto the half mirror. Then, select either the optical image of the subject through the optical viewfinder or the image on the display screen of the small liquid crystal display device (display image of the electronic viewfinder) and project it to the photographer's eyes through the viewfinder window. Alternatively, both are mixed and projected to the photographer's eyes.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-355617 JP 2008-268726 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-292067

  The viewfinder described in Patent Document 3 is clear because the optical viewfinder image is directly transmitted, and further, there is no electrical time lag with respect to the movement of the subject, and high-immediate shooting is possible. On the other hand, the focusing position in auto focus (AF) or manual focus (MF), white balance (WB) setting effects, etc. can be displayed on a small liquid crystal display device of an electronic viewfinder. It can be used.

  However, the problem here is the parallax problem described above. When the camera is operated using a touch panel attached to the liquid crystal display device on the back of the camera, the image is taken through the optical viewfinder. If the position on the optical image that the person is looking at does not match the touch position, the usability is deteriorated.

  Since the photographer is looking through the optical viewfinder, the touch operation is a blind touch. For parallax, stop looking into the optical viewfinder and check the touch position on the touch panel. In this case, the advantage of using the optical viewfinder is hindered.

  In particular, recent cameras are often equipped with zoom lenses or interchangeable lenses, and the difference between the viewable range of the optical image viewed through the optical viewfinder and the touch position is different for each zoom or lens replacement. Will be different. Therefore, development of an operation method with high operability and ease of use is desired.

  An object of the present invention is an imaging apparatus equipped with a finder having both an optical finder and an electronic finder, and performs various operations accurately and intuitively using a touch panel without keeping an eye on a subject optical image obtained through the finder. It is an object of the present invention to provide an imaging apparatus that can perform the control and a control method thereof.

  An imaging apparatus and a control method thereof according to the present invention include an optical finder capable of observing a subject light image, an electronic finder that superimposes a light image from a display image of a display device on a subject light image observed in the optical finder, and A finder having both of the above, a photographing lens capable of changing a focal length, a solid-state imaging device that receives incident light from the subject through the photographing lens and outputs a picked-up image signal according to the subject light image, and the optical finder In an imaging apparatus including a touch panel that specifies a position on an observed subject light image by a touch operation, the size of a touch area on which the touch operation can be performed on the touch panel is changed to be smaller as the focal length is larger, and the touch is performed The size of the area is smaller than the limit size that is the minimum limit for touch operation. Characterized in that it limited.

  According to the present invention, the photographer can perform various operations with high accuracy and intuitiveness using the touch panel without feeling uncomfortable without taking his eyes off the subject optical image obtained through the viewfinder.

1 is an external perspective view of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a functional block block diagram of the digital camera shown in FIG. It is a rear view of the digital camera of FIG. It is a figure which shows the to-be-photographed object image obtained through the finder mounted in the digital camera of FIG. 1, an imaging | photography angle-of-view frame, and AF area frame (focus area frame). It is a figure which shows before the change (a) and after change (b) of the imaging | photography angle-of-view frame before and behind zooming in the visual field through the finder shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows before the change (a) and after change (b) of the operation area | region (touch area | region) before and behind zooming of the touch panel corresponding to FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the touch area | region limit size which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which controls the magnitude | size of the touch area | region which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows before correction | amendment of the touch area | region which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention, and after correction | amendment. It is a problem explanatory view when using the variable magnification zoom finder. It is correction | amendment explanatory drawing of the touch area | region which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention which solves the malfunction demonstrated in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which controls the magnitude | size of the touch area | region which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the malfunction which arises with the combination of a variable magnification zoom finder and a photographic lens. It is another defect explanatory drawing which arises by the combination of a variable magnification zoom finder and a photographic lens. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining another problem that occurs in a combination of a variable magnification zoom finder and a photographing lens. FIG. 16 is a correction explanatory diagram of a touch area according to the third embodiment of the present invention described in FIGS. 13, 14, and 15. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which controls the magnitude | size of the touch area | region which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is correction | amendment explanatory drawing of the touch area | region by hand-shake which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence which controls the magnitude | size of the touch area | region which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is movement control explanatory drawing of the focus area in the touch area | region which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the movement control processing procedure of the focus area in the touch area which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an image pickup apparatus with a finder (digital camera) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The imaging device 10 of the present embodiment includes a horizontally-long rectangular housing 11, and a replaceable photographic lens 13 is detachably attached to the front center of the housing 11. The photographing lens 13 houses a focus lens, a zoom lens, and the like, which will be described later.

  A shutter release button 14 is provided on one side of the upper end surface of the casing 11, and a finder device 15, which will be described in detail later, is provided in the casing 11 on the opposite side to the shutter release button 14. A subject-side finder window 16 of the finder device 15 is provided at a corner on the front surface of the housing 11, and a photographer-side viewing window 17 of the finder device 15 is provided on the rear side thereof.

  FIG. 2 is an internal block configuration diagram of the imaging apparatus 10 shown in FIG. The imaging device 10 includes an imaging element chip 21 and a photographic lens optical system 13 placed in front of the imaging element chip 21.

  The image pickup device chip 21 includes a solid-state image pickup device 21a for single-plate color image pickup such as a CMOS type or a CCD type, and a CDSAMP (correlated double sampling (CDS) for analog signal processing of an output signal (taken image signal) of the image pickup device 21a. ), Gain control amplifier (AMP)) 21b, and an analog / digital (A / D) converter 21c for converting an analog output signal of the CDSAMP 21b into a digital signal.

  The taking lens optical system 13 includes a zoom lens 13a, a focusing lens 13b, a diaphragm (iris) 13c, and the like.

  The imaging apparatus 10 further includes an image input controller 31 that captures a captured image signal that is a digital signal output from the A / D converter 21c, and a system control unit (arithmetic processing unit: overall control) of the entire imaging apparatus 10. CPU) 32, an image signal processing circuit (DSP) 33 that performs image processing of the captured image signal, an AF detection circuit 34 that detects a focal position from the image data output from the solid-state imaging device 21a, and exposure amount and white balance. An AE & AWB detection circuit 35 for automatic detection, an SDRAM 36 used as a work memory, a compression processing circuit 39 for compressing captured image data after image processing into a JPEG image or an MPEG image, and a liquid crystal display device 40 provided on the back of the camera or the like Or a liquid crystal display (EVF) 61 in the viewfinder device 15 is used to capture a captured image, a through image, and various types of shooting information. And a display control circuit 41 to be displayed, the media controller 43 to store the captured image data on the recording medium 42, and a bus 44 that these interconnects.

  The liquid crystal display device 40 and the EVF 61 are configured to display only one of the image data exclusively based on an instruction input from the user. The liquid crystal display device 40 is provided with a touch panel (not shown), and an input instruction signal from the touch panel is transmitted to the CPU 32.

  The imaging apparatus 10 further includes a motor driver 46 that supplies a drive pulse to the drive motor of the zoom lens 13a, a motor driver 47 that supplies a drive pulse to the motor that drives the position of the focus lens 13b, and an aperture position of the aperture 13c. A motor driver 48 that supplies a drive pulse to a drive motor that performs control, a timing generator 49 that supplies a drive timing pulse (electronic shutter pulse, readout pulse, etc.) to the solid-state imaging device 21a, and a liquid crystal shutter (described later) in the finder device 15 A liquid crystal driver 53 for driving the (OVF shutter) 62 and a motor driver 54 for driving the variable magnification lens 64 are provided.

  These operate | move based on the instruction | command from CPU32. The CDSAMP 21b also operates based on a command from the CPU 32. An operation unit 50 is connected to the CPU 32, and the CPU 32 operates based on an input instruction from the operation unit 50 including a shutter button.

  The viewfinder device 15 includes an OVF shutter 62, variable magnification lenses 64a and 64b, an objective lens 65, and a half mirror 63 between the subject side viewfinder window 16 and the photographer side view window 17. The holding prism 66 is housed in this order. In this embodiment, a variable magnification lens is provided. However, there may be a case where only one variable magnification lens is provided, or three or more variable magnification lenses are provided, or the photographing lens optical system is zoomed without using any variable magnification lens. Even in this case, the field of view in the viewfinder may not be changed.

  The half mirror 63 is preferably made of, for example, a silver film that transmits 50% light and reflects 50% light, but is not limited to this ratio. Other ratios, for example, a film that transmits 70% (or 60%) light and reflects 30% (or 40%) light, or conversely, transmits 30% (or 40%) light. A film that reflects 70% (or 60%) of light may be used as long as both transmitted light and reflected light exist.

  The half mirror 63 is installed at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the incident optical axis L from the subject, and the aforementioned liquid crystal display device 61 for EVF is provided adjacent to the half mirror 63 and parallel to the incident optical axis L. It has been. Thereby, the incident light from the subject transmitted through the half mirror 63 and the light emitted from the liquid crystal display device 61 and reflected by the half mirror 63 are projected onto the photographer's eyes.

  The display information of the liquid crystal display device 61 is through-image information output from the solid-state imaging device 21a and photographed image information after photographing, but photographing conditions such as a shutter speed, an exposure value, and an AF area frame (focus area frame). Information is also displayed.

  By setting the OVF shutter 62 in the “open” state and not displaying the EVF display device 61, the finder device 15 can be used only with the optical viewfinder (OVF), the OVF shutter 62 is set in the “closed” state, and the EVF is displayed. By displaying the display device 61, the finder device 15 can be used only with an electronic viewfinder (EVF).

  Further, by displaying information such as shooting information on the EVF display device 61 and setting the OVF shutter 62 to the “open” state, shooting is performed while confirming the composition of the subject with the subject optical image through the optical viewfinder. Condition information can be confirmed in the same finder frame at the same time.

  The imaging apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment uses the touch panel provided on the liquid crystal display device 40 on the back of the camera for input operation, and displays the content instructed to be touched with the fingertip on the touch panel in the display device 61 for EVF. ing.

  For example, the subject to be focused can be selected by moving the AE area frame displayed in the EVF display device 61 by a touch operation. The input instruction by the touch panel can be performed even when information is not displayed on the liquid crystal display device 40, that is, even when the liquid crystal display device 40 is turned off.

  In the embodiment described below, various input operations are performed by combining the EVF display information of the touch panel and the finder, but because it is an operation of the touch panel while looking through the finder, that is, an operation by blind touch, A problem arises in the ease of operation. Furthermore, when the photographing lens optical system 13 is replaced or when the zoom magnification of the photographing lens optical system 13 and the zoom magnification in the finder device 15 do not match, the operable area on the touch panel is changed. Convenience to use is also a problem. Hereinafter, an embodiment for solving these problems will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a rear view of the digital camera 10. A liquid crystal display device 40 is provided on the back of the camera 10 in which the finder device 15 is built in the left shoulder. A touch panel is attached to the liquid crystal display device 40.

  The liquid crystal shutter 62 in FIG. 2 of the finder device 15 is opened and information is also displayed on the EVF 61. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the AF area frame 70 displayed on the EVF 61 is displayed superimposed on the subject optical image obtained through the optical viewfinder.

  When the photographer finds out that the AF area frame 70 may not be in focus with the main subject and may focus in the distance while looking through the viewfinder window 17, the user touches the touch panel while looking through the viewfinder device 15. The AF area frame 70 is moved to a desired focus position by starting and moving the fingertip touching the touch panel. For example, it is moved on a person light image. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the photographed image from being unintentionally focused.

  As described above, when the position of the AF area frame 70 is controlled through the touch panel, in the interchangeable lens camera, the display area (field range) of the subject optical image by the optical viewfinder is 1 with respect to the shooting area of the shooting lens. 1 does not correspond to the zoom ratio, the zoom lens 64a and 64b in the finder device 15 cannot zoom to 1: 1 with the photographic lens 13 when the photographic lens 13 is zoomed, and subject optical through the optical viewfinder. The angle of view of the image does not match the angle of view of the subject image taken through the taking lens 13 (shooting angle of view).

  When the photographic lens 13 is zoomed, if the subject optical image display area (field of view range) in the finder and the field angle of the imaging area through the photographic lens 13 do not match, as shown in FIG. An angle-of-view frame 71 is displayed as a display image of the electronic viewfinder, and the photographing range is presented to the photographer. FIG. 5A shows the view angle frame 71 before zooming, and FIG. 5B shows the view angle frame 71 after zooming. Naturally, the AF area frame 70 in the zoomed view angle frame 71 is smaller than the view angle frame AF area frame 70 before zooming.

  At this time, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, if the touch area (touch operation possible area) 72 on the touch panel is not reduced in accordance with the zoom, an uncomfortable feeling in the touch operation occurs.

  However, if the size of the touch area 72 is completely reduced in accordance with the zoom of the photographing lens 13, the touch area becomes too small, and the touch operation with the fingertip becomes difficult. Even in the touch area 72 of FIG. 6B, the area pointing to the AF area frame 70 becomes small, and it becomes difficult to freely set the position of the AF area frame 70.

  However, on the other hand, even after the photographing lens 13 is zoomed, if the size of the touch area 72 is set to the maximum size before zooming shown in FIG. 6A, the position operation of the AF area frame 70 is stabilized. However, since the amount of moving the fingertip with respect to the size that is actually visible increases, the touch operation becomes uncomfortable, resulting in a deterioration in operability.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the size of the touch area 72 is determined to be different from the size corresponding to the zoom of the photographing lens 13 from the angle of view of the photographing lens 13 and the angle of view of the optical viewfinder (OVF). Referring to FIG. 7, when the maximum size of the touch area is “72a” and the touch area corresponding to the zoom magnification is “72b”, the actual touch area 72c is expressed as “maximum touch area size 72a> touch area 72c”. > Touch area size 72b corresponding to zoom magnification ”.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for determining the size of the touch area 72c of FIG. 7, and is executed by the CPU 32 of FIG. First, in step S1, information on a touch panel mounted on the camera 10 is acquired. That is, the minimum limit size data that can be used to push the touch points is acquired. For example, if the AF area frame 70 becomes too small according to the zoom, it is difficult to designate the movement of the AF area frame 70 with the fingertip. Therefore, the number of AF area frames 70 (for example, 5 × 5) within the angle of view in advance. When dividing, the limit size data of the touch area 72c having a distance (for example, about 0.5 mm) at which the interval between the divided areas is operable is recorded in the ROM in the CPU 32.

  In the next step S2, the angle of view information of the optical viewfinder is acquired, and in step S3, the lens information of the photographing lens 13 is acquired. That is, the field angle information at the wide end and the field angle information at the tele end of the photographing lens 13 are acquired. In step S4, the maximum size is determined by comparing the lens information with the angle of view information of the optical viewfinder. That is, the maximum size of the touch area 72 is defined when the angle of view at the wide end (shooting area) and the angle of view (field of view) of the optical viewfinder correspond to 1: 1.

  In the next step S5, it is determined whether or not the touch area is smaller than the limit size at the maximum zoom (tele end). If the determination result is affirmative (Yes), the process proceeds to step S6, where the touch area when zoomed to the telephoto end is set to the limit size (that is, the touch area is equal to or less than the limit size). 9), as shown in FIG. 9, the size of the touch area (touch area) at the time of intermediate zoom is corrected by a ratio that connects the maximum size and the limit size.

  After step S6, the process proceeds to step S7. On the other hand, if the determination result in step S5 is negative (No), the touch region enlargement correction is not necessary, and the process skips step S6 and proceeds to step S7. In this step S7, it is determined whether or not both the optical viewfinder and the electronic viewfinder of the viewfinder device 15 are used. If only one of the optical viewfinder and the electronic viewfinder is used, this processing is terminated. To do.

  When both the optical viewfinder and the electronic viewfinder are used, the process proceeds from step S7 to step S8, and the angle of view frame shown in FIG. 5 is determined from the lens information of the photographing lens 13 and the information of the optical viewfinder. 71 is displayed. In the next step S9, a touch area that allows a touch operation on the touch panel corresponding to the view angle frame 71 is set.

  In the next step S10, it is determined whether or not there is a touch panel operation. If the touch panel operation is “present”, it is determined whether or not the zoom operation of the taking lens 13 is performed in the next step S11. If the zoom operation is “present”, the process returns to step S9 to reset the touch area and perform the zoom operation. If “None” or touch panel operation “None”, this process ends.

  When the photographer is looking through the viewfinder device 15, it is impossible to see where the fingertip touches the touch panel. However, in the present embodiment, since the AF area frame 70 is displayed on the EVF 61 of the viewfinder device 15, the AF area frame 70 can be moved with high precision on the touch panel, and the photograph is taken with the wrong position in focus. There is no risk of doing so. Of course, it is also possible to display on the EVF 61 the position where the finger touches the touch panel as a pointer.

  As described above, when the touch panel is operated by blind touch, even when the photographic lens 13 is replaced and the photographic lens is zoomed, the shooter feels uncomfortable touch operation because the touch area is appropriately corrected as necessary. An accurate touch operation can be performed with an intuitive operation without feeling.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the movement operation of the AF area frame 70 is performed by a touch operation has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this operation. For example, in recent digital cameras, an operation of releasing a shutter is performed only by a gesture operation of stroking the touch panel in a predetermined direction. The above-described embodiment may also be applied to such an operation. Is possible.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the photographing lens 13 is zoomed, the field of view in the optical viewfinder is also zoomed by the movement of the zoom lenses 64a and 64b. When the photographic lens 13 is fixed rather than interchangeable, the zoom of the photographic lens 13 and the zoom of the field of view in the optical viewfinder are also designed to correspond to 1: 1. There is also a viewfinder (variable zoom viewfinder) in which the zoom in the optical viewfinder is not continuous but zoomed discontinuously. That is, there may be lens exchange in which the field angle of the subject optical image of the optical viewfinder does not match the shooting field angle through the shooting lens 13.

  FIG. 10A is a diagram showing the relationship between the zoom position of the OVF and the photographing frame of the photographing lens in such a combination of the photographing lens 13 and the finder device 15 of the variable magnification zoom finder. In the example shown in the figure, the zooming zoom is changed in two steps, and the change in the photographing frame size is different between the zoom range of pos0 to pos1 and the zoom range from pos1 to the tele end. Here, pos0 is the position of the movable start end of the movable range of the first variable magnification lens, and pos1 is the position of the movable end end of the movable range and the movable range start end of the second variable magnification lens. is there.

  Accordingly, when such a zoom zoom finder is used, the embodiment described in FIG. 9 is applied to each region pos0 to pos1, pos1 and beyond to the tele end, and as shown in FIG. If the touch area on the touch panel is not made smaller than the limit size every time, a gradual change occurs in the touch area at the position of pos1, that is, the boundary position between the two areas, and an uncomfortable feeling is generated in the touch operation.

  Therefore, when such a zooming zoom finder is used, as shown in the characteristic line 75, the touch area continuously and uniformly changes in the entire area (pos0 to tele end) as shown in FIG. And it is good to control so as not to be below the limit size.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for controlling the touch area described in FIG. The same steps in the processing procedure of FIG. 8 are given the same step numbers, and the description thereof is omitted. Only different steps will be described.

  This embodiment is different from the flowchart of FIG. 8 only in that steps S21 and S22 are provided between step S4 and step S5. In step S21, it is determined whether or not the finder device 15 mounted on the camera 10 is a variable magnification finder. If the finder device 15 is not a variable magnification finder, the process skips step S22 and proceeds to step S5.

  In the case of the magnification finder, the process proceeds from step S21 to step S22, and magnification area correction (processing for correcting the touch area of the touch panel according to the characteristic line 75 described in FIG. 11) is performed, and then the process proceeds to step S5.

  In this way, according to the embodiment of FIG. 12, since the control is performed so that the touch area size between zooming changes continuously, the size of the touch area does not change extremely even at the switching point of zooming. , Natural touch operation can be performed.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the interchangeable lens digital camera, the field of view of the optical image of the subject by the optical viewfinder (for example, pos0 in FIG. 13A) is obtained by combining the photographing lens 13 and the viewfinder device 15 as shown in FIG. (Field range of position) may be narrower than the imaging region at the wide end of the imaging lens.

  In such a case, as in the above-described embodiment, the touch area is corrected as indicated by the characteristic line 76 in FIG. 13B, and the maximum size of the touch area size is set to the OVF visual field range (the visual field at the position of pos0). If it is set to the same size as the (range) and the limit size is set at the telephoto end, there is a possibility that the AF area frame cannot be set properly when it is desired to focus on the peripheral area.

  Therefore, as shown by the characteristic line 77 in FIG. 14, when the touch area is set to the maximum size at the wide end and the limit size is set at the tele end, there is an advantage that the touch area size is within the range of the touch panel. At the zoom position, the difference 78 between the zoom area corresponding to 1: 1 between the OVF visual field range and the photographing area and the limit size is reduced, and it is necessary to operate within a narrow touch area. End up.

  Further, as indicated by a characteristic line 79 in FIG. 15, it is possible to control such that the maximum size is clipped in a range from the wide end of the photographing lens to pos0 (photographing region ≧ OVF visual field range). In this way, in the shooting area ≧ OVF visual field range, even if the movement amount operated with the finger on the touch panel is the same, the movement amount within the OVF becomes larger and more difficult to operate.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, in the region where the imaging region ≧ OVF visual field range, the touch region is corrected as indicated by the characteristic line 80 in FIG. That is, in the range from the wide end of the photographic lens to pos0, the touch area is the limit size at the wide end, and the touch area is the maximum size at the pos0 position. In the range from pos0 to the tele end, the touch area is set to the maximum size at the pos0 position, and the limit size is set at the tele end.

  As a result, even if the touch area size changes when the shooting area ≧ OVF visual field range, the touch area can be corrected so that the movement amount of the AF area frame in the finder does not change greatly, and the zoom position has changed. Even in this case, a natural touch operation can be performed.

  FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for implementing the above-described embodiment. Since only the point which added step S31, S32 between step S6 and step S7 with respect to the flowchart of embodiment of FIG. 12 differs, the same step number is attached | subjected to the same step, and the description is abbreviate | omitted, Only the different steps are described.

  In step S31, it is determined whether or not the shooting area ≧ the OVF visual field range. If the determination result is affirmative (Yes), the process proceeds to step S32, in which the touch area is set to a limit size at the wide end outside the OVF visual field range, that is, the size of the touch area depends on the zoom position. Then, the correction is made so that the characteristic line 80 in FIG. 16 is obtained, and the process proceeds to step S7. If the determination result of step S31 is negative (No), this correction is unnecessary, and the process proceeds to step S7.

  Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Depending on the combination of the finder device 15 mounted on the interchangeable lens camera body and the photographing lens 13, there may be a situation where the zoom magnification is large and camera shake is likely to occur. In such a case, the fingertip when performing a blind touch on the touch panel is not stable, and especially when the touch area is close to the limit size, the setting range of the AF area frame becomes severe, and the setting of the AF area frame can be performed stably. There is no possibility.

  As described above, it is difficult to accurately blindly touch the target position in the touch area in a situation where the field angle of view of the optical viewfinder that passes through the photographing lens 13 and the optical viewfinder that passes through the variable magnification lens fluctuates.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the presence / absence of camera shake is determined from the gyro sensor information, and when there is camera shake and the size of the touch area is close to the limit size, the process of enlarging the area of the touch area according to the shake amount I do. As shown in FIG. 18, the characteristic line 81 after the correction of the touch area size when there is no camera shake is corrected to the characteristic line 82 when there is a camera shake.

  Although the gyro sensor is not shown in FIG. 2, the gyro sensor may be fixed to the housing 11 of FIG. 1 and the detection signal may be taken in by the CPU 32 of FIG.

  FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of this embodiment. 8 is different from the flowchart of the embodiment of FIG. 8 only in that Steps S41 and S42 are inserted between Step S8 and Step S9. Therefore, the same processing steps as those in FIG. Only the differences will be explained.

  After the angle-of-view frame is displayed in the finder in step S8, the CPU 32 acquires gyro information in step S41. Then, in the next step S42, as shown in FIG. 18, the characteristic line 81 set in step S6 is corrected to a characteristic line 82. The extent to which the characteristic line 81 is shifted to the characteristic line 82 (enlarges the touch area) depends on the amount of camera shake detected by the gyro sensor, and the larger the camera shake, the larger the touch area. The upper limit of the shift amount, that is, the maximum value of the touch area is the maximum size determined in step S4.

  Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. As described above, in the embodiment of FIG. 19, the touch area is enlarged according to the amount of camera shake so that it is easy to touch. However, when the camera shake is extremely severe or when panning is performed, the touch area is enlarged. Then, since the amount of movement of the fingertip has to be increased further, it is difficult to hold the camera, and it may be difficult to control the AF area frame.

Therefore, when the amount of camera shake obtained from the gyro sensor exceeds a certain threshold,
Instead of enlarging the touch area, as shown in FIG. 20, the angle of view frame 71 corresponding to the touch area 72 is divided into a plurality of areas (area of 5 × 5 = 25 in the illustrated example) 83 to change the touch position. The movement direction, that is, the direction in which the fingertip is moved is analyzed, and the AF area frame 70 is moved to the divided area 83 in the direction in which the fingertip is moved.

  In the above-described fourth embodiment, the AF area frame 70 is arbitrarily moved according to the touch position. However, in this embodiment, since the AF area frame 70 is moved for each of the discrete divided areas 83, stable AF is possible when camera shake is severe. The area frame 83 can be set.

  FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the fifth embodiment. Since the flowchart is obtained by adding steps S43 to S49 in comparison with the processing procedure of FIG. 19, the same processing steps are denoted by the same step numbers and description thereof is omitted, and different steps will be mainly described.

  Similarly to the fourth embodiment, after obtaining the gyro information in step S41 and correcting the blur of the touch area size in step S42, it is determined in the next step S43 whether or not the blur amount is larger than the threshold value. If the amount of blur is equal to or less than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S44, the free area method (same as in the fourth embodiment) is selected, and the process proceeds to step S9 to set a touch area (touch area). If the blur amount is larger than the threshold value, the process proceeds to step S45, where the direction discrimination area selection method (the method described with reference to FIG. 20) is selected, and the process proceeds to step S9 to set the touch area.

  If it is determined in step S10 that the touch panel is operated, the process proceeds to step S46, and it is determined whether or not the direction determination area method is selected. If the determination result is negative, the process proceeds to step S49, where the area setting by the free area, that is, the AF area frame is set at the position touched in the touch area set in step S9, and the process proceeds to step S11.

  If it is determined in step S46 that the direction determination area method is selected, that is, if the determination result is affirmative (Yes), the process proceeds to step S47 to identify the moving direction of the fingertip, and in step S48, the fingertip is moved. The divided area 83 described with reference to FIG. 20 is selected as the AF area frame, and the process proceeds to step S11.

  According to the embodiment described above, when the camera shake is larger than the threshold value, the setting of the AF area frame is switched from the free setting state to the divided area selection control method, so that stable focus area frame setting can be realized.

  As described above, the image pickup apparatus and the control method thereof according to the embodiment are an optical viewfinder capable of observing a subject light image and a light image from a display image of the display device as a subject light image observed in the optical viewfinder. A finder having an electronic viewfinder to be superimposed, a photographic lens capable of changing a focal length, a solid-state imaging device that receives incident light from a subject through the photographic lens and outputs a picked-up image signal corresponding to the subject light image; In an imaging device including a touch panel for designating a position on a subject optical image observed by the optical viewfinder by a touch operation, the size of a touch area where the touch operation can be performed on the touch panel is reduced as the focal length increases. And the size of the touch area is a limit size that is the minimum limit for the touch operation. Characterized in that it comprises a control means for limiting the also reduced.

  Further, the control unit of the imaging apparatus according to the embodiment changes the size of the touch area so as to monotonously decrease with respect to the focal length between the maximum size of the touch area and the limit size. And

  The imaging apparatus according to the embodiment includes a scaling unit that changes the magnification of the optical finder in a stepwise manner according to the focal length, and the control unit does not depend on the magnification of the optical finder. The size of the touch area is changed so as to monotonously decrease in accordance with the focal length over a changeable range.

  Further, the control means of the imaging device of the embodiment, the range of the focal length in which the imaging region of the imaging lens is larger than the visual field range of the optical viewfinder, between the limit size and the maximum size, The size of the touch area is changed so as to monotonously increase with respect to the focal length.

  In addition, the imaging apparatus according to the embodiment includes a camera shake detection unit that detects a camera shake, and the control unit corrects the size of the touch area to be larger as the camera shake is larger.

  In addition, the imaging apparatus according to the embodiment includes a camera shake detection unit that detects camera shake, and a subject that is observed in the optical finder based on a position specified by the touch operation when the size of the camera shake is less than a threshold value. When an area on the optical image is determined and the size of the camera shake is equal to or greater than a threshold, at least one of the plurality of partial areas on the subject optical image is changed according to a change in position specified by the touch operation. And a region determining means for selecting.

  According to the embodiment described above, the photographer does not hinder the operation feeling when operating the touch panel by the blind touch operation while looking through the viewfinder, and can perform the touch operation intuitively.

  In the control method according to the present invention, when the touch area on the touch panel is changed according to the zoom magnification of the photographing lens, the size is not less than the limit size. It is possible to perform an intuitive touch operation without hindering the operation feeling of the camera, and it is useful when applied to a digital camera equipped with a viewfinder.

10 Digital camera (imaging device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Camera housing | casing 13 Interchangeable lens taking lens 14 Shutter button 15 Viewfinder device 16 Viewfinder window 17 Photographer side viewfinder viewing window 32 CPU
40 Liquid crystal display device 61 EVF with touch panel
62 Liquid crystal shutter 63 Half mirror 64a, 64b Variable magnification lens

Claims (7)

  The focal length can be changed with a viewfinder that has both an optical viewfinder that can observe the subject light image and an electronic viewfinder that superimposes the light image from the display image on the display device on the subject light image observed on the optical viewfinder. Touch the photographic lens, a solid-state image sensor that receives incident light from the subject through the photographic lens and outputs a picked-up image signal corresponding to the subject light image, and a position on the subject light image observed by the optical viewfinder The touch panel specified by the operation and the size of the touch area where the touch operation can be performed on the touch panel is changed to be smaller as the focal length is larger, and the size of the touch area is a minimum size that is the minimum limit for the touch operation. An image pickup apparatus comprising a control unit that restricts the size of the image pickup device from becoming smaller.   The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the size of the touch area so as to monotonously decrease with respect to the focal length between a maximum size of the touch area and the limit size. An imaging device.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a scaling unit that changes the magnification of the optical finder in a stepwise manner in accordance with the focal length, and the control unit includes the optical finder. An imaging apparatus that changes the size of the touch area so as to monotonously decrease in accordance with the focal length over a range in which the focal length can be changed regardless of magnification.   4. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit includes the limit size in a range of the focal length in which a photographing region of the photographing lens is larger than a visual field range of the optical finder. An imaging apparatus that changes a size of the touch area so as to monotonously increase with respect to the focal length between the maximum size and the maximum size.   5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a camera shake detection unit that detects a camera shake, wherein the control unit corrects the size of the touch region larger as the camera shake increases. Imaging device.   5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a hand shake detection unit detects a hand shake and a size of the hand shake is less than a threshold value, the position specified by the touch operation is set. And determining an area on the subject optical image to be observed in the optical viewfinder, and determining that at least one of the plurality of partial areas on the subject optical image is greater than the threshold when the magnitude of the camera shake is greater than a threshold value. An imaging apparatus comprising: an area determining unit that selects according to a change in position specified by the touch operation.   The focal length can be changed with a viewfinder that has both an optical viewfinder that can observe the subject light image and an electronic viewfinder that superimposes the light image from the display image on the display device on the subject light image observed on the optical viewfinder. Touch the photographic lens, a solid-state image sensor that receives incident light from the subject through the photographic lens and outputs a picked-up image signal corresponding to the subject light image, and a position on the subject light image observed by the optical viewfinder A method for controlling an imaging apparatus including a touch panel that is designated by an operation, wherein the size of a touch area on which a touch operation can be performed on the touch panel is reduced as the focal length increases, and the size of the touch area is Control method for imaging apparatus for limiting smaller than limit size which is minimum limit for touch operation

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