JP2013106152A - Imaging apparatus, control method of the same, program and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus for reducing image-shake by reducing waste of a memory and increasing the number of imaging possible images in composite imaging for combining a plurality of captured images and generating an image from which the image-shake is reduced.SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus includes: first imaging means for imaging a first image with a first imaging object as an object of imaging; second imaging means for imaging a second image with a second imaging object as the object of imaging; storage means for securing a prescribed capacity of regions for storing the first and second images; determining means for determining whether the first imaging object is included in the first image or not; first composite means for combining a plurality of second images and generating a first composite image; and control means for controlling the storage means so that the region which stores the first image in the storage means can be used as the region which stores the second image when the first imaging object is determined to be not included in the first image as the result of determination by the determining means.

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus capable of composite photographing.

  As a technique for reducing image blur, there is a composite photographing function in which photographing specialized for one or more different subjects is performed at least once, and the obtained images are combined to create one image. For example, in Patent Document 1, in night scene portrait photography, a person is photographed one or more times by strobe photography, a background is photographed one or more times by non-strobe photography, and the obtained images are synthesized to compose a night scene portrait. A method for creating an image is described.

JP 2010-114566 A

  When performing the above-described composite shooting, the background image often has low luminance in a single shooting, so the user is forced to shoot for a long time, and it is difficult to perform handheld shooting. Here, according to the method of shooting and combining a plurality of images, the shutter time can be divided by the number of shots when shooting a background image. Therefore, the larger the number of shots, the more shutter speed is required for the user. Sometimes a margin is created, and the ease of blurring is reduced.

  However, in order to synthesize images, a memory for holding a plurality of images is necessary. However, the number of shots cannot be increased indefinitely, and images for people and backgrounds are held. If necessary, the number of shots becomes more severe.

  By the way, in the above-mentioned patent document 1, it is a specification that always synthesizes a strobe image and a non-strobe image. In this case, it is effective if the result of flash photography is good, but even if there are no people in the flash photography image or in the case of a failure image such as out of focus, the same number of shots is always used for the background. An image is taken and a composite image is created.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the waste of memory and increase the number of images that can be shot in composite shooting in which a plurality of shot images are combined to create an image with reduced image blur. This is to realize an imaging device that contributes to reduction of image blur.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a first imaging unit that captures a first image with a first imaging object as an imaging object, and a second imaging object. A second photographing means for photographing a second image to be photographed, a storage means in which an area for storing the first and second images is ensured in a predetermined capacity, and the first image Determination means for determining whether or not the first imaging target is included, first synthesis means for generating a first composite image by combining a plurality of the second images, and determination by the determination means As a result, when it is determined that the first image capturing target is not included in the first image, an area for storing the first image in the storage unit is set as an area for storing the second image. Control means for controlling the storage means so as to be usable. And butterflies.

  According to the present invention, in composite shooting in which a plurality of shot images are combined to create an image with reduced image blur, it is possible to reduce image blur by reducing memory waste and increasing the number of shots that can be shot. An imaging device can be realized.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing a composite shooting process of the present embodiment. The flowchart which shows the handheld imaging | photography process of this embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail. The embodiment described below is an example for realizing the present invention, and should be appropriately modified or changed according to the configuration and various conditions of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied. It is not limited to the embodiment. Moreover, you may comprise combining suitably one part of each embodiment mentioned later.

  <Apparatus Configuration> With reference to FIG. 1, the configuration of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In FIG. 1, a photographic lens 101 includes a zoom lens and a focus lens, and is incorporated in or removable from the camera body as a lens unit. The AF (autofocus) drive circuit 102 includes, for example, a DC motor or a stepping motor, and focuses by changing the focus lens position in accordance with a control command from the microcomputer 123.

  Reference numeral 103 denotes an aperture, and the aperture drive circuit 104 drives the aperture 103 in accordance with a control command from the microcomputer 123, and the aperture value is changed. The optical aperture value of the aperture 103 is calculated by the microcomputer 123.

  The main mirror 105 switches the optical path for guiding the light beam incident from the photographing lens 101 to the finder side or the image sensor side. The main mirror 105 is always urged so as to be in the mirror down position for guiding the light beam to the viewfinder side, but at the time of shooting or live view display, the main mirror 105 jumps upward so as to guide the light beam to the image sensor side and from the optical axis. It changes to the saved mirror up position. The main mirror 105 is a half mirror so that the central part can transmit a part of the light beam, and a part of the light beam is incident on an AF sensor for focus detection. Note that the AF sensor is disposed in the focus detection circuit 109.

  The sub mirror 106 reflects the light beam transmitted from the main mirror 105 to the AF sensor side.

  The mirror drive circuit 107 drives the main mirror 105 to the mirror up position in accordance with a control command from the microcomputer 123.

  Reference numeral 108 denotes a pentaprism that constitutes a finder, and a light beam reflected by the main mirror 105 is incident and guided to the finder. The finder includes a focus plate, an eyepiece lens (not shown) and the like in addition to the pentaprism 108.

  The focus detection circuit 109 receives the light beam transmitted through the main mirror 105 and reflected by the sub mirror 106, and performs photoelectric conversion by the AF sensor in the focus detection circuit 109. The microcomputer 123 calculates the defocus amount used for AF processing from the output of the AF sensor, evaluates the calculation result, outputs a control command to the AF driving circuit 102, and drives the focus lens.

  Reference numeral 110 denotes a focal plane shutter, and a shutter drive circuit 111 drives the focal plane shutter 110 at a shutter speed according to a control command from the microcomputer 123.

  The image sensor 112 is equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and photoelectrically converts the subject image formed by the photographing lens 101 to generate an analog image signal.

  The AD converter 115 converts the analog image signal output from the image sensor 112 into a digital signal and outputs the digital signal to the video signal processing circuit 116.

  The video signal processing circuit 116 is realized by a logic device such as a gate array. The video signal processing circuit 116 performs image processing to be described later on the digital image signal from the AD converter 115 or the image data read from the memory 120.

  The display driving circuit 117 drives the display member 118 using a TFT, an organic EL, or the like according to the image signal output from the video signal processing circuit 116, and draws an image.

  The memory controller 119 writes and reads image data between the memory 120 and the buffer memory 122 and the video signal processing circuit 116. The memory controller 119 can be connected to a computer or the like via an external IF (interface) 121.

  The video signal processing circuit 116 performs filter processing, color conversion processing, and gamma processing on the digital image signal, creates development data, performs compression processing such as JPEG, and outputs the data to the memory controller 119. In addition, the video signal processing circuit 116 performs addition of two or more development data on the buffer memory 122, generation of high-precision data in which gradation is increased from the development data, and both processes at the same time. The result can be written back to the buffer memory 122. Further, the video signal processing circuit 116 can output an analog image signal from the image sensor 112 and an image signal read out via the memory controller 119 to the display member 118 via the display driving circuit 117. Switching of these functions is controlled by the microcomputer 123.

  Furthermore, the video signal processing circuit 116 calculates information such as exposure and white balance using the image signal from the imaging sensor 112 as necessary, and outputs the calculation result to the microcomputer 123. The microcomputer 123 performs white balance and gain adjustment based on the calculation result.

  At the time of continuous shooting, an image signal is temporarily stored as an unprocessed image in the buffer memory 122, an unprocessed image signal is read out via the memory controller 119, and image processing or compression processing is performed by the video signal processing circuit 116. The number of continuous shots depends on the capacity of the buffer memory 122.

  The memory controller 119 stores the unprocessed digital image signal input from the video signal processing circuit 116 in the buffer memory 122 and stores the processed digital image signal in the memory 120. Further, the memory controller 119 outputs the image data read from the buffer memory 122 or the memory 120 to the video signal processing circuit 116.

  The memory 120 may be removable from the apparatus main body.

  Further, the memory controller 119 can output the image data stored in the memory 120 via the external IF 121 to an external device such as a computer.

  The operation member 124 includes a button and a dial for receiving a user operation, and a menu screen displayed on the display member 118. The microcomputer 123 controls each part according to the state change of the operation member 124.

  In addition, the operation member 124 includes a switch 125 (SW1) and a switch 126 (SW2) that are turned on and off by operating the release button.

  When the release button is half-pressed, only the switch SW1 is turned on, and AF operation and photometry operation are performed in this state. When the release button is fully pressed, the switches SW1 and SW2 are both turned on, and in this state, an image is captured and recorded. Further, a continuous shooting operation is performed while the switches SW1 and SW2 are kept on.

  The operation member 124 includes a main switch, a card cover, a battery cover, a shooting mode dial, an ISO setting button, a menu button, a set button, a flash setting button, a single shooting / continuous shooting / self-timer switching button, a menu and playback. Move + (plus) button, move-(minus) button, exposure compensation button, display image enlargement button, display image reduction button, playback switch, aperture button, erase button, information display button for shooting and playback, etc. including.

  In addition, the functions of the plus button and the minus button can be more easily selected with numerical values and functions by mounting a rotary dial.

  Note that the settings relating to shooting according to the present invention can be set by selecting “Yes” or “No” for flash shooting using flash emission from the menu display.

  The liquid crystal driving circuit 127 drives the external liquid crystal display member 128 and the in-finder liquid crystal display member 129 in accordance with a display command from the microcomputer 123, and displays an operation state, a message, and the like including characters and images. A backlight such as an LED is disposed on the in-viewfinder liquid crystal display member 129, and the LED is also driven by the liquid crystal driving circuit 127.

  The microcomputer 123 calculates the remaining shootable number after confirming the memory capacity via the memory controller 119 based on the predicted image size according to the ISO sensitivity, image size, and image quality set before shooting. be able to. Further, it can be displayed on the external liquid crystal display member 128 and the in-finder liquid crystal display member 129 as necessary.

  The nonvolatile memory 130 is an electrically erasable / recordable storage medium such as an EEPROM. The nonvolatile memory 130 stores constants, programs, and the like for operating the microcomputer 123. Here, the program includes a program for executing processing of a flowchart described later.

  The microcomputer 123 controls the entire camera 100. By executing the program stored in the non-volatile memory 130, the entire camera is controlled, and the processing of this embodiment described later is realized.

  The power supply unit 131 supplies power necessary for each IC and drive system.

  The strobe 132 is built in or removable from the camera body as a light emitting means, and emits light at a predetermined shutter release timing during strobe shooting.

  <Composite Shooting Process> Next, the composite shooting process of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 to be described later are realized by the microcomputer 123 developing and executing a program stored in the nonvolatile memory 130 in a work area of a volatile memory such as a RAM.

  In FIG. 2, the microcomputer 123 performs an exposure (AE) calculation corresponding to the number of shots and the shooting mode for the first and second shooting targets (S200), and the AE centering on the shutter speed for each shooting. Determine shooting parameters such as parameters.

  Next, the microcomputer 123 determines whether or not the switch SW2 is on (S201). If the switch SW2 is on, the microcomputer 123 determines whether or not the additional function for the first imaging target is permitted (S202). The additional function means a function which is attached to a camera body such as a strobe or a lens and additionally functions.

  On the other hand, if the switch SW2 is not on in step S202, the microcomputer 123 periodically performs a photometric operation, and repeats the AE calculation based on the result.

  If the additional function is permitted in step S202, the microcomputer 123 determines whether or not it is in a state where an imaging result can be obtained on a regular basis in real time as in live view display (S203). If the imaging result is obtained, the first imaging target is detected from the imaging result (S204), and it is determined whether the first imaging target is detected (S204). S205).

  Further, if the imaging result is not constantly obtained as in the live view display in step S203, the microcomputer 123 captures the first image with the first imaging target as the imaging target at least once. A photographing process for photographing (first photographing process) is executed (S206).

  In step S207, when shooting is performed, the microcomputer 123 acquires the storage area of the buffer memory 122 in order to secure a predetermined capacity for the storage area of the shooting data (S207), and writes the first image data to the buffer memory 122 (step S207). S208).

  Next, the microcomputer 123 determines whether or not the additional function at the time of shooting is normal (S209). If the microcomputer 123 operates normally, the microcomputer 123 performs a first shooting target detection process on the first image data ( S210), it is determined whether or not the first imaging target is detected (S211). If the first shooting target is detected, the microcomputer 123 determines whether shooting of the first shooting target has been completed for the number of shots (S212). If shooting has been completed, an image composition process for combining a plurality of pieces of first image data for the number of shots is executed (S213). If shooting has not been completed, the process returns to shooting of the first shooting target again (S213). S206). If the number of shots of the first shooting target is 1, the image composition process is not executed in S213, and the process returns to S206.

  On the other hand, if the additional function of the first image capturing target is prohibited (NO in S202), the first image capturing target is obtained from the image capturing result that has already been obtained in a steady manner, such as live view display, before the image capturing of the first image capturing target. If the additional function is not operating normally (NO in S209), if the first imaging target cannot be detected from the imaging data (NO in S211), the microcomputer 123 is detected. Determines that the first shooting target result is not good, returns the memory acquired at the time of shooting of the first shooting target (S214), and takes the first shooting target for the number of shots of the second shooting target. The number of images is added (S215), and the second AE parameter for shooting is recalculated in accordance with the added number of images (S216).

  When the recalculation of the shooting AE parameter is completed or the synthesis process of the first shooting target is completed in step S216, the microcomputer 123 takes the second image whose shooting target is the second shooting target at least once. The photographing process to be performed (second photographing process) is started (S217).

  In step S218, when shooting is performed, the microcomputer 123 acquires the storage area of the buffer memory 122 to secure a predetermined capacity of the storage area of the shooting data (S218), holds the shooting data in the memory (S219), and It is determined whether or not the shooting of the second shooting target is completed for the number of shots (S220). If shooting has been completed, a first combining process for combining a plurality of second shooting target shooting data for the number of shots is executed (S221). If shooting has not been completed, the second shooting target is again performed. (S217).

  When shooting of the second shooting target is completed, the microcomputer 123 combines the first combined image data obtained by combining the first shooting target and the second combined image data obtained by combining the second shooting target. Processing (second synthesis processing) is executed (S222). Then, the microcomputer 123 performs development processing on the third composite image data generated by the total composition processing (S223), and ends this processing.

  FIG. 3 shows processing when the image composition processing of FIG. 2 is applied to night scene shooting by hand-held shooting. In FIG. 2, the first shooting target is a main subject such as a person or a stationary object, the second shooting target is a background such as a night view, an additional function is a flash shooting function, a first shooting target is flash shooting, What is necessary is just to read 2 photography object into non-strobe photography.

  Specifically, in FIG. 3, the microcomputer 123 performs AE calculation corresponding to the number of shots and the shooting mode for the main subject and its background (S300), and sets the AE parameter centered on the shutter speed for each shooting. To decide.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the switch SW2 is on (S301). If the switch SW2 is on, it is determined whether or not the strobe function is permitted (S302). If the strobe function is permitted, it is determined whether or not the live view is being displayed (S303), the main subject is detected from the imaging result (S304), and it is determined whether or not the main subject is being detected (S304). S305).

  If the main subject has been detected in step S305, the microcomputer 123 performs strobe shooting for the main subject (S306). When shooting is performed, the storage area of the buffer memory 122 is acquired in order to secure a predetermined capacity of the storage area for shooting data (S307), the shooting data is stored in the memory (S308), and the strobe at the time of shooting is emitted normally. (S309).

  If the light is emitted normally in step S309, the microcomputer 123 performs main subject detection processing on the photographing data (S310), and determines whether or not the main subject has been detected (S311).

  If the strobe function is prohibited, the non-live view is displayed, the strobe is not firing normally, or the main subject is not detected, the microcomputer 123 determines that the main subject target shooting result is not good, The memory acquired at the time of photographing the subject is returned (S312). The microcomputer 123 adds the number of strobes for main subject shooting to the scheduled number of non-strobe shooting for background shooting (S313), and sets the AE parameter for non-strobe shooting for background shooting according to the added number. Recalculation is performed (S314).

  Next, the microcomputer 123 starts non-strobe shooting for background shooting (S315). When shooting is performed, the storage area of the buffer memory 122 is acquired in order to secure a predetermined capacity for the storage area of the shooting data (S316), the shooting data is held in the memory (S317), and the non-strobe shooting is completed for the predetermined number of shots. It is determined whether or not (S318). If shooting has been completed, the microcomputer 123 performs processing for combining the shooting data acquired by non-strobe shooting (S319), and combines the strobe shooting data for main subject shooting and the combined data of non-strobe shooting for background shooting. A total synthesis process to be synthesized is executed (S320). Then, the microcomputer 123 performs development processing on the combined data generated by the total combining processing (S321), and ends this processing.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the strobe does not operate normally or when the first photographing target is not detected, the image obtained by photographing the first photographing target is discarded from the memory, and the second photographing is performed. Control the image so that it can be used to store the captured image. In this way, by reducing the number of shootings of the first shooting target (strobe shooting) as much as possible to reduce memory waste and increasing the number of shots of the second shooting target (non-flash shooting). A composite image with reduced image blur is obtained.

  In the present embodiment, a strobe is used as the light emitting means used when photographing the first photographing object such as a person or a stationary object. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamp, etc. Any device can be used as long as it can emit light to assist shooting.

  [Other Embodiments] The present invention is also realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code. It is processing to do. In this case, the program and the storage medium storing the program constitute the present invention.

Claims (11)

First imaging means for imaging a first image with the first imaging object as the imaging object;
A second photographing means for photographing a second image having the second photographing target as a photographing target;
Storage means in which an area for storing the first and second images is secured in a predetermined capacity;
Determination means for determining whether or not the first imaging object is included in the first image;
First combining means for combining a plurality of the second images to generate a first combined image;
As a result of the determination by the determination unit, when it is determined that the first imaging target is not included in the first image, an area for storing the first image in the storage unit is set as the second image. An image pickup apparatus comprising: control means for controlling the storage means so that the storage means can be used as an area for storing information.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second combining unit configured to combine the first image and the first combined image to generate a second combined image. A third combining unit configured to combine a plurality of the first images to generate a third combined image;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second synthesizing unit that synthesizes the third synthesized image and the first synthesized image to generate a second synthesized image.   The first photographing unit has a function of photographing an image of the first photographing target using a light emitting unit, and the second photographing unit does not use the light emitting unit and the second photographing target. 4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus has a function of taking an image.   5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first imaging target is a person or a stationary object, and the second imaging target is a background thereof. 6.   When the determination unit determines that the first shooting target is not included in the image acquired by the first shooting unit during live view display by the determination unit, the first image in the storage unit The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit is controlled so that an area for storing the image can be used as an area for storing the second image.   The control means is configured such that light emission of the light emitting means is prohibited, light emission of the light emitting means is prohibited when the first photographing means photographs the first photographing object, or the light emitting means. The storage means is controlled so that the area for storing the first image in the storage means can be used as the area for storing the second image. The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein   In the second photographing unit, the storage unit is controlled by the control unit so that an area in the storage unit that stores the first image can be used as an area in which the second image is stored. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging parameter is changed in accordance with the imaging parameter. An imaging apparatus control method comprising: an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject and outputs an image; and a storage unit in which an area for storing the image has a predetermined capacity.
A first imaging step in which the imaging means captures a first image with the first imaging target as an imaging target;
A second imaging step in which the imaging means captures a second image with the second imaging target as an imaging target;
A determination step of determining whether or not the first imaging object is included in the first image;
A first combining step of combining a plurality of the second images to generate a first combined image;
As a result of the determination in the determination step, when it is determined that the first imaging target is not included in the first image, an area for storing the first image in the storage unit is the second image. And a control step of controlling the storage means so that it can be used as an area for storing the image.   A program that causes a computer to function as each unit of the imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.   A storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to function as each unit of the imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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