JP2015204578A - imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device capable of avoiding wasteful recording by temporarily recording only images in which a subject is in a desired range during continuous photographing, and recording only desired images.SOLUTION: An imaging device comprises: an imaging unit which continuously photographs subjects; a subject detection unit which detects the subjects continuously photographed by the imaging unit; a detection range control unit which controls a range in which the subjects are detected; a photographing start determination unit which starts photographing when the subjects are detected in the detection range; a recording unit which records a plurality of captured images of the photographing started on the basis of the determination by the photographing start determination unit; a moving image generation unit which reads the images stored in the storage unit to generate slow motion moving images; an image display unit which cyclically displays the moving images generated by the moving image generation unit; an image selection unit which selects at least one specific image from the moving images displayed in the image display unit; and a still image generation unit which reads the specific image selected by the image selection unit from the images stored in the storage unit to generate a still image.

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly to still image shooting control.

  Conventionally, when shooting a still image of a subject with large movement, the shutter button cannot be pressed at a desired timing, and a photo opportunity has been missed. In view of this, there is a method in which still images obtained by continuously shooting a subject are temporarily recorded, the still images are sequentially played back slowly, a desired image is selected while viewing the display, and a still image is generated.

  In the imaging apparatus described in Patent Document 1, when a still image is shot, a predetermined number of continuous still images are temporarily recorded when the shutter button is pressed halfway, and slow-motion moving image data is generated from the still images, and repeated. There has been proposed an apparatus that performs continuous display and records a frame as a still image when the shutter button is fully pressed when a desired scene comes.

JP 2013-110562 A

  However, with the conventional technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, since a predetermined number of still images are temporarily recorded, a desired still image cannot be obtained unless the subject is captured within the continuous shooting period.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus that can record only a desired image while avoiding useless recording by temporarily recording only an image in which a subject is in a desired range.

In order to achieve the above object, the configuration of the imaging apparatus according to the present invention is as follows.
An imaging unit that continuously shoots a subject, a subject detection unit that detects a subject continuously shot by the imaging unit, a detection range control unit that controls a range in which the subject is detected, and a subject that is detected within the detection range A shooting start determination unit that starts shooting,
A recording unit that records a plurality of captured images started by the determination of the imaging start determination unit, a moving image generation unit that reads out images recorded in the storage unit and generates a slow motion moving image, and An image display unit that circulates and displays the moving image generated by the moving image generation unit;
An image selection unit that selects at least one specific image from a moving image displayed on the image display unit, and a still image that generates the still image by reading the specific image selected by the image selection unit from the image in the storage unit A generation unit is provided.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an imaging apparatus capable of recording only a desired image while avoiding useless recording by temporarily recording only an image of a subject within a desired range.

It is a block diagram of an imaging device. It is a flowchart of a 1st Example which produces | generates a slow motion moving image and a still image. It is a flowchart of the 2nd Example which produces | generates a slow motion moving image and a still image. This is a detection range set within the shooting angle of view. FIG. 3 is a display image from temporary recording to creation of a slow motion video in Example 1. FIG. It is a display image from the temporary recording of Example 2 to creation of a slow motion moving image.

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

  A block diagram of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The imaging apparatus includes an objective lens 101, an imaging element 102, an analog signal processing unit 103, an image processing unit 104, a camera control unit 105, an operation unit 106, a face detection unit 107, a memory 108, and a moving image. A generation unit 109, a still image generation unit 110, a display unit 111, and a bus 112 are included.

  Here, the image processing unit 104, camera control unit 105, face detection unit 107, memory 108, moving image generation unit 109, still image generation unit 110, and display unit 111 are connected via a bus 112. The image sensor 102, the analog signal processing unit 103, and the operation unit 106 are connected to a camera control unit.

The objective lens 101 condenses the luminous flux to form a subject image on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 102.
The image sensor 102 is an image sensor such as a CCD that photoelectrically converts image light of a subject that has passed through the objective lens 101 into an analog image signal.

  The analog signal processing unit 103 performs signal processing such as CDS (correlated double sampling), gain adjustment, and A / D conversion on the analog image signal output from the image sensor 102 in response to an instruction from the camera control unit 105. The digital image signal subjected to signal processing is transferred to the image processing unit 104.

  The image processing unit 104 performs image processing such as white balance adjustment, interpolation, contour enhancement, gamma correction, and gradation conversion on the digital image signal processed by the analog signal processing unit 103 in accordance with an instruction from the camera control unit 105. The digital image signal subjected to the signal processing is stored in the memory 108.

  The memory 108 temporarily stores the digital image signal output from the image processing unit 104 or the digital image signal output from the display image processing unit 107. The memory 108 temporarily stores setting information created in the course of processing by the camera control unit 105.

  The operation unit 106 is a part where the user operates the camera from the outside, such as setting a shutter button, a focal length, and an aperture value.

  In response to an instruction from the operation unit 106, the camera control unit 105 performs overall control of the operation of each block in order to perform shooting.

  The face detection unit 107 specifies a detection range in accordance with an instruction from the camera control unit 105, and detects a face region from the specified range of the digital image processed by the image processing unit 104.

  The moving image generation unit 109 resizes the digital image signal processed by the image processing unit 104 to a moving image resolution in accordance with an instruction from the camera control unit 105 and a detection result from the face detection unit 107. Slow motion moving image data generated by performing moving image image processing and moving image compression processing is stored in the memory 108.

  The still image generation unit 110 generates a still image by performing image processing for still images and compression processing for still images on the digital image signal processed by the image processing unit 104 in accordance with an instruction from the camera control unit 105. The still image data to be stored is stored in the memory 108.

  The display unit 111 includes an LCD (liquid crystal display device) or the like, and receives and displays the digital image signal processed by the moving image generation unit 109 or the still image generation unit 110.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 2, a detailed flowchart for generating a slow motion moving image and a still image according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  First, in step S <b> 201, the camera control unit 105 determines whether the user has pressed the shutter button halfway through the operation unit 106. If the shutter button is half-pressed, the process proceeds to step S202. If the shutter button is not half-pressed, the process returns to START.

  Next, in step S <b> 202, the digital image signal subjected to the imaging process by the objective lens 101, the imaging device 102, the analog signal processing unit 103, and the image processing unit 104 is stored in the memory 108.

  Next, in step S203, the face detection unit 107 performs face detection within a detection range designated in advance by the user on the digital image signal stored in the memory. Here, with reference to FIG. 4, a detection range 401 set within the shooting angle of view is shown. Face detection is performed only within the frame of the detection range 401. In step S <b> 204, the camera control unit 105 determines the face detection result performed by the face detection unit 107. If a face is detected, the process proceeds to step S205. If no face is detected, the process returns to START.

  Next, in step S205, the digital image signal from which the face has been detected is temporarily stored in the memory 108 as an image for creating a slow motion moving image and a still image.

  In step S206, the camera control unit 105 determines whether the shutter button is half-pressed. If the half-press of the shutter button is maintained, the process proceeds to step S207. If the half-press of the shutter button is released, the digital image signal temporarily stored in the memory 108 is discarded and the process returns to the start.

  Next, in steps S207 and S208, processing similar to that in steps S202 and S203 described above is performed.

  In step S209, the camera control unit 105 determines whether the digital image signal temporarily stored in the memory 108 has reached a predetermined number. If the predetermined number has not been reached, the process proceeds to step S207. If the predetermined number has been reached, the process proceeds to step S211.

  Next, in step S211, the moving image generation unit 109 performs resizing processing for moving image resolution, moving image processing, and moving image processing on the digital image signal temporarily stored in the memory 108. Compression processing is performed to generate slow motion moving image data, which is stored in the memory 108.

  Next, in step S212, the display unit 111 repeatedly displays the slow motion moving image stored in the memory 108 on a display device such as an LCD. In this embodiment, the slow motion moving image is generated. However, the digital image signal temporarily stored in the memory 108 may be sequentially displayed in the order of the photographing times.

  In step S213, the camera control unit 105 determines whether the shutter button has been fully pressed. If the shutter button is not fully depressed, the process proceeds to step S214. If the shutter button is fully depressed, the process proceeds to step S215.

  In step S214, the camera control unit 105 determines whether the shutter button is half-pressed. If the half-press of the shutter button is maintained, the process proceeds to step S212. If the half-press of the shutter button is released, the digital image signal temporarily stored in the memory 108 is discarded, and the process returns to START.

  Next, in step S215, the still image generation unit 110 performs still image processing and still image processing on the digital image signal temporarily stored in the memory 108 corresponding to the displayed frame image. Compression processing is performed to generate still image data, which is stored in the memory 108.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 5, display images from the temporary recording of Example 1 to the creation of a slow motion video are shown. Images 502 to 505 are LiveView images displayed on the LCD.

  In the image 502, the subject is outside the detection range 501. At this time, the user presses the shutter button halfway, but no face is detected in the detection range 501, so the temporary recording is not performed. In the image 503, the subject enters the detection range 501, and the image 503 is temporarily recorded. Also in the image 504, the subject is in the detection range 501, and the image 504 is temporarily recorded.

  In the image 505, the subject is outside the detection range 501, but is within the predetermined number, so the image 505 is temporarily recorded. Here, assuming that the predetermined number is three, a slow motion moving image is generated with three images 503 to 505. In the slow motion video, the images 513 to 515 are repeatedly displayed in order. During slow motion video playback, the image when the user presses the shutter button fully is recorded as still image data.

  According to this embodiment, temporary recording is started after the subject is within a desired range, and recording is continued until a predetermined number of images are created, and a slow motion video is created, so that the user can obtain a desired image without losing a photo opportunity. Images can be selected.

  Hereinafter, a detailed flowchart for generating a slow motion moving image and a still image according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The processing in steps S301 to S306 in FIG. 3 is the same as that in steps S201 to S206 in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment.

  In step S307, the camera control unit 105 determines whether the digital image signal temporarily stored in the memory 108 has reached a predetermined number. If the predetermined number has not been reached, the process proceeds to step S308. If the predetermined number has been reached, the process proceeds to step S311.

  Next, in steps S308 and S309, the same processing as in steps S202 and S203 described above is performed.

  Next, in step S310, the same process as in step S204 is performed. If a face is detected, the process proceeds to step S305. If no face is detected, the process proceeds to step S311. The processing from step S311 to S315 is the same as that from step S211 to S215 in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 6, display images from the temporary recording of Example 2 to the creation of a slow motion video are shown. Images 602 to 605 are LiveView images displayed on the LCD.

  In the image 602, the subject is outside the detection range 601. At this time, the user presses the shutter button halfway, but since no face is detected in the detection range 601, no temporary recording is performed. In the image 603, the subject enters the detection range 601, and the image 503 is temporarily recorded. Also in the image 604, the subject is in the detection range 601 and the image 604 is temporarily recorded.

  In the image 605, since the subject is outside the detection range 501, the image 605 is not temporarily recorded. Here, a slow motion video is generated with two images 603 to 604. In the slow motion video, the image 613 to the image 614 are sequentially displayed repeatedly. During slow motion video playback, the image when the user presses the shutter button fully is recorded as still image data.

  According to this embodiment, only an image in which a subject is in a desired range is temporarily recorded, and a slow motion video is created, so that unnecessary recording can be avoided and a user can efficiently select a desired image. Can do.

101 objective lens, 102 imaging device, 103 analog signal processing unit,
104 image processing unit, 105 camera control unit, 106 operation unit, 107 face detection unit,
108 memory, 109 moving image generation unit, 110 still image generation unit, 111 display unit,
112 Bus

Claims (3)

An imaging unit that continuously shoots the subject;
A subject detection unit for detecting a subject continuously shot by the imaging unit;
A detection range control unit for controlling a range for detecting the subject;
A shooting start determination unit that starts shooting when a subject is detected within the detection range;
A recording unit that records a plurality of captured images of the shooting started by the determination of the shooting start determination unit;
A moving image generation unit that reads an image recorded in the storage unit and generates a slow motion moving image;
An image display unit that circulates and displays the moving image generated by the moving image generation unit;
An image selection unit for selecting at least one specific image from the moving images displayed on the image display unit;
A still image generation unit that reads the specific image selected by the image selection unit from the image of the storage unit and generates a still image;
An imaging apparatus comprising: The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging determination unit further includes an imaging end determination unit that ends imaging when the subject is no longer detected within the detection range. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving image generation unit generates a slide show image for sequentially displaying still images in the order of shooting.