JP2019139032A - Imaging system and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an imaging system capable of emitting light optimally even when an illuminated condition of an object to be imaged by an imaging device is changed during the traveling of a moving body having light emission means.SOLUTION: When the imaging device detects a change in an illuminated condition of a main object during traveling of a moving body having light emission means (S105), an imaging device notifies the object of a place as a moving destination where the moving body can perform optimal illumination (S108), and the moving body moves to the moving destination (S123-S124) to perform illumination (S125).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

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

  A light emitting device that can automatically follow the subject of the camera even when the position of the camera is freely changed by automatically following the direction of the strobe device that is the light emitting device to the subject of the camera that is the imaging device And cameras have been proposed.

  Patent Document 1 obtains the distance from the in-focus distance during AF (Auto Focus) of the camera to the subject, and obtains the distance between the camera and the strobe by a built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) or the like. The strobe light emission direction is calculated geometrically from these distance information, and the orientation of the strobe device automatically follows the subject of the camera so that the strobe orientation can be adjusted even when the camera position is freely changed. It can follow the subject of the camera.

JP 2010-48877 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, since optimal light emission is realized in cooperation with an external strobe that does not move by itself, it is necessary to arrange the external strobe in an optimal position for photographing a subject with a camera in advance. . For this reason, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, a range in which the camera can capture an appropriate light emission from an external strobe and can be photographed is greatly limited.

  In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging system capable of realizing optimal light emission by moving a movable light emitting device to an optimal light emission position.

  An imaging apparatus having an imaging means and a communication means, a moving body having an illumination means and a communication means, and an imaging system in which the moving body moves and illuminates in response to an instruction from the imaging device via the communication means. When the imaging device detects a change in the illumination condition of the subject during the movement of the moving body, the imaging device sets a place where the moving body can emit light optimally for the subject as a moving destination, By notifying the moving body of the moving destination, the moving body moves toward the moving destination.

  Even when the illumination condition of the subject changes during movement of the moving body, it is possible to perform appropriate light emission by moving the moving body to the optimal light emission position.

It is a figure which shows the example of the operation processing flow of the imaging device and movable light-emitting device of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the imaging device of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the external appearance of the imaging device of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the operation processing flow of the to-be-illuminated condition analysis of the main subject of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the moving body of this embodiment. It is a figure showing a state when the to-be-illuminated conditions of the main subject change during the movement of the moving body of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the operation processing flow of the imaging device and movable light-emitting device of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the operation processing flow of the imaging device and movable light-emitting device of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the operation processing flow of the imaging device and movable light-emitting device of the 4th Embodiment of this invention.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment. An example in which a digital camera is applied will be described below as an example of the imaging apparatus illustrated in FIG. The imaging apparatus 200 includes a lens barrel 201, a motor driver 207, an AFE (Analog Front End) 208, an SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) 209, and a flash memory 210. The imaging apparatus 200 includes a nonvolatile memory 211, a card connector 212, a bus signal line 213, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 214, an audio CODEC (Coder / Decoder) 215, a microphone 216, and a speaker 217. The CPU 214 controls the entire imaging apparatus 200. The imaging apparatus 200 includes a video encoder 218, a video amplifier 219, a liquid crystal panel driver 220, a liquid crystal panel 221, an operation switch 222, and an external connection terminal 223.

  The lens barrel 201 includes a focusing motor 202, a lens group 203, a zoom motor 204, an aperture 205, and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 206. The lens group 203 includes a plurality of lenses. Light from the subject enters from the lens group 203 and reaches the CCD 206 through the stop 205. A focusing motor 202 translates a focusing lens (not shown) included in a lens group 203 arranged in parallel with the light receiving surface of the CCD 206. As a result, the distance between the focusing lens and the CCD 206 is adjusted, and a subject image is formed on the CCD 206. This is a focus detection operation, and this processing is automatically performed by AF (Auto Focus) which is an automatic focus detection operation.

  The zoom motor 202 can adjust the focal length of the subject imaged on the CCD 206 by changing the lens position of each lens group 203 provided in the lens barrel 201 and the distance between the lenses. The rotation speed of the zoom motor 202 is read by a photo interrupter (not shown). Thereby, the position where the lens group 203 exists can be recognized. The zoom motor 202 can control the number of rotations by a motor driver 207, and can move the lens group 203 to a desired position. Since the amount of incident light and the angle of light incident on the lens group 203 change depending on the distance and angle between the imaging device and the subject, a focus detection operation is required to adjust the distance between the lens group 203 and the CCD 206 each time shooting is performed. become.

  The iris motor (not shown) is a motor that controls the diaphragm 205. The iris motor controls the aperture diameter of the diaphragm 205 in accordance with the brightness of the subject, so that the amount of light incident on the CCD 206 is controlled, and shooting with optimum exposure can be performed.

  Photoelectric conversion is performed on the subject image formed on the CCD 206, and a charge amount proportional to the amount of light obtained by each pixel of the CCD 206 is obtained. A large charge amount is obtained for a bright portion of the subject image, and a charge amount of a dark portion of the subject image is small. That is, the density of the subject image can be obtained as a difference in charge amount. The CCD 206 is composed of millions of pixels to tens of millions of pixels, and a micro lens and a color filter are arranged in each pixel. By arranging the red, green, and blue color filters, it is possible to obtain the incident light amounts of the three primary colors, and as a result, it is possible to obtain a full color image. The charge from the CCD 206 is input to the AFE 208 through a wiring pattern (not shown) on the printed board.

  The AFE 208 includes analogs such as a CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) circuit (not shown) for removing fixed pattern noise generated in the CCD 206, and an A / D conversion circuit (not shown) for analog-digital conversion of signals from the CCD 206. A signal processing circuit is incorporated. In addition, the AFE 208 incorporates a TG (Timing Generator) circuit (not shown) that generates a timing signal for reading an electrical signal from the CCD 206. This TG circuit generates a timing signal for controlling the CCD 206. Charge is transferred from the CCD 206 to the AFE 208 in accordance with the generated timing signal.

  The CDS circuit performs noise component reduction processing on the read charges. Then, the A / D conversion circuit converts the charge amount that is an analog signal into a digital signal. The converted digital signal is temporarily stored in the SDRAM 209 which is a device capable of high-speed transmission / reception via the bus signal line 213. Then, the temporarily accumulated digital signal is sequentially read from the SDRAM 209 to the CPU 214, and various image processing such as edge enhancement, noise removal, and white balance is performed. The image data that has undergone various types of image processing is large-capacity data of about several megabytes. The image data is stored in the nonvolatile memory 211 or the like that can be inserted into the flash memory 210 or the card connector 212 after image compression processing by the JPEG method or the like.

  By storing image data in the portable non-volatile memory 211, it is possible to read an image captured by the imaging apparatus 200 with another device such as a personal computer or a printer. As a result, it is possible to browse images on a large-screen display, or print them out on photographic paper and browse them as photos. As described above, in addition to image output via the non-volatile memory 211, in the case of an imaging apparatus including the liquid crystal panel 221 that is a liquid crystal display unit, a captured image is immediately captured via the liquid crystal panel driver 220. This can be confirmed on the screen of the liquid crystal panel 221.

  Since the liquid crystal panel 221 is built in the imaging device 200, the liquid crystal panel 221 is often small and has a low resolution, and it may be difficult for a plurality of people to view images simultaneously. For this reason, the imaging apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 2 has a video encoder 218 and a video amplifier 219 mounted therein. The imaging device may output an image to an external monitor (not shown) via an external display device connection terminal (not shown). Since the external monitor has a large screen and excellent resolution compared to the liquid crystal panel 221, it can sufficiently express the resolution of the image of a digital camera with an increased number of pixels, and the user can display images together with many people. You can also enjoy browsing.

  A power control IC (Integrated Circuit) 224 receives power from the power source 225 under the control of the CPU 214 and supplies power to each circuit of the imaging apparatus.

  The strobe 226 has a light emitting unit (not shown) and emits light at an appropriate timing under the control of the CPU 214. The light emitting unit uses a xenon tube or an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and when the imaging apparatus 200 performs still image shooting in a dark environment, the light emitting unit emits light simultaneously with shooting to perform still image shooting with an appropriate exposure amount. Can do. In addition, when an LED is used for the light emitting unit, it can be lit for a long time by controlling the light emission amount, and thus can be used as auxiliary light at the time of moving image shooting. When the imaging apparatus 200 performs moving image shooting in a dark environment, a moving image with proper exposure can be obtained by continuously lighting the LED with auxiliary light as auxiliary light.

  The communication unit 227 performs wireless communication with another electronic device having a communication unit, and can exchange information wirelessly with another electronic device that is remote from the imaging device.

  The CPU 214 controls the entire imaging apparatus 200. Note that an operation switch 222 and an external connection terminal 223 are also connected to the CPU 214. The control of the imaging apparatus of the present embodiment is realized by the function of the processing unit included in the imaging apparatus 200 illustrated in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the video / audio processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. An example in which a digital camera is applied will be described below as an example of the imaging apparatus illustrated in FIG.

  FIG. 3A shows a front perspective view of the imaging apparatus 200 shown in FIG. FIG. 3B is a rear perspective view of the imaging device shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3A, the imaging device 200 includes a lens barrel 201, an external connection terminal 223, a release switch 301, a zoom lever 302, a power switch 303, and a strobe 226. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the imaging device 200 includes a mode switch 306 in addition to the liquid crystal panel 221, the operation switch 222, and the optical viewfinder 305. On the liquid crystal panel 221, the shooting mode of the imaging apparatus 200 is displayed.

  The photographer operates the mode switch 306 or operates the operation switch 222 while confirming the photographing mode displayed on the liquid crystal panel 221 to shift the photographing mode of the imaging apparatus 200 to a desired photographing mode. Can do. The imaging apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment is provided with shooting modes such as a still image shooting mode and a video / audio shooting mode, and a playback mode for checking a shot image. The imaging apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment may include a manual mode in which a user can set various shooting conditions, and various shooting scene modes in which optimal shooting can be performed according to a shooting scene.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of an imaging device and a movable light emitting device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation processing flow of the imaging device and the movable light emitting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The operation processing flow shown in FIG. 1 is executed under the control of the CPU 214 of the imaging apparatus 200 shown in FIG.

  First, in step S101, the CPU 214 determines whether or not the release switch 301 of the imaging apparatus 200 has been pressed. The release switch 301 is a two-stage switch. When pressed halfway, SW1 is turned on. When fully pressed, both SW1 and SW2 are turned on. In step S101, it is determined whether SW1 of the release switch 301 has been pressed. Normally, when the release switch 301 of the image pickup apparatus is pressed halfway and SW1 is turned on, control is performed so that the subject is in focus and the AF operation is completed, and the release switch 301 is fully pressed. When SW2 is turned on, shooting is started.

  In this way, the configuration in which the AF operation of SW1 is always performed before the shooting operation of SW2 prevents the out-of-focus, which is a focus failure at the time of shooting. Usually, the subject in focus after the AF operation is performed becomes the main subject. If the CPU 214 determines in step S101 that SW1 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S102. If SW1 is not pressed, the process proceeds to step S101.

  Next, in step S102, the CPU 214 analyzes the illumination condition of the main subject. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation processing flow of the illumination condition analysis of the main subject. The operation processing flow shown in FIG. 4 is executed under the control of the CPU 214 of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. First, in step S401, the CPU 214 calculates the luminance of the main subject determined in step S101 of FIG. 1, and determines whether it is necessary to use the light emitting unit of the moving body in order to photograph the main subject. Do. When the main subject is sufficiently bright, the imaging device captures the main subject without using the strobe 226 included in the imaging device.

  Even when the main subject is not sufficiently bright, if the light is dark enough to a certain extent, the strobe 226 included in the imaging device emits light to obtain the amount of light necessary for shooting, so that the moving body is not moved. Perform the shooting operation. Here, the CPU 214 calculates the distance from the imaging device 200 to the main subject when performing AF. There are several control methods for AF control, and in contrast type AF control, which is one of them, the position of the optical lens where the contrast of the main subject image in the captured image is maximized is found, and there is Go to focus. In the captured image, the in-focus portion shows the image clearly, and thus the contrast is high. In the out-of-focus portion, the image is blurred and the contrast is low.

  Here, since the distance at which the contrast of the subject is maximized is determined by the position of the focusing lens, the distance of the main subject is derived from the position of the focusing lens. That is, the distance from the imaging device to the main subject can be calculated from the position of the focusing lens when the contrast of the main subject is highest. The imaging apparatus uses this characteristic to perform automatic focus control of a captured image in contrast AF control. In this way, when the imaging apparatus performs AF control, the distance from the imaging apparatus to the main subject is calculated, and the process proceeds to step S403.

  In step S403, the CPU 214 determines whether or not the moving body needs to emit light from the luminance of the main subject calculated in S401 and the distance from the imaging device to the main subject calculated in S402. If the imaging device can shoot with no light emission, or the strobe 226 of the imaging device emits light, but the light emission unit of the moving body does not need to emit light, the process proceeds to step S405.

  On the other hand, if the luminance of the main subject is low and sufficient luminance cannot be obtained even when the strobe 226 included in the imaging device is emitted, the process proceeds to step S404.

  In step S405, the CPU 214 determines whether the imaging apparatus 200 needs to emit light. The CPU 214 determines whether or not the strobe 226 of the imaging apparatus 200 needs to emit light based on the luminance of the main subject calculated in S401 and the information on the distance from the imaging apparatus to the main subject calculated in S402. If the strobe 226 of the imaging apparatus 200 needs to emit light, the process proceeds to step S406. If the strobe 226 of the imaging apparatus 200 does not require light emission, the process proceeds to step S407.

  In step S406, the CPU 214 issues a light emission instruction to the strobe 226 of the imaging apparatus 200, and the strobe 226 emits light to the subject. In step S <b> 407, the CPU 214 performs shooting with the imaging apparatus 200.

  On the other hand, in step S404, the CPU 214 calculates the distance from the moving body to the main subject. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the moving object according to the present embodiment. Below, the example which applied the unmanned air vehicle which has a light emission part as an example of the moving body shown in FIG. 5 is demonstrated. A moving body 501 that is an unmanned flying body includes a control unit 502, a light emitting unit 503, a communication unit 504, a driving unit 505, an imaging unit 506, and a sensor unit 507. The control unit 502 controls the light emitting unit 503, the communication unit 504, the driving unit 505, the imaging unit 506, and the sensor unit 507. The communication unit 504 communicates with the imaging apparatus 200, can receive instructions such as movement and light emission from the imaging apparatus 200, and can send information obtained by the moving body 501 to the imaging apparatus 200 side.

  In addition, the moving body 501 includes a drive unit 505, and can move by itself by moving the drive unit 505. In addition, an imaging unit 506 is provided, and the position and distance of the subject can be detected. The sensor unit 507 includes a gyro, which is an angular velocity sensor, and an acceleration sensor, and information on the position where the moving body 501 is disposed with respect to the imaging apparatus and the direction in which the moving body 501 faces can be obtained.

  In step S103 of FIG. 1, the CPU 214 determines whether or not the moving body 501 needs to move. From the distance information between the moving body 501 and the main subject calculated in step S403 of FIG. 4, the light emission effect on the main subject by the light emitting unit 504 of the moving body 501 can be calculated. The imaging apparatus 200 performs bidirectional communication with the moving body 501, and the moving body 501 obtains information on the distance and direction between the imaging apparatus 200 and the main subject from the imaging apparatus 200.

  Further, distance information between the moving body 501 and the main subject is derived from information on the distance and direction difference between the imaging device 200 and the moving body 501 obtained from the sensor unit 507 (step S120). The distance information between the moving body 501 and the main subject is sent from the moving body 501 to the imaging apparatus 200. From this information, if the CPU 214 determines that the light amount of the main subject is sufficient if the moving body 501 emits light at the current position, the process proceeds to step S109. When the CPU 214 determines that the light emission amount is insufficient when the mobile unit 501 emits light at the current position, the process proceeds to step S104.

  In step S104, the CPU 214 calculates the distance that the moving body 501 needs to move. From the shortage of the light emission amount of the imaging apparatus 200, how close the moving body 501 should be to the main subject is calculated. Next, the CPU 214 instructs the moving body 501 in the moving direction and distance, and the process proceeds to step S105.

  An instruction from the CPU 214 to the moving body 501 is performed via a communication unit included in each of the imaging apparatus 200 and the moving body 501. Receiving the movement instruction from the imaging apparatus 200, the moving body 501 starts blinking the illumination (Step S121) and starts moving to the destination (Step S122).

  Next, in step S105, the CPU 214 detects whether there is a change in the illumination condition of the main subject. First, the illumination condition analysis of the main subject is performed in step S102. The CPU 214 determines whether there is a change in the illumination conditions of the main subject from that time point. If there is a difference from the result of the analysis performed in step S102, the process proceeds to step S106, and if there is no difference, the process proceeds to step S109.

  Next, in step S <b> 106, the CPU 214 determines the cause of the illumination condition change. Since the moving body 501 moves to the destination while the light emitting unit 503 is blinking, the influence of the illumination on the main subject by the moving body 501 is only during the blinking period in which lighting and turning off are repeated. Since the instruction to blink the light emitting unit 503 to the moving body 501 is issued from the CPU 214 in the imaging apparatus, the CPU 214 grasps the blinking timing of the light emitting unit 503. In step S105, it is possible to determine whether the timing at which the CPU 214 has detected the change in the illumination condition of the main subject is a period in which the light emitting unit of the moving body 501 is lit or extinguished. is there.

  That is, it is also possible to detect only a change in ambient light by detecting a change in the illumination condition of the main subject in advance in accordance with the timing of turning off the moving body 501. Therefore, based on the change detection result of the illumination condition of the main subject performed during the period when the light emitting unit of the moving body 501 is turned off, whether the change of the illumination condition of the main subject is due to the illumination of the mobile object, Determine if it is due to changes in ambient light. If the change in the illumination condition of the main subject is due to the moving body, the process proceeds to step S109. If the change in the illumination condition of the main object is due to the ambient light, the process proceeds to step S107. Here, it is also possible to detect only the change in the ambient light by detecting the change in the illumination condition of the main subject in advance in accordance with the timing of turning off the moving body 501.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state when the illumination condition of the main subject changes during the movement of the moving body according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating a state in which the mobile body is at a distance away from the destination, and FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the mobile body has arrived at the destination. In FIG. 6A, the moving body 501 is located away from the main subject 602, and is moving toward the destination in response to an instruction from the imaging device 200. The illumination 601 of the moving body 501 has not reached the subject 602 at this time. At this time, the main subject 602 is in a state where no shadow from other objects is applied.

  In FIG. 6B, the moving body 501 has arrived at the destination, but it takes time to move to the destination. Therefore, the illumination condition of the main subject 602 is changed from the state of FIG. It may change as shown in B). In FIG. 6B, a shadow 603 from another object is applied to the subject 602, and the illumination condition of the main subject is that the front portion of the car that is the main subject is compared to FIG. 6A. It is dark. In such a case, by increasing the light emission amount of the light emitting unit of the moving body 501 or changing the moving destination of the moving body 501 so that the illumination of the moving body 501 hits a dark part of the subject 603, It is possible to take a picture in a state where a desired illumination is applied to the subject.

  Next, proceeding to step S107, the CPU 214 determines whether or not the illumination condition change amount of the main subject is equal to or greater than a threshold value. If the amount of change in the illumination condition of the main subject is large and the moving body 501 arrives at the moving destination and emits light even if light emission is insufficient, the process proceeds to step S108. When the amount of change in illumination condition of the main subject is small and there is no need to change the moving destination of the moving moving object 501, the process proceeds to step S109.

  In step S <b> 108, the CPU 214 instructs the moving body 501 to change the destination. For example, when the brightness of the main subject becomes darker than the beginning and a larger amount of emitted light is required, it is necessary to bring the destination of the moving body 501 closer to the subject and brightly illuminate the subject. The CPU 214 sets a near destination. The CPU 214 transmits the position information of the newly set destination of the moving body from the communication unit 227, and the moving body 501 receives the position information transmitted from the imaging device by the communication unit 504, and changes the moving destination ( Step S123). When the imaging apparatus transmits position information of a new destination to the moving body, the imaging apparatus proceeds to step S109.

  When the mobile unit 501 arrives at the newly set destination (step S124), the mobile unit 501 transmits the arrival at the destination to the imaging device via the communication unit 504 of the mobile unit 501. The imaging apparatus 200 receives the destination arrival information from the moving body 501 by the communication unit 227 of the imaging apparatus 200.

  Next, the processing proceeds to step S109, and the CPU 214 determines whether or not the moving body 501 has arrived at the moving destination. In step S124, if the mobile unit 501 has arrived at the destination, the mobile unit 501 has communicated with the imaging device 200 that the mobile unit 501 has arrived. And the process proceeds to step S110. If the imaging apparatus 200 has not received information that the moving body 501 has arrived at the destination, the CPU 214 determines that the moving body 501 has not arrived at the destination, and proceeds to step S105.

  In step S110, the CPU 214 communicates a light emission instruction to the moving body 501 via the communication unit 227 of the imaging apparatus, and the process proceeds to step S111. The moving body 501 receives a light emission instruction from the imaging apparatus 200 via the communication unit 504. The moving body 501 blinks the light emitting unit 503 from step S121, but receives the light emission instruction from the imaging device 200 and changes the operation of the light emitting unit 503 from blinking to light emission.

  In step S111, the moving body 501 is emitting light to the subject. In this state, the imaging apparatus 200 performs an imaging operation.

  As described above, when the imaging apparatus 200 detects a change in the illumination condition of the subject while the moving body 501 is moving, a place where the moving body 501 can optimally emit light to the subject is set as the moving destination. The moving destination is notified to the moving body 501. By moving the moving body 501 toward the newly set moving destination, the moving body 501 moves to the optimum position even if the illumination condition of the subject changes during the movement of the moving body 501. Optimum light emission can be performed.

(Second Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the imaging device and the movable light emitting device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation processing flow of the imaging device and the movable light emitting device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The operation processing flow shown in FIG. 7 is executed under the control of the CPU 214 of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG.

  Steps S701 to S704 are the same as steps S101 to S104 in FIG. 1, and steps S715, S710, and S711 are the same as those described in steps S120 to S122 in FIG.

  In step S704, the imaging apparatus 200 issues a movement instruction to the moving body 501, the moving body 501 blinks the illumination (step S710), and the process proceeds to step S705 in a state where the moving body 501 is moving to the moving destination. .

  In step S705, the CPU 214 detects a change in the angle of view of the imaging device. In step S701, SW1 is pressed, the imaging apparatus performs an AF operation, and the main subject is determined. The calculation of how much the angle of view has changed compared to the angle of view at that time is performed, and the process proceeds to step S706. To do.

  In step S706, the CPU 214 determines whether the amount of change in the angle of view of the imaging device 200 is equal to or greater than a threshold value. Here, the angle of view of the image capturing apparatus 200 is an area where the image capturing apparatus 200 captures an image with the CCD 206, and a subject that is an object to be imaged cannot be captured unless it is within this angle of view. The imaging apparatus 200 is normally held by a photographer, and the angle of view changes depending on the movement of the photographer and the movement of the handle. If the change amount of the angle of view calculated in step S705 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the moving destination of the moving body 501 needs to be changed, and the process proceeds to step S707. On the other hand, if the amount of change in the angle of view calculated in step S705 is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the moving destination change of the moving body 501 is not necessary, and the process proceeds to step S708.

  In step S <b> 707, the CPU 214 notifies the moving body 501 of the change of the moving destination via the communication unit 227 of the imaging device 200. The moving body 501 receives the movement destination information from the imaging device 200 via the communication unit 504, and changes the movement destination (step S712).

  Steps S708, S709, and S716 are similar to the processes described in steps S124 and S125 in FIG. 1 because steps S109 to S111 in FIG. 1 and steps 713 and S714 are the same as those described in steps S124 and S125 in FIG.

  As described above, when the angle of view of the imaging apparatus 200 changes while the moving body 501 is moving, a place where the moving body 501 can optimally emit light with respect to the subject is set as the moving destination, and the moving purpose is set. The ground is notified to the moving body 501. When the moving body 501 moves toward the newly set moving destination, the moving body 501 moves to an optimal position even if the shooting angle of view of the imaging apparatus 200 changes during the movement of the moving body 501. Thus, optimal light emission can be performed.

(Third embodiment)
Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the imaging device and the movable light emitting device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation processing flow of the imaging device and the movable light emitting device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The operation processing flow shown in FIG. 8 is executed under the control of the CPU 214 of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG.

  Steps S801 to S804 are the same as steps S101 to S104 in FIG. 1, and steps S815, S810, and S811 are the same as those described in steps S120 to S122 in FIG.

  In step S804, the imaging apparatus 200 issues a moving instruction to the moving body 501, the moving body 501 blinks the illumination (step S810), and the moving body 501 moves to the moving destination, and the process proceeds to step S805. .

  In step S805, the CPU 214 detects a change in the main subject of the imaging apparatus 200. In step S801, SW1 is pressed, the imaging apparatus 200 performs an AF operation, and the main subject is determined. However, the main subject may be changed from the initially determined subject when the main subject itself moves or the photographer changes the selection of the main subject while the moving body 501 is moving. It is confirmed whether or not the main subject is changed from the initially determined subject, and the process proceeds to step S806.

  In step S806, CPU 214 determines whether or not the main subject is changed from the initially determined subject. If the CPU 214 determines in step S805 that the main subject of the imaging apparatus 200 has been changed, it determines that the moving destination of the moving body 501 needs to be changed, and proceeds to step S807. On the other hand, if the CPU 214 determines in step S805 that the main subject of the imaging apparatus 200 has not been changed, the process proceeds to step S808.

  In step S <b> 807, the CPU 214 notifies the moving body 501 of the change of the moving destination via the communication unit 227 of the imaging device 200. The moving body 501 receives the movement destination information from the imaging device 200 via the communication unit 504, and changes the movement destination (step S812).

  Steps S808, S809, and S816 are the same as the processes described in steps S124 and S125 in FIG. 1 because steps S109 to S111 and steps S813 and S814 in FIG.

  As described above, when the main subject of the imaging apparatus 200 changes while the moving body 501 is moving, a place where the moving body 501 can optimally emit light with respect to the subject is set as the moving destination, and the moving purpose is set. The ground is notified to the moving body 501. When the moving body 501 moves toward the newly set moving destination, the moving body 501 moves to an optimal position even if the shooting angle of view of the imaging apparatus 200 changes during the movement of the moving body 501. Thus, optimal light emission can be performed.

(Fourth embodiment)
Hereinafter, a fourth embodiment of the imaging device and the movable light emitting device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation processing flow of the imaging device and the movable light emitting device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The operation processing flow shown in FIG. 9 is executed under the control of the CPU 214 of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG.

  Steps S901 to S904 are the same as steps S101 to S104 in FIG. 1, and Steps S105, S909, and S910 are the same as those described in Steps S120 to S122 in FIG. In step S904, the imaging apparatus 200 issues a moving instruction to the moving body 501, the moving body 501 blinks the illumination (step S910), and the process moves to step S905 in a state where the moving body 501 is moving to the moving destination. .

  In step S <b> 905, the CPU 214 determines whether there has been a change in the shooting conditions of the imaging apparatus 200. The change of the photographing condition may be adjustment of intensity / weakness of illumination light emission or change of the photographing condition such as illumination light emission prohibition. For example, when the illumination emission is changed to “strong” and the illumination intensity of the moving body 501 is not changed, it is necessary to increase the intensity of illumination applied to the subject as the moving body 501 approaches the subject. In this case, the moving destination of the moving body 501 is changed in a direction closer to the subject, and the process proceeds to step S906.

  In step S <b> 906, the CPU 214 notifies the moving body of the change of the moving destination via the communication unit 227 of the imaging device 200. The moving body 501 receives the movement destination information from the imaging device 200 via the communication unit 504, and changes the movement destination (step S911).

  Steps S907, S908, and S916 are the same as the processes described in Steps S124 and S125 in FIG. 1 because Steps S109 to S111 and Steps S912 and S913 in FIG.

  As described above, when the shooting condition of the imaging apparatus 200 is changed while the moving body 501 is moving, a place where the moving body 501 can optimally emit light with respect to the subject is set as a moving destination. The moving destination is notified to the moving body 501. When the moving body 501 moves toward the newly set moving destination, the moving body 501 moves to an optimal position even if the shooting angle of view of the imaging apparatus 200 changes during the movement of the moving body 501. Thus, optimal light emission can be performed.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary. In the embodiments of the present invention, a digital camera is used as an example of an imaging apparatus. However, the present invention can be applied to various apparatuses having a photographing unit such as a video camera or a smartphone and a communication unit. .

  Further, in the embodiments of the present invention, as an example of the movable light emitting device, an unmanned air vehicle having a light emitting unit is cited as an example. The present invention can be applied to these apparatuses.

200 Imaging device 206 CCD
208 AFE
209 SDRAM
214 CPU
226 Strobe 227 Communication unit (imaging device)
501 Mobile unit 502 Control unit 503 Light emitting unit 504 Communication unit (mobile unit)

Claims (9)

  An imaging apparatus having an imaging means and a communication means, a moving body having an illumination means and a communication means, and an imaging system in which the moving body moves and emits light in response to an instruction from the imaging device via the communication means. When the imaging device detects a change in the illumination condition of the subject while the moving body is moving, a location where the imaging device can illuminate the subject appropriately for the subject is set as a moving destination, An imaging system, wherein the moving body moves toward the moving destination by notifying the moving body of the moving destination.   The illumination of the moving body is blinked while the moving body is moving to the moving destination, and the lighting of the moving body is turned on when the moving body arrives at the moving destination. Imaging system.   3. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the moving destination of the moving body is changed when the illumination condition of the subject is changed while the moving body is moving to the moving destination. .   4. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the lighting condition of the moving body is changed when the lighting condition of the subject is changed while the moving body is moving to the moving destination. 5. The imaging system described.   The moving destination of the moving body is changed when the angle of view of the imaging apparatus is changed while the moving body is moving to the moving destination. The imaging system according to item.   The lighting condition of the moving body is changed when the angle of view of the imaging apparatus is changed while the moving body is moving to a moving destination. The imaging system described in 1.   The moving destination of the moving body is changed when the main subject of the imaging apparatus is changed while the moving body is moving to the moving destination. The imaging system according to item.   The moving destination of the moving body is changed when the photographing condition of the imaging apparatus is changed while the moving body is moving to the moving destination. The imaging system according to item.   An imaging apparatus having an imaging means and a communication means, a moving body having an illumination means and a communication means, and a control of an imaging system in which the moving body receives an instruction from the imaging apparatus via the communication means and moves and emits light In the method, when the imaging device detects a change in the illumination condition of the subject while the moving body is moving, a location where the imaging device can appropriately illuminate the subject is set as the moving destination. And the said moving body moves toward the said moving destination by notifying the said moving body to the said moving body, The control method of the imaging system characterized by the above-mentioned.