JP4524066B2 - Digital camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital camera that outputs image data as it is as an output signal of an imaging means.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The digital camera can continuously display images of the subject before shooting and check the images to be shot before shooting, or reproduce and display the shot images. In particular, the function of playing back a captured image immediately after shooting is highly convenient. Therefore, the captured image data is converted into an image signal format suitable for image reproduction on the image display unit, and then recorded on a recording medium. For example, a combination of a luminance Y signal, a color difference RY signal, a color difference BY signal, a combination of RGB signals, and the like are used as the image signal form.
[0003]
On the other hand, there has also been proposed a digital camera that can output an output signal of an image pickup means having a CCD image pickup device of the digital camera as it is (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 11-261933 and 2001-223979). By using image data as it is output from the imaging means (hereinafter, image data as it is output from the imaging means will be referred to as “RAW data”), an image utilizing the pixel configuration, characteristics, etc. of the imaging means can be obtained. Therefore, even when the image correction process is performed by the user, a process without image deterioration is possible.
[0004]
As an image correction process for RAW data, there is a white balance (WB) adjustment process. In the white balance adjustment process, image data having an appropriate color tone is obtained by changing the gain for each color signal of the RAW data. The digital camera has a white balance adjustment function inside, and performs white balance adjustment processing based on color gain data according to the setting before photographing by the user. Then, when converting to an image signal format suitable for image reproduction, image data subjected to white balance adjustment processing is used.
[0005]
The white balance can be set according to a manual light source condition (outdoor, shade, illumination type), or can be automatically adjusted (auto white balance) according to the shooting scene. Since the color gain data obtained according to the setting has a characteristic difference between the type of the CCD image sensor and the individual, even with the same setting, it differs for each camera used for photographing. Auto white balance adjustment is also performed by an algorithm according to the type of camera and the characteristics of the individual.
[0006]
Therefore, when outputting RAW data, it is preferable to output color gain data based on settings at the time of shooting together with the RAW data, and the camera described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-223879 takes a picture as a parameter for image reproduction. Color gain data for white balance is added according to the time setting.
[0007]
In general, it is unclear what setting conditions the color gain data added to the output RAW data has, and there is a case where it is desired to further perform an auto white balance adjustment process by an external processing device. However, even if the color gain is obtained by analyzing the shooting scene, as described above, it is difficult to perform the optimum auto white balance adjustment due to individual differences (characteristics and processing algorithm) of the cameras.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a digital camera that outputs RAW data that enables an auto white balance adjustment process unique to the digital camera to be performed after output.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The digital camera of the present invention is a digital camera that records imaging information including image data as it is as an output signal of the imaging means on a recording medium, and the imaging information includes color gain information for white balance adjustment, the color gain information includes a color gain information based on the setting at the time of photographing of the image data, she is made of a color gain information obtained by applying the auto white balance processing on the image data at the time of shooting.
[0010]
When RAW data including such color gain information is used, it can be confirmed with an image obtained by automatic white balance adjustment by a digital camera, for example, when manual setting is not appropriate, and accurate image correction is possible. .
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a digital camera of the present invention. The digital camera in FIG. 1 includes an imaging unit including a lens unit 1, an imaging device 2, and a driving unit 3, an analog signal processing unit 4, an A / D conversion unit 5, a digital signal processing unit 6, an output memory 7, and a compression unit. A signal processing unit including an expansion processing unit 8, an output unit including a media interface 10 and an image monitor 11, an operation unit 12 including a mode switch, a release button, and the like, and a system control unit 9 for controlling the entire digital camera Is done.
[0012]
Since the configuration of the imaging unit is the same as that of a conventional digital camera, it will be briefly described. The light passing through the lens unit 1 is focused on the imaging device 2 such as a CCD, and a captured image signal is acquired. When acquiring the imaging signal, the lens unit 1 and a diaphragm (not shown) are controlled via the driving unit 3. The imaging device 2 is driven by a driving unit 3 including a timing generator (not shown) at a predetermined timing, triggered by an operation of a release button (not shown), and outputs a captured image signal.
[0013]
The captured image signal is subjected to analog signal processing by the analog signal processing unit 4, converted to a digital signal by the A / D conversion unit 5, and sent to the digital signal processing unit 6 as RAW data. The digital signal processing unit 6 performs digital signal processing according to the operation mode set by the operation unit 12, and the obtained image data is temporarily stored in the output memory 7.
[0014]
The processing performed by the digital signal processing unit 6 includes white balance adjustment, Y / C processing, gamma correction processing, and the like. When an image based on image data that has undergone digital image processing is displayed on the image monitor 11, the contents of the output memory 7 are read and sent to the image monitor 11. The image data in the output memory 7 is recorded in a recording medium such as a memory card (not shown) after being compressed by the compression / decompression processing unit 8 or directly via the media interface 10. The image monitor 11 can also display an image based on the image data of the recording medium.
[0015]
The system control unit 9 controls the entire digital camera including shooting operations. Specifically, the system control unit 9 is configured mainly by a processor that operates according to a predetermined program, and includes a program, a memory that stores various data necessary for the operation, and a work memory.
[0016]
The operation unit 12 performs various operations when using the digital camera, and performs setting of a shooting method at the time of shooting, shooting conditions, a method of processing captured image information, a recording mode for a medium, and the like. The operation unit 12 may be provided with an operation member corresponding to each function, but may be shared with the display of the image monitor 11. The shooting conditions to be set include white balance settings, manual settings corresponding to the light source conditions (outdoor, shade, lighting type), and auto white that automatically adjusts the white balance according to the shooting scene. Balance can be set. The recording mode includes a compressed image data recording mode and a RAW data recording mode, and the compression rate can be set when the compression mode is set.
[0017]
Assume that shooting is performed in a state where the white balance is manually set to “shade” and the recording mode is set to “RAW data”. The digital signal processing unit 6 performs white balance processing on the raw data from the A / D conversion unit 5 using preset color gain data, and further performs gamma correction, interpolation processing, Y / C processing, etc. The image data is displayed in a format that can be displayed on the image monitor 11 and is output to the output memory 7. The image monitor 11 displays a through image based on this image data. Note that when the through image is not displayed, white balance adjustment processing, gamma correction, interpolation processing, Y / C processing, and the like using preset color gain data are unnecessary.
[0018]
In this state, when a release button (not shown) of the operation unit 12 is pressed, the digital signal processing unit 6 performs an automatic white balance adjustment process on the input RAW data, and a color corresponding to the shooting scene. The correction gain is obtained, and the color gain data corresponding to the manually set “shade” photographing and the color gain data obtained by the auto white balance adjustment process are output to the output memory 7 together with the RAW data.
[0019]
The RAW data in the output memory 7, the color gain data corresponding to the set white balance setting, and the color gain data obtained by the auto white balance adjustment process are combined with the shooting attachment information and the like as one image file as the media interface 10. Through a recording medium (not shown). Such control of the photographing operation and the recording operation is performed by the system control unit 9. Further, color gain data based on manual settings corresponding to light source conditions (outdoor, shade, illumination type) is stored in a memory (not shown) and sent to the digital signal processing unit 6 according to the setting of the operation unit 12.
[0020]
FIG. 2 shows an example of the data format of an image file in which RAW data is recorded. The image file includes a header portion and an image data portion, and the header portion includes model information, image correction parameters, and shooting attachment information. The model information is for specifying the imaging unit of the camera. By specifying the model, the number of pixels, the image arrangement, the analog signal processing method, the number of bits for A / D conversion, and the like are specified. The shooting accessory information includes shooting conditions such as shooting date, shutter speed, aperture value, and exposure mode.
[0021]
The image correction parameter is information for assisting the processing for the RAW data, and includes color gain data for white balance adjustment. As shown in FIG. 3 as an example, the color gain data includes color gain data (R gain, G gain, B gain) corresponding to white balance set at the time of shooting, and auto white balance adjustment processing for RAW data. Color gain data (R gain, G gain, B gain) obtained by applying.
[0022]
In the image data portion, the RAW data from the A / D conversion portion 5 is sequentially recorded according to the number of pixels, the pixel arrangement, and the color (RGB) component of the imaging device 2.
[0023]
In this example, it has been described that either one of image data in the form of an image signal suitable for image reproduction on the image display unit and RAW data is selectively output, but both may be output. In this case, it is preferable to include not only color gain data used for white balance adjustment but also optical black correction data, gradation correction data, and the like as image correction parameters for RAW data.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, according to the digital camera of the present invention, it is possible to output RAW data that enables the digital camera to perform an auto white balance adjustment process after output.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a data format of an image file in which RAW data is recorded. Figure [Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Lens part 2 ... Imaging device 3 ... Drive part 4 ... Analog signal processing part 5 ... A / D conversion part 6 ... Digital signal processing part 7 ... Memory for output 8 ... Compression / decompression processing unit 9 ... System control unit 10 ... Media interface 11 ... Image monitor 12 ... Operation unit

Claims (1)

A digital camera for recording imaging information including image data as it is as an output signal of the imaging means on a recording medium,
The imaging information includes color gain information for white balance adjustment. The color gain information includes color gain information based on settings at the time of shooting of the image data and auto white balance for the image data at the time of shooting. Digital camera consisting of color gain information obtained by processing.

Images