JP4678849B2 - IMAGING DEVICE, ITS CONTROL METHOD, PROGRAM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic zoom technique in an imaging apparatus such as a digital still camera or a video camcorder.

  In recent years, many digital still cameras and digital video cameras using solid-state image sensors such as CCD and CMOS have been developed. These cameras read all the pixels of the image sensor when shooting still images, and when shooting moving images required for framing and video recording, the number of pixels required is reduced by reading out the horizontal and vertical pixels. The frame rate is maintained.

  Under such circumstances, the deterioration of the image quality is unavoidable by thinning out the pixels, but this is noticeable when the electronic zoom is used. Normally, when performing electronic zoom, as shown in FIG. 10, a method of extracting image data corresponding to a desired angle of view range from image data of the entire screen, and adding and displaying it on the entire screen is used. . For this reason, the image quality is deteriorated as compared with the image before the electronic zoom is performed.

As a method for suppressing this image quality deterioration, a method as disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been proposed.
JP 2001-045364 A

  However, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, there is a problem that the frame rate becomes slow due to the change of the thinning rate in order to suppress the deterioration of the image quality at the time of electronic zooming, which is not compatible with the improvement of the image quality. Another problem is that separate drive modes are defined for each thinning rate, and the system is not capable of seamless switching of readout.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to suppress deterioration in image quality in the electronic zoom while preventing deterioration in convenience.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention is an imaging apparatus having an electronic zoom function, an imaging element that photoelectrically converts a subject image, and a first in a screen of the imaging element. A first readout mode for reading out signals of pixels in the range with a predetermined amount of information reduction, and a second range of pixels smaller than the first range in the screen of the image sensor. Switching means for switching a signal from a second reading mode in which the amount of information is read at a reduction rate smaller than the predetermined information reduction rate or without reduction according to the enlargement rate of the electronic zoom; A first image is generated based on a signal in a third range smaller than the first range among the signals of the pixels in the first range read out in the readout mode, and the second readout is performed. Read in mode Signal processing means for generating a second image based on the issued signal of the second range, when said switching means performs switching of the second read mode and the first read mode, the signal control means for processing means is controlled to perform the suppressing image picture processing variations in image quality of the first read mode and the second read mode of switching by the first image and the second image, It is characterized by having .

The image pickup apparatus control method according to the present invention has an electronic zoom function, photoelectrically converts an image of a subject, and signals of pixels in a first range in a screen of the image pickup device. A first readout mode in which the information is reduced at a predetermined information reduction rate and read out, and a signal of a pixel in a second range smaller than the first range in the screen of the image sensor, the information amount is reduced to the predetermined information A method for controlling an imaging apparatus, comprising: a switching unit that switches a second reading mode for reading with or without reduction at a reduction rate smaller than the rate according to an enlargement rate of the electronic zoom . A first image is generated based on a signal in a third range smaller than the first range among the signals of the pixels in the first range read out in the readout mode, and the second readout is performed. Read in mode A signal processing step of generating a second image based on a signal of the second range, when said switching means performs switching of the second read mode and the first read mode, the signal processing step and a control step of controlling pre SL to perform suppressing image picture processing variations in quality of the first read mode and said second read mode of switching by the first image and the second image It is characterized by that.

  A program according to the present invention causes a computer to execute the above control method.

  A storage medium according to the present invention stores the above program.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress deterioration in image quality in the electronic zoom while preventing a decrease in convenience.

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

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  An optical system 101 including a lens forms a subject image on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 102. The image sensor 102 is an image sensor that photoelectrically converts a subject image formed on its light receiving surface to generate an electrical signal. A mechanical shutter 103 is disposed between the optical system 101 and the image sensor 102. By closing the mechanical shutter 103, light incident on the image sensor 102 can be blocked.

  The image sensor 102 is driven by an image sensor driving device 104 that generates a driving pulse of the image sensor. The output of the image sensor 102 is digitized by a preprocess circuit 105 including a sample hold circuit (S / H), a gain amplifier, and an analog / digital converter (A / D converter), and is taken into the digital process circuit 106. The digital process circuit 106 performs various digital signal processing such as gamma processing, color signal processing, contour enhancement processing, and white balance processing. At this time, the image signal is written to / read from the memory 107. The output of the digital process circuit 106 can also be output on the LCD display 108.

  The image data that has been subjected to image processing by the digital process circuit 106 is compressed via the image conversion circuit 109, written to the memory card 110, and recorded. The image conversion circuit 109 has a function of compressing the image data from the digital process circuit 106 and outputting it to the memory card 110, and a function of expanding the image data read from the memory card 110 and outputting it to the digital process circuit 106. ing.

  Each of the optical system 101, the mechanical shutter 103, the image sensor driving device 104, the preprocess circuit 105, the digital process circuit 106, the image conversion circuit 109, and the memory card 110 is controlled by the camera control unit 111. The camera control unit 111 is connected to an operation unit 112 having functions such as a release switch, still image / moving image mode switching, and electronic zoom.

  Next, the configuration of the CMOS image sensor 102 used in the digital camera of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the image sensor 102.

  In FIG. 2, photoelectric conversion elements (photodiodes, etc.) 1 accumulate charges corresponding to the amount of incident light, and are arranged two-dimensionally in a matrix of 4 in the horizontal direction and 4 in the vertical direction. Although the image sensor 102 has a larger number of pixels, only four pixels in the horizontal direction and four pixels in the vertical direction are shown here for convenience of explanation.

  One end of the photoelectric conversion element 1 is connected to the gate of an amplification type source follower input MOS (Metal Oxide Silicon Transistor) 2, and the drain of the source follower input MOS 2 is connected to the source of the vertical selection switch MOS 3. The source of the source follower input MOS 2 is connected to the load current source 7 through the vertical output line 6, and the drain of the vertical selection switch MOS 3 is connected to the power supply terminal 5 through the power supply line 4. The circuit is configured. Reference numeral 14 denotes a reset switch whose source is connected to the gate of the source follower input MOS 2 and whose drain is connected to the power supply terminal 5 via the power supply line 4.

  In this circuit, a signal voltage is generated at the gate of the source follower input MOS 2 in accordance with the electric charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element 1 of each pixel, and the signal voltage is amplified and read by the source follower circuit.

  The gate of the vertical selection switch MOS 3 is connected to the vertical scanning circuit 9 by a vertical gate line 8. The gate of the reset switch 14 is connected to the vertical scanning circuit 9 by a reset gate line 15. The output signal of the source follower circuit is output to the outside through the vertical output line 6, the horizontal transfer MOS switch 10, the horizontal output line 11, and the output amplifier 12. The gates of the horizontal transfer MOS switches 10 are connected to the horizontal scanning circuit 13, respectively.

  Next, the operation of the circuit of this embodiment will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. 3 in the all-pixel readout mode in the digital camera of this embodiment.

  Here, pulses applied to the vertical gate line 8 of each pixel row are SEL1 to SEL4, respectively, and pulses applied to the reset gate line 15 are RES1 to RES4. The pulses SEL1 to SEL4 and RES1 to RES4 are generated by the vertical scanning circuit 9. H1 to H4 are horizontal scanning pulses generated by the horizontal scanning circuit 13, and are applied to the gate of the horizontal transfer MOS switch 10. PD1 and PD2 indicate changes in the potential of the photoelectric conversion elements (photodiodes) in the first row, first column and the second row, first column, respectively.

  First, at time t0, the pulse RES1 is set to a high level to bring the reset switch 14 into a conductive state, thereby resetting the photoelectric conversion element PD1. Next, the accumulation operation is started. A signal voltage is generated at the gate of the source follower input MOS 2 in accordance with the amount of accumulated signal charge. After the accumulation time, at time t2, pulses SEL1 and H1 generated by the vertical scanning circuit 9 and the horizontal scanning circuit 13 are applied to the corresponding switches 3 and 10, respectively. The signal of the selected photoelectric conversion element PD1 is amplified by the source follower circuit and then output through the output amplifier 12.

  Thereafter, signals from the photoelectric conversion elements arranged in the first row are output by sequentially applying H2 to H4 pulses. Similarly, signals from the photoelectric conversion elements arranged in the second row are controlled and output by pulses RES2, SEL2, and H1 to H4. For example, PD2 is reset at time t1 and then enters a storage operation. After the accumulation time, a signal from the photoelectric conversion element PD2 is output at time t3.

  Next, the operation of the circuit of this embodiment will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. 4 in the thinning readout mode of the digital camera of this embodiment.

  This timing diagram shows an operation of reading out a part of the pixels instead of reading out signals for all pixels.

  In FIG. 4, SEL3 and RES3 pulses are generated subsequent to SEL1 and RES1 without generating signals corresponding to pulses SEL2, SEL4, RES2, and RES4 from the vertical scanning circuit 9. As a result, the signals in the first and third rows are read out by skipping the signals in the second and fourth rows. In this manner, thinning readout can be performed by appropriately setting the driving pulse.

  Therefore, by changing the setting of the SEL and RES pulses to be suppressed as described above, it is possible to realize reading in the first thinning readout mode and the second thinning readout mode of the present embodiment.

  FIG. 5 to FIG. 8 show the outline of each readout pixel in the all-pixel readout mode, the first thinning readout mode, the second thinning readout mode, and the third thinning readout mode obtained by the above driving. In the figure, the pixels indicated by diagonal lines are the pixels to be read, and the thick lines are the angles of view to be read.

  Actually, each pixel has a Bayer array in which R (red), G (green), and B (blue) pixels are periodically arranged as shown in FIG. In order to simplify the above, a set of four pixels in the Bayer array is treated as one pixel, and the concept of a color filter is omitted.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the number of pixels in the all-pixel reading mode is, for example, horizontal 24 pixels and vertical 24 pixels. Further, the angle of view at this time is set to 1.0 times.

  In the first thinning-out readout mode, as shown in FIG. 6, the pixels to be read are 8 horizontal pixels and 8 vertical pixels, and since the entire angle of view is read, the angle of view is 1.0 times. Further, the thinning rate is 1/3 because two pixels are skipped in three horizontal and vertical directions.

  In the second decimation readout mode, as shown in FIG. 7, the pixels to be read out are 8 horizontal pixels and 8 vertical pixels, and the range of 2/3 of the total angle of view is read out in the vertical and horizontal directions. Is 1.5 times. Further, the thinning rate is ½ because two pixels are skipped in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

  In the third thinning-out readout mode, as shown in FIG. 8, the readout pixels are 8 horizontal pixels and 8 vertical pixels, and the range of 1/3 of the total angle of view is read out in the vertical and horizontal directions. Is 3.0 times. The thinning rate is 1 (no thinning) because all pixels in the reading range are read.

  In these thinning-out readout modes, although the angle of view of the pixel area to be read out is different, the readout frame rate is substantially the same because the total number of readout pixels is the same.

  A normal moving image is shot in the first decimation readout mode having a field angle of 1.0 times. Upon receiving an instruction from the camera control unit 111, the image sensor driving device 104 applies a driving pulse in the first thinning readout mode to the image sensor 102. The output of the image sensor 102 is a region represented by the oblique lines in FIG. This output is input to the digital process circuit 106 via the preprocess circuit 105. In the digital process circuit 106, various digital signal processing including outline enhancement processing and white balance processing is performed, and a display / recorded image is generated. At this time, the input image is reduced or enlarged to the number of display / recording pixels. In the moving image shooting of this embodiment, the number of display / recording pixels is 8 horizontal pixels × 8 vertical pixels.

  The moving image generated by the digital process circuit 106 is output to the LCD display 108 or written to the memory card 110 via the image conversion circuit 109.

  Next, a case where electronic zoom processing is performed during moving image shooting will be described. The electronic zoom processing is usually used when it is desired to enlarge and display and record a part of the angle of view of moving image shooting, and is used when using a manual focus function instead of the optical zoom.

  When performing the electronic zoom process, a method is used in which pixels in a necessary area corresponding to the electronic zoom magnification are cut out from the pixel data input to the digital process circuit 106 and displayed and recorded in 8 horizontal pixels × 8 vertical pixels. .

  FIG. 10 shows a conventional example when the electronic zoom magnification is 1.5. A frame a in the figure represents an angle of view of 1.5 times the electronic zoom. At this time, since an output image is generated by performing so-called padding processing from an image having a small number of pixels, deterioration in image quality is unavoidable. More specifically, during moving image shooting, 2/3 of each pixel is thinned out from the horizontal 24 pixels × vertical 24 pixels in the left side of FIG. 10, and horizontal as shown in the center diagram of FIG. 10. 8 pixels × vertical 8 pixels. At this time, the angle of view is 1.0 times. If the angle of view is increased to 1.5 times by electronic zoom from this state, as shown in the right side of FIG. 10, horizontal 6 pixels × vertical 8 pixels in the center of FIG. Six pixels are cut out and padded to 8 horizontal pixels × 8 vertical pixels. As a result, the image obtained by the electronic zoom has only information of horizontal 6 pixels × vertical 6 pixels, and the image quality deteriorates.

  On the other hand, in the digital camera of this embodiment, it is possible to change to the second thinning readout mode during moving image shooting. When reading is performed in the second thinning-out reading mode when the electronic zoom magnification is 1.5 times, an image of horizontal 8 pixels × vertical 8 pixels can be acquired without padding the image as shown in FIG. As a result, an image optimized for the required angle of view can be taken, and since the number of pixels is approximately the same, there is no need to change the frame rate. Therefore, in the digital camera of the present embodiment, the reading mode is changed as shown in FIG. 12 in accordance with the zoom magnification in order to suppress deterioration in image quality during electronic zoom. At this time, the resolution of the image input to the digital process circuit 106 is as shown in the figure from the number of pixels obtained for each required angle of view.

  This will be described more specifically.

  First, when the electronic zoom magnification is in the range of 1.0 to 1.5, the image signal is read in the first decimation readout mode. Changes in the resolution of the image input to the digital process circuit 106 at this time are shown by a curve described as input image resolution in FIG. In this case, the resolution does not deteriorate at an electronic zoom magnification of 1.0, but as the electronic zoom magnification is increased from 1.0, the principle of the image input to the digital process circuit 106 is increased according to the principle described with reference to FIG. The resolution gradually deteriorates (range A in FIG. 12). When the electronic zoom magnification becomes 1.5, the thinning readout mode is switched from the first thinning readout mode to the second thinning readout mode. Then, the image input to the digital process circuit 106 is restored to a state where the resolution is not deteriorated again. Thereafter, when the electronic zoom magnification is further increased, the resolution of the image input to the digital process circuit 106 gradually deteriorates as described above (range B in FIG. 12). When the electronic zoom magnification becomes 3.0, the thinning readout mode is switched from the second thinning readout mode to the third thinning readout mode. Also in this case, the resolution of the image input to the digital process circuit 106 once returns to a state without deterioration and then gradually deteriorates as the electronic zoom magnification increases (range C in FIG. 12).

  At this time, if the parameters of the contour emphasis processing in the digital process circuit 106 are fixed regardless of the switching of the thinning readout mode, the resolution of the moving image to be displayed / recorded changes similarly to the input image resolution of FIG. Therefore, the image quality greatly fluctuates by switching the reading mode.

  Therefore, in the digital camera according to the present embodiment, a parameter for edge enhancement processing is switched in accordance with switching of the reading mode, and processing for suppressing image quality fluctuation when switching the thinning-out reading mode is performed.

  An example is shown by the curve described as the captured image resolution in FIG. When the dotted line indicates a fixed parameter, the solid line represents the output image resolution of the digital process circuit 106 when the contour emphasis processing parameter is changed to suppress image quality fluctuation when switching the thinning readout mode.

  Specifically, when the contour emphasis parameter is fixed in the curve of the captured image resolution of FIG. 12, the captured image is switched at the point D from the first decimation readout mode to the second decimation readout mode. The resolution will increase rapidly. For this reason, the contour emphasis parameter is adjusted to weaken the contour emphasis in response to the sudden increase in the input image resolution at the point D. As a result, it is made inconspicuous that the photographed image resolution has rapidly increased, and image quality fluctuation is suppressed. After the edge enhancement is weakened at point D, the edge enhancement parameter is returned to the original value as the input image resolution gradually decreases in the range indicated by B, and the edge enhancement is gradually strengthened. As a result, the captured image resolution changes smoothly as shown by the solid line of the captured image resolution in FIG.

  Note that when the conventional electronic zoom technology is used without switching the thinning readout mode as in the present embodiment, both the input image resolution and the captured image resolution are as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. It decreases linearly as the electronic zoom magnification increases. Therefore, by taking the method as in the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the captured image resolution to a small value.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of a method for changing the contour enhancement parameter.

  FIG. 12 shows a case where the contour enhancement parameter is kept constant in the range indicated by A. On the other hand, in FIG. 13, in the range indicated by A, the contour emphasis parameter is adjusted to gradually increase the contour emphasis as the input image resolution decreases. Thereby, it is possible to make the reduction in the captured image resolution inconspicuous in the process in which the electronic zoom magnification increases from 1.0 to 1.5. Since the input image resolution rapidly increases at point D, the contour enhancement is weakened accordingly. Thereby, the change of the captured image resolution is suppressed. Thereafter, as the input image resolution gradually decreases in the range indicated by B, the edge enhancement is strengthened again. As a result, the captured image resolution changes smoothly as shown by the solid line of the captured image resolution in FIG. 13, and there is almost no decrease in the captured image resolution due to the change in the electronic zoom magnification.

  Further, FIG. 14 shows, for example, changes in input image resolution and captured image resolution over time before and after switching from the first decimation readout mode to the second decimation readout mode when the electronic zoom magnification is constant at 1.5 times. FIG.

  FIG. 14 shows the output image resolution when the parameter setting is performed so as to suppress the image quality fluctuation at the time of switching the thinning readout mode and realize the optimum output image resolution. In FIG. 14, the readout mode is switched at time t, and the dotted line represents the input image resolution input to the digital process circuit 106 and the captured image resolution output from the solid line.

  When switching the thinning readout mode, the captured image resolution is set to be the same as before switching in order to suppress rapid fluctuations, and the optimal resolution is changed over time. Specifically, since the input image resolution rapidly increases when the thinning readout mode is switched, the edge enhancement is weakened by adjusting the edge enhancement parameter at this point. Then, gradually enhance the contour emphasis and return to the original strength. In this way, it is possible to suppress a rapid change in the captured image resolution when switching the thinning readout mode.

  As described above, with respect to the white balance coefficient and exposure, it is possible to suppress fluctuations in image quality by changing image processing parameters. An example of this is shown in FIG. In this example, it is assumed that 2 pixel addition is performed in the first thinning readout mode and no pixel addition is performed in the second thinning readout mode. Switching the readout mode changes the sensitivity (including spectral sensitivity), the angle of view, and the thinning rate, and the image quality of the input image of the digital process circuit 106 changes, but each image processing parameter is changed as shown in FIG. This makes it possible to suppress fluctuations in image quality.

  Note that the white balance coefficient table A / B in the figure includes a parameter group corresponding to spectral sensitivity information, angle of view information for acquiring color information of an image, and the like. The exposure parameter A / B includes a parameter group corresponding to sensitivity information, field angle information for acquiring luminance information of an image, and the like. Further, ΔWB and ΔAE mean white balance and exposure deviation, respectively, and indicate that the white balance and exposure do not deviate even when the reading mode is switched.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to change the reading method so as to suppress deterioration in image quality during electronic zooming, and it is possible to obtain a display / recorded image that does not make the user aware of switching of reading. It becomes.

  Note that, in the above-described embodiment, the method of thinning out and reading out pixels of the image sensor to obtain a moving image has been mainly described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as mentioned above, the present invention can be applied to a case where a plurality of pixels of the image sensor are added and read in order to obtain a moving image.

  Further, in the reading mode in which the reading range is the smallest, reading may be performed from the image sensor without adding.

That is, when reading the first range in the screen of the image sensor, the signals of the pixels in the first range are read out by adding or thinning out. That is, the signal of the pixels in the first range is read from the image sensor with the information amount reduced by the first reduction rate.
Then, when reading the second range smaller than the first range, reading is performed as follows. Since the second range is smaller than the first range, it is smaller than the number of pixels in the first range (the amount of information is small). Therefore, when reading the second range, reading is performed with a smaller number of additions, a smaller thinning rate, or non-addition / non-thinning than when reading the first range. That is, the signals of the pixels in the second range are read out with or without reducing the information amount at the second reduction rate smaller than the first reduction rate.

(Other embodiments)
The object of each embodiment is also achieved by the following method. That is, a storage medium (or recording medium) in which a program code of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded is supplied to the system or apparatus. Then, the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but the present invention includes the following cases. That is, based on the instruction of the program code, an operating system (OS) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  Furthermore, the following cases are also included in the present invention. That is, the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. Thereafter, based on the instruction of the program code, the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion card or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  When the present invention is applied to the above storage medium, the storage medium stores program codes corresponding to the procedure described above.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the digital camera of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a model explanatory drawing of the image sensor shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is an operation timing chart at the time of reading all pixels in an embodiment of the present invention. It is an operation | movement timing diagram at the time of thinning-out reading in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the read-out pixel of all pixel read-out mode in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the read-out pixel of 1st thinning-out reading mode in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the read-out pixel of 2nd thinning-out reading mode in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the read-out pixel of the 3rd thinning-out read mode in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows a Bayer arrangement | sequence in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the cut-out image and output image at the time of the electronic zoom 1.5 times in the past. It is a figure which shows the cutout image and output image at the time of electronic zoom 1.5 time in 2nd thinning-out reading mode in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the reading mode with respect to electronic zoom magnification, and image resolution in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the other example of the read-out mode with respect to electronic zoom magnification, and image resolution in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the output image resolution with respect to electronic zoom magnification switching in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of various image processing parameter switching with respect to electronic zoom magnification switching in one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Photoelectric conversion element 2 Amplified source follower input MOS (Metal Oxide Silicon Transistor)
3 Vertical selection switch MOS
4 power supply line 5 power supply terminal 6 vertical output line 7 load current source 8 vertical gate line 9 vertical scanning circuit 10 horizontal transfer MOS switch 11 horizontal output line 12 output amplifier 13 horizontal scanning circuit 14 reset switch 15 reset gate line 101 optical system 102 image Sensor 103 Mechanical shutter 104 Image sensor driving device 105 Preprocess circuit 106 Digital process circuit 107 Memory 108 LCD display 109 Image conversion circuit 110 Memory card 111 Camera control unit 112 Operation unit

Claims (12)

In an imaging device having an electronic zoom function,
An image sensor that photoelectrically converts a subject image;
From a first reading mode in which signals of pixels in a first range in the screen of the image sensor are read out by reducing the amount of information at a predetermined information reduction rate, and from the first range in the screen of the image sensor A second readout mode in which a signal of a pixel in the second small range is read with or without reducing the amount of information at a reduction rate smaller than the predetermined information reduction rate according to the enlargement rate of the electronic zoom and switching means for switching Te,
A first image is generated based on a signal in a third range smaller than the first range among the signals of the pixels in the first range read out in the first readout mode, and the first Signal processing means for generating a second image based on the second range of signals read in the two reading modes;
When said switching means performs switching of the second read mode and the first read mode, the signal processing means the first image by switching of the second read mode and the first read mode and control means for controlling to perform the suppressing image picture processing variations in image quality of the second image and,
An imaging device comprising:   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing is processing for adjusting contour enhancement of an image.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing is processing for adjusting white balance.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing is processing for adjusting exposure control.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a readout frame rate is substantially the same in the first readout mode and the second readout mode. A first image pickup device having an electronic zoom function and photoelectrically converting a subject image, and reading out signals of pixels in a first range within the screen of the image pickup device by reducing an information amount at a predetermined information reduction ratio The signal of the pixels in the readout mode and the second range smaller than the first range in the screen of the image sensor is reduced or reduced at a reduction rate smaller than the predetermined information reduction rate. A method of controlling an imaging apparatus comprising a switching unit that switches between a second readout mode to be read without changing according to an enlargement ratio of the electronic zoom ,
A first image is generated based on a signal in a third range smaller than the first range among the signals of the pixels in the first range read out in the first readout mode, and the first A signal processing step of generating a second image based on the signal in the second range read in the second reading mode;
Wherein when the switching means performs switching of the second read mode and the first read mode, switching by the first of the before and Symbol first read mode by the signal processing step the second read mode and a control step of controlling to perform suppressing image picture processing variations in quality of image and the second image,
A method for controlling an imaging apparatus, comprising:   The method of controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image processing is processing for adjusting edge enhancement of an image.   The method according to claim 6, wherein the image processing is processing for adjusting white balance.   The method according to claim 6, wherein the image processing is processing for adjusting exposure control.   The method of controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the readout frame rate is substantially the same in the first readout mode and the second readout mode.   A program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to any one of claims 6 to 10.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 11.

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