JP4829391B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and method capable of handling a plurality of images having different shooting conditions or image processing conditions.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In this type of conventional imaging apparatus, shooting conditions and image processing conditions (for example, image size, image compression rate, etc.) are set in advance before shooting, and image data obtained by shooting under those conditions is stored. It is stored in a device or a storage medium.
[0003]
On the other hand, in an imaging device having a plurality of storage devices or storage media, there are cases where it is desired to organize and store images with different shooting conditions or image processing conditions in the respective storage devices or storage media. For example, in the case of having two storage devices, one of the storage devices is photographed with a memoically small image size and a high compression rate, and a large amount of image data is stored by reducing the size of the image data. In such a storage device, a large image size is taken at a low compression rate, and high-quality and detailed image data is stored.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in this type of conventional imaging device, when a storage device or storage medium is selected, and shooting and storage are performed after setting the shooting conditions or image processing conditions, and switching to another storage device or storage medium In this case, it is necessary to set the shooting condition or the image processing condition again and then perform shooting and storage.
[0005]
For example, in the above-described example, it is necessary to set the image size and the compression rate each time a storage device is selected, and then perform shooting.
[0006]
As described above, conventionally, it is necessary to reset the photographing condition or the image processing condition every time the storage device or the storage medium is switched, and the setting work takes time.
[0007]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus and method that do not require resetting of imaging conditions or image processing conditions each time a storage device or a storage medium is switched.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, an imaging apparatus of the present invention includes an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject and obtains imaging data, and an image processing unit that performs image processing on the imaging data to obtain image data. An image pickup apparatus capable of storing the image data in a plurality of storage means, a setting means for setting image processing conditions in association with each of the plurality of storage means, and the plurality of storage means A selection unit that selects at least one of the image data as a storage destination, and the image processing unit sets the image set in the at least one storage unit selected as the storage destination of the image data. and it performs the image processing using the processing conditions, by the selecting means, when said image data to said plurality of memory means storing destination is set so as to be stored, the image The processing unit performs different image processing by performing the image processing on the imaging data obtained by one imaging by the imaging unit using the image processing conditions set in each of the storage units as storage destinations. Is obtained , and the imaging apparatus stores the plurality of image data in a storage unit corresponding to the applied image processing .
In one aspect of the imaging apparatus of the present invention, the image processing conditions include conditions relating to image size or image compression.
In one aspect of the imaging apparatus of the present invention, at least one of the plurality of storage units is a storage medium that is detachable from the imaging apparatus.
[0042]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described according to preferred embodiments.
[0043]
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0044]
101 is an image sensor, 102 is an A / D converter that converts analog data output from the image sensor 101 into digital data, and 103 is digitally converted by the A / D converter 102 and stored in an image memory or the like. It is the imaging data memorize | stored in the means.
[0045]
At least one of the first storage medium 111 and the second storage medium 112 can be selected by the storage medium selection unit 107. The first image processing parameter 121 and the second image processing parameter 122 are image processing parameters corresponding to the first storage medium 111 and the second storage medium 112, respectively. The first image processing parameter 121 and the second image processing parameter 122 can be set by the image processing parameter setting means 106 for the contents of the image processing parameter.
[0046]
Analog data photographed by the image sensor 101 is converted into digital data by the A / D converter 102 and stored as image data 103 in the storage means. The imaging data 103 uses the first image processing parameter 121 or the second image processing parameter 122 corresponding to the first storage medium 111 or the second storage medium 112 selected by the storage medium selection unit 107. Image processing is performed by the image processing circuit 104, and image data 105 is generated and stored in the storage means. The image data 105 stored in the storage unit is stored in the first storage medium 111 or the second storage medium 112 selected by the previous storage medium selection unit 107.
[0047]
In the present embodiment, the first storage medium 111 is a large-capacity storage medium, and the image processing parameter setting means 106 has a larger image size and a lower compression rate (details) than the first image processing parameter 121. Image mode) is set. On the other hand, the second storage medium 112 is a small-capacity storage medium. For the second image processing parameter 122, the image size is standard (smaller than the image size of the first image processing parameter 121) and high. The compression rate (coarse image mode) is set. The second storage medium 112 is selected when the storage medium selection unit 107 captures image data of coarse and small size as a memo, and the first storage medium 111 is selected when detailed and large size image data is captured. select.
[0048]
(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 2 shows a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0049]
201 is an image sensor, 202 is an A / D converter that converts analog data output from the image sensor 201 into digital data, and 203 is digitally converted by the A / D converter 202 and stored in an image memory or the like. It is the imaging data memorize | stored in the means.
[0050]
At least one of the communication device 211 and the storage medium 212 can be selected by the storage medium selection unit 207.
[0051]
The communication device 211 is connected to the communication line 208. The communication line 208 is, for example, a local communication network, a public communication network, or a wireless communication network.
[0052]
The first image processing parameter 221 and the second image processing parameter 222 are image processing parameters corresponding to the communication device 211 and the storage medium 212, respectively. The first image processing parameter 221 and the second image processing parameter 222 can be set by the image processing parameter setting means 206 with the contents of the image processing parameter.
[0053]
Analog data photographed by the image sensor 201 is converted into digital data by the A / D converter 202 and stored as image data 203 in the storage means. The image data 203 is imaged by the image processing circuit 204 using the first image processing parameter 221 or the second image processing parameter 222 corresponding to the communication device 211 or the storage medium 212 selected by the storage medium selection unit 207. The image data 205 is generated and stored in the storage means. The image data 205 stored in the storage unit is output to the communication line 208 by the communication device 211 selected by the previous storage medium selection unit 207 or stored in the storage medium 212.
[0054]
In the present embodiment, the image processing parameter setting unit 206 sets a small image size and a high compression ratio (coarse image mode) for the first image processing parameter 221, and the image size is small. Suitable for communication. On the other hand, the storage medium 212 is a large-capacity storage medium, and the second image processing parameter 222 is set with a large image size and a low compression rate (detailed image mode). Since the image sent periodically through the communication line by the storage medium selection unit 107 may be coarse and small-sized image data, the communication device 211 is selected, and the image that is considered necessary by the image sent through the communication line is Since detailed and large-sized image data is required, the storage medium 212 is selected.
[0055]
(Third embodiment)
FIG. 3 shows a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0056]
301 is an image sensor, 302 is an A / D converter that converts analog data output from the image sensor 301 into digital data, and 303 is digitally converted by the A / D converter 302 and stored in an image memory or the like. It is the imaging data memorize | stored in the means.
[0057]
At least one of the long-time storage device 311 and the storage device 312 can be selected by the storage medium selection unit 307. Usually, it is continuously stored in the long-time storage device 311. If necessary, the storage device 312 can be selected by the storage medium selection unit 307 and stored in the storage device 311 and the storage device 312 at the same time.
[0058]
The standard image processing parameter 321 and the high quality image processing parameter 322 are image processing parameters corresponding to the long-time storage device 311 and the storage device 312, respectively. These standard image processing parameters 321 and high-quality image processing parameters 322 can be set by the image processing parameter setting means 306.
[0059]
Analog data photographed by the image sensor 301 is converted into digital data by an A / D converter 302 and stored as image data 303 in a storage unit. The image data 303 is processed by the image processing circuit 304 using the standard image processing parameters 321 and the high quality image processing parameters 322 corresponding to the long-time storage device 311 and the storage device 312 selected by the storage medium selection unit 307. Then, image data 305 is generated and stored in the storage means. The image data 305 stored in the storage unit is stored in the long-time storage device 311 selected by the previous storage medium selection unit 307 or both the long-time storage device 311 and the storage device 312.
[0060]
In the present embodiment, the long-time storage device 311 is, for example, a storage device such as a magnetic tape or a magneto-optical disk, or an externally connectable storage device provided with them in combination, and the standard image processing parameter 321 is Correspondingly, standard image processing is performed. On the other hand, the storage device 312 is, for example, a storage device such as a magnetic disk, a magnetic tape, or a magneto-optical disk, or an externally connectable storage device that includes these in combination, and corresponds to a high-quality image processing parameter 322. High-quality image processing.
[0061]
In the image processing using the standard image processing parameter 321 and the image processing using the high quality image processing parameter 322, the information amount of the image data per unit time is based on the high quality image processing parameter 322 compared to the image processing using the standard image processing parameter 321. Image processing is larger.
[0062]
Normally, the long-time storage device 311 is selected by the storage medium selection unit 307, and the image data 305 is continuously generated by the image processing circuit 304 using the standard image processing parameter 321, and the long-time storage device 311 is stored. Remember me. If necessary, when the storage device 312 is selected by the storage medium selection unit 307, the image processing circuit 304 creates the image data 305 using the high-quality image processing parameter 322, and stores it in the storage device 312. Image data 305 is created by the image processing circuit 304 using the standard image processing parameters 321 and stored in the long-time storage device 311 at the same time.
[0063]
For example, a video camera or the like can record a decisive moment on another storage device with a high quality image by selecting another storage device during normal recording. Used for
[0064]
In the embodiment described above, by selecting a storage device or a storage medium, the shooting conditions or image processing conditions set in advance in each storage device or storage medium are automatically switched. Switching between shooting conditions or image processing conditions is performed in an operation and in a short time. For example, images can be stored in a plurality of storage devices or storage media in an organized form.
[0065]
(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[0066]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with developments in digital image capturing devices and digital signal processing, image data having a plurality of shooting modes and high image quality that meets a photographer's needs has been provided. In addition, the captured image data is not subjected to digital signal processing inside the image capturing apparatus, but is stored as it is in a storage medium, and later taken into an external device such as a personal computer, where digital signal processing is performed, Image data intended by the photographer is created. Furthermore, recently, for a single shooting, a plurality of digital signal parameters provided in advance are selected by a selection means, and image data created by performing signal processing using the selected digital signal processing parameters is stored in a storage medium. An image pickup device that stores data in the memory has also been developed.
[0067]
However, in a conventional imaging apparatus having a plurality of shooting modes, digital signal processing parameters are determined in advance before shooting, and after shooting, an image is generated when signal processing is performed using other digital signal processing parameters. It was impossible even if I wanted to. In addition, when image data before digital signal processing is stored in a storage medium without digital signal processing as it is, the size of the captured data is large and the number of images that can be stored in the storage medium is reduced. There was. Further, when digital signal processing parameters are selected after shooting for one shooting, in order to perform digital signal processing after selecting the signal processing parameters, selection is performed by comparing with images of other digital signal processing parameters. I couldn't.
[0068]
Therefore, in the following embodiments, signal processing is automatically performed using two or more types of digital signal processing parameters for one shooting, and image data having a size smaller than that of image data before digital signal processing is stored. In addition, two or more types of digital signal processing results can be compared and stored in a single display operation.
[0069]
FIG. 4 shows the configuration of an imaging apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[0070]
Reference numeral 401 denotes an image pickup apparatus. Analog data output from the image pickup apparatus 401 is converted into digital data by an A / D converter 402 and stored as image pickup data 403 in a storage unit. Normally, the imaging data 403 is signal-processed by the digital signal processing circuit 404 using the digital signal processing parameter 410 according to the imaging mode, and the image data 405 is generated in the storage means. The image data 405 stored in the storage means is stored in the storage medium 406, and one image shooting is completed.
[0071]
When the mode according to the present embodiment is set, the digital signal processing parameters 411, 412, and 413 are set in advance by the setting unit 407. In one shooting, image data shot by the image sensor 401 is converted into digital data by the A / D converter 402 and stored in the storage means as the imaging data 403. In this mode, first, the image data 403 is signal-processed by the digital signal processing circuit 404 using the digital signal processing parameter 411 and the image data 421 is generated in the storage unit. Subsequently, the image data 403 is signal-processed by the digital signal processing circuit 404 using the digital signal processing parameter 412 to generate image data 422 in the storage unit. Finally, the image data 403 is subjected to signal processing by the digital signal processing circuit 404 using the digital signal processing parameter 413, and image data 423 is generated in the storage means. The created image data 421, 422, and 423 are stored in the storage medium 406, and one image shooting is completed.
[0072]
At this time, the image data 421, 422, and 423 created in the storage unit can be displayed on the display device 408 at a time and selectively stored in the storage medium 406.
[0073]
In the present embodiment, a default digital signal processing parameter as the digital signal processing parameter 411, a digital signal processing parameter with emphasis on skin color as the digital signal processing parameter 412, and a digital signal processing parameter with emphasis on green as the digital signal processing parameter 413 are used. Each used.
[0074]
In addition to this, digital signal processing parameters that emphasize red, digital signal processing parameters that emphasize yellow, digital signal processing parameters for black and white, and contours that correspond to people depending on the shooting subject, depending on the characteristics of the film used in the film camera. In order to give a soft appearance according to the digital signal processing parameters for landscapes with enhanced contour enhancement, such as digital signal processing parameters for human subjects with enhanced emphasis and blurred contours, landscapes, etc. Alternatively, digital signal processing parameters with reduced saturation, digital signal processing parameters with enhanced saturation for a clear appearance, and the like may be used.
[0075]
(Fifth embodiment)
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the configuration of the imaging apparatus of the fifth embodiment is the same as that of the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 4, FIG. Will be described with reference to FIG.
[0076]
In the fifth embodiment, a function such as a function (AEB = auto-exposure bracketing) for automatically photographing while changing the exposure value in the silver halide camera is implemented in the imaging apparatus.
[0077]
At the time of shooting, exposure is performed with an appropriate exposure value, analog data output from the image sensor 401 is converted into digital data by the A / D converter 402, and stored as image data 403 in the storage means. The digital signal processing circuit 404 uses the digital signal processing parameters 411, 412, and 413 for which the characteristics of the nonlinear conversion processing (particularly, gamma conversion processing) in the digital signal processing are changed with respect to the stored imaging data 403. Signal processing is executed to generate image data 421, 422, and 423, respectively. The created image data 421, 422, and 423 are stored in the storage medium 406, and one image is shot.
[0078]
In the present embodiment, the digital signal processing parameter 411 uses the white reference as the position where the sensitivity of the imaging device is low (FIG. 5A), and the digital signal processing parameter 412 uses the white reference as the standard value of the sensitivity of the imaging device ( 5 (b)), the digital signal processing parameter 413 has characteristics of non-linear conversion processing (particularly gamma conversion processing) in which the white reference is placed at a position where the sensitivity of the image sensor is high (FIG. 5 (c)). I gave it.
[0079]
In the fourth and fifth embodiments described above, one image data is obtained by executing digital signal processing using two or more types of digital signal processing parameters for one image capturing. On the other hand, an image having a plurality of features can be created at once, and image data that seems to be optimal can be easily extracted after shooting. Also, the image data can be made smaller than the image data before the digital signal processing. Further, since the image data that has been subjected to digital signal processing by a plurality of digital signal processing parameters is stored in the storage means, a plurality of image data is simultaneously displayed on the image data display means, and images are selected while being compared. It is also possible.
[0080]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, when a storage device or a storage medium is selected, the shooting conditions or image processing conditions set in advance in each storage device or storage medium are automatically switched. The shooting conditions or the image processing conditions are switched over time. For example, the images can be stored in a plurality of storage devices or storage media in an organized form.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a graph showing characteristics of nonlinear conversion processing (particularly gamma conversion processing) according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
101, 201, 301, 401: Image sensors 102, 202, 302, 402: A / D converters 103, 203, 303, 403: Image data 104, 204, 304, 404: (digital) image processing circuits 105, 205 , 305, 405, 421, 422, 423: Image data 106, 206, 306: Image processing parameter setting means 107, 207, 307: Storage medium selection means 111, 112, 212, 406: Storage media 121, 122, 221, 222: Image processing parameter 208: Communication circuit 211: Communication device 311: Long time storage device 312: Storage device 407: Setting means 408: Display device 410, 411, 412, 413: Signal processing parameter

Claims (3)

An imaging unit that captures an image of a subject and obtains imaging data, and an image processing unit that performs image processing on the imaging data to obtain image data can be stored in a plurality of storage units. An imaging device,
Setting means for setting image processing conditions in association with each of the plurality of storage means;
Selecting means for selecting at least one of the plurality of storage means as a storage destination of the image data;
The image processing means performs the image processing using the image processing conditions set in the at least one storage means selected as a storage destination of the image data ,
When the storage unit is set by the selection unit so that the image data is stored in the plurality of storage units, the image processing unit is configured to capture image data obtained by one imaging by the imaging unit. By performing the image processing using the image processing conditions set in each of the storage means of the storage destination, to obtain a plurality of image data subjected to different image processing ,
The imaging apparatus stores the plurality of image data in a storage unit corresponding to applied image processing . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing condition includes a condition relating to an image size or image compression. Wherein among the plurality of storage means, at least one imaging device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a removable storage medium to the imaging device.

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