JPH0965345A - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display a high definition image by picking up picture element data with high definition and immediately sending the picked-up data to a high definition monitor. SOLUTION: A controller 8 connects to a camera head incorporating a CCD image sensor. The controller 8 has a camera control unit 35, an image signal processing unit 36, and a main control unit 37. A high definition monitor 11, a TV monitor 10 and a host computer 15 or the like are connected to the main controller 8. RGB picture element data obtained from the camera controller 35 are not only transferred to the main control unit 37 by the image signal processing unit 36 but also to the high definition monitor 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic still camera capable of recording and reproducing high-definition digital images, and more specifically, to a camera head having a built-in photoelectric conversion unit including an image sensor, and a camera head obtained from this camera head. The present invention relates to a separation-type high-definition electronic still camera in which a controller for controlling recording / reproduction of image data, output to a printer, and the like is provided separately.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A solid-state image pickup device such as a CCD image sensor is built-in, a still image is picked up and converted into an electric signal, and this is converted into a floppy disk or memory card (IC card)
An electronic still camera adapted for recording has been put to practical use. Recently, some high-definition electronic still cameras have been provided in which the resolution of such an electronic still camera is significantly increased so that a high-quality image equivalent to that of high-definition can be obtained during reproduction. In such a high-definition electronic still camera, for example, as is known by "FUJIX DS-505" (trade name), a housing in which a camera head having an image pickup mechanism section including an objective optical system and a recording mechanism section are common. As well as the integrated type built into the inside, as well known as "FUJIX HC-1000" (product name), a camera head with a built-in CCD image sensor and an imaging lens is attached and detached, its control unit and There is a separate type in which a control unit including a recording mechanism section is a separate body.

In any of the above systems, the pixels of the CCD image sensor used in the solid-state image pickup device are made high in density, and particularly in the latter one, red (R), green (G) and blue (B ) 900,000 pixels C for each color channel
It has a three-plate configuration using a CD, and it can be used for direct image pickup of microscope images, product image pickup in studios, and photographic image pickup.
It has been used for various purposes.

[0004]

These cameras have the following problems.
A general TV that conforms to the NTSC system for confirming the imaging screen
Although a monitor is used, the number of scanning lines in the vertical direction is limited to 525. Therefore, if the number of pixels in the vertical direction exceeds 1000 due to the high density of the CCD image sensor, each pixel is obtained by imaging. It becomes impossible to display an image by using all the pixel data. Therefore, a part of the pixel data is thinned out and read out from the CCD image sensor, and the monitor display is performed by this, but there is a drawback that the detail of the image cannot be focused.

In the case of the separated type, a host computer equipped with a high-definition CRT monitor can be connected to the control unit, and after writing pixel data from all pixels to a recording medium, this is reproduced. High-definition CRT by transferring to a host computer
It is possible to check the focus on the monitor, but since the process of writing to and reading from the recording medium is required, the process requires at least several tens of seconds, which is easy and quick to operate. There was a problem in terms of sex.

Further, in the case of the separate type, a printer can be connected to the control unit to obtain a hard copy of a high-definition still image. However, since there are differences in the characteristics of printers depending on the printing method, or between manufacturers and models, if you change the printer you use, you need to control the hard copy with appropriate color and gradation reproduction. Appropriate adjustment of brightness, contrast, color balance, hue, saturation, etc. is required for the pixel data from the unit. Therefore, until now, every time the printer is changed, the adjustment is performed on the control unit side or the printer side, which is disadvantageous in that the adjustment work is troublesome.

One of the features of the electronic still camera is that it digitizes pixel data so that it can be used for various purposes including sending / receiving of pixel data and arbitrary modulation processing. However, so far, digitization of pixel data has been performed only with a fixed quantization size. Therefore, the quantization size cannot be changed when recording pixel data on a recording medium such as a floppy disk or memory card, or when transferring pixel data to a host computer for post-processing. The processing size tends to be insufficient, and the processing time is extended due to quantization processing of a size larger than the required size.

Further, in the separation type, pixel data is recorded as non-compressed or compressed data on a non-volatile recording medium such as a hard disk.
There is no one that allows the obtained pixel data to be directly recorded on a plurality of types of non-volatile recording media, and does not have a function of recording by changing the quantization size on a plurality of recording media.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and a high-definition electronic still camera capable of easily confirming the focus by using most of pixel data obtained by high-definition imaging. The purpose is to provide. Further, according to the present invention, even if the model of the printer connected to the control unit changes, an appropriate hard copy can be obtained without requiring a troublesome adjustment operation, and an appropriate quantization size can be selected according to the application. Then, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high-definition electronic still camera capable of recording image data on a plurality of types of recording media with an appropriate quantization size.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is used with a camera head having a color separation optical system and an image pickup device for each color built-in, and is connected to the same, and is used in a printer or a recording medium. An electronic still camera is composed of a controller that outputs data, and a high-definition monitor is connected to the controller so that a high-definition image can be displayed immediately after imaging. For this reason, the controller is provided with a work memory that quantizes a photoelectric signal input from the camera head and temporarily stores it as pixel data for each color. There is provided a video RAM for each color for storing a plurality of upper bits of data and a sub memory for storing the remaining lower bits.
Then, the pixel data read out for each color from the video RAM and the sub memory is converted into an analog amount by the DA converter, and the signal from the DA converter can be supplied to the high-definition monitor. Further, by using only the pixel data read from the video RAM, it is possible to display an image on a normal TV monitor.

Further, the video RAM and the sub-memory are used as a volatile recording medium in the controller, and the pixel data read from this is used for another recording medium, for example, a floppy disk, a memory card, M.
It is also possible to transfer and record to a non-volatile recording medium such as an O disk (magneto-optical recording disk). It is also possible to add a ram for storing pixel data to be transferred to the video ram and sub memory, and to take in each pixel data of still images for multiple screens. Since the processing time becomes long when the image is displayed on the monitor, it is preferable that the pixel data for at least two screens or more is not output to the high-definition monitor in the extended memory use mode.

The present invention may not be able to cope with a high-definition still image due to the memory capacity or functional limitation of an external device connected to the controller, or may not require a high-definition still image depending on the user's intention. The controller has a function of varying the quantization size of pixel data. The quantization size is preferably changed by using a look-up table that is used for correcting each pixel data after the photoelectric signal obtained from the camera head is digitally converted.

The controller is provided with a connector for connecting the printer so that a hard copy can be obtained by connecting the printer. When the printer is connected, the controller reads the identification signal from the printer, determines the type, and transfers the image quality adjustment parameter corresponding to the type to the printer. When printing, the controller transfers standard pixel data to the printer, but since the printer modulates the pixel data according to the parameters already transferred, hard copy print output with stable image quality is performed regardless of the printer type. Like As a parameter for image quality adjustment, a data value of a lookup table used for correcting pixel data after quantizing a photoelectric signal,
There are saturation data values, hue data values, and so on.

[0014]

FIG. 2 shows an example of the system configuration of a high-definition electronic still camera according to the present invention. A bayonet mount is provided on the front surface of the camera head 2, and the lens 3 can be connected as shown in the drawing, or can be connected to a microscope by using an adapter together. The lens 3 has a zoom mechanism, an iris mechanism, and a focus mechanism built-in, each of which allows manual adjustment, and by connecting the servo control unit 4 as shown in the drawing, the lens remote controller 5 can perform these adjustments. it can.

The camera head 2 has a built-in color temperature conversion filter, a mechanical shutter, a color separation prism, etc., as will be described later in detail, and a CCD image sensor is provided for each color channel. By connecting and using the release remote controller 6 to the camera head 2, it is possible to perform an image pickup operation at a position away from the camera head 2. Further, by connecting and using the camera remote controller 7 together with the servo control unit 4,
Not only the release operation but also the zooming operation and the focusing of the lens 3 can be remotely operated. Further, when the strobe is used together, strobe light emission control can be performed.

The camera head 2 is used by connecting to the controller 8. The controller 8 has an operation panel (keyboard) 9 and a general TV monitor 1 conforming to the NTSC system.
0, a high-definition monitor 11, an A-printer 12 or a B printer 13, and a host computer 15 can be connected. The operation panel 9 is used for inputting a command for environment setting at the time of image pickup, timing setting for driving a camera head, ON / OFF selection of an external device connected to the controller 8, and the like, and also the lens remote controller 5 and the camera remote controller 7. The function of can be substituted. Further, by the input from the operation panel 9, the number of pixels required to capture high-definition pixel data from the camera head 2 or thin out a part of the pixel data to generate a video signal conforming to the NTSC system. It is also possible to select whether to take in pixel data.

The high-definition monitor 11 has the number of pixels of the CCD image sensor built in the camera head 2, for example, 128.
It has a vertical scanning line number corresponding to the number of pixels of 0 × 960 (the number of effective pixels is 900,000) and a horizontal resolution, and when the camera head 2 is driven in the high-definition mode (still mode), the CCD image sensor It has a function of displaying most of the obtained pixel data.

The A-printer 12 makes a high-definition color hard copy by a photographic method based on the input pixel data, such as "Fujix Pictography 3000" (trade name), and the B-printer 13 inputs it. A hard copy is made by a photo-fixing type thermal color printing method based on the pixel data thus obtained, both of which are connected to the controller 8 by a SCSI interface.

The host computer 15 temporarily stores the pixel data from the controller 8 in a built-in memory and then reads it out, and while partially observing the image on the dedicated high-definition monitor 15a, partially cutting the image or performing color modulation. , Used when performing various post-treatments. Further, by transferring the pixel data after the post-processing to the controller 8 again, these images can be made into a hard copy by the A-printer 12 or the B-printer 13. In addition, the controller 8 has a memory card deck 16 and an MO.
It is also possible to connect a disk deck 17 to record the pixel data output from the controller 8 in a memory card or MO disk, which is a non-volatile recording medium, or to transfer the pixel data from these recording media to the controller 8 again. It can also be read.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the structure of the camera head. Behind the mount on which the lens 3 is mounted, a filter turret 18 having a plurality of types of color temperature conversion filters fitted therein is provided. By rotating the filter turret 18 and switching its set position, the type of the color temperature conversion filter inserted on the imaging optical axis is selected, and the color temperature of the light source illuminating the imaging object is appropriately corrected. You can The rotational position of the filter turret 18 is adjusted by the turret driver 19 and the motor 19a.

A mechanical shutter 20 is provided behind the filter turret 18. The mechanical shutter 20 is opened by the release operation and closed when the image pickup for one screen is completed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the light irradiation to the CCD image sensor used as the image sensor at the time when the image capturing is completed and to prevent smear from occurring during the charge transfer. The black balance can be adjusted with the mechanical shutter 20 closed. The opening and closing of the mechanical shutter 20 is controlled by a shutter driver 21 and a motor 21a.

Behind the mechanical shutter 20, an optical low-pass filter 23 and a three-color separation prism 24 are provided.
Is provided. Optical low-pass filter 23
Limits the spatial frequency of the object to be imaged so that it does not become too high. This optical low pass filter 23
An IR cut filter film is vapor-deposited on the substrate to prevent infrared rays from entering.

The three-color separation prism 24 is composed of three prism blocks, and a dichroic mirror is vapor-deposited on the joint surface of each pribum block. The incident imaging light flux is separated into three primary colors of R (red), G (green) and B (blue) by a dichroic mirror,
The CCD image sensors 25R, 25G, 25B in which the respective color lights are joined to the prism block for each color channel
Incident on. These CCD image sensors 25R, 2
5G and 25B have the same specifications, and the number of pixels is 1
It is 280 (horizontal direction) × 1000 (vertical direction).

CCD image sensor 25R, 25G, 2
Each of the photoelectric signals obtained for each color from 5B is subjected to sampling processing at a predetermined frequency by a CDS circuit 26 that performs correlated double sampling, and then a preamplifier 27 having a gain control function for each color channel.
Is input to each of the amplifiers and amplification processing is performed under a constant gain. These photoelectric signals are sent to the controller 8 by the cable driver 28 for each color channel.

CCD image sensor 25R, 25G, 2
5B is a CCD driver 3 provided in the camera head
It is driven by a drive pulse such as a vertical sync pulse, a horizontal sync pulse, and an overflow drain OFD pulse output from 0. The CCD driver 30 is driven by the clock pulse from the clock pulse generator (CG) 31, and this clock pulse is generated based on the 28 MHz pulse from the oscillator. The data for determining the driving mode of the CCD image sensor 25 and the electronic shutter time by controlling the charge storage time is CG3 by serial communication from the microcomputer 32 in the camera head.
Can be set to 1.

The clock pulse from the CG 31 is a PLL for matching the period and phase with the reference signal source.
(Phase Locked Loop) It is sent to the controller 8 via the driver 33. That is, the CG 31 is on the master side of the clock pulse generator built in the controller 8, and the signal processing in the controller 8 is CG 3
It is performed in synchronization with the clock pulse from 1. Further, the microcomputer 32 performs serial communication with a microcomputer built in the controller 8 side and controls various mechanical parts in the camera head.

A lens driver 34 is provided on the camera head 2, and the servo control unit 4 can be operated via a connector provided on the lens mount portion. Since the lens driver 34 is under the control of the microcomputer 32, the microcomputer 32 receives an operation signal from the camera remote controller 7, the operation panel 9, and the host computer 15.
By inputting to, the microcomputer 32 can be used to perform zooming, focusing, and aperture setting of the lens 3.

The driving mode of the CCD image sensor for each color channel is 6 out of 1280 × 1000 pixels in addition to the high-definition mode in which pixel data is fetched from all pixels.
There is a movie mode in which 40 × 480 pixels are thinned out and captured. These imaging modes are switched by the CG 31 in response to a command from the microcomputer 32, whereby the frequency and pulse interval of the drive pulse supplied from the CCD driver 30 to the CCD image sensor are determined.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic electrical configuration of the control unit 8. The control unit 8 includes a camera control unit (CCU) 35, a pixel signal processing unit (GSPU) 36, and a main control unit (MCU) 37. The CCU 35 controls the camera head 2 and quantizes a photoelectric signal from the camera head 2 to convert it into pixel data. GSPU3
6 acts on the pixel data sent from the CCU 35 in a form adapted to the signal format of the external device. M
The CU 37 functions to transfer the pixel data obtained by the GSPU 36 to an external device, and also reads the model information of the printer and inputs a control signal to the GSPU 36 when the printer is connected as an external device.

An expansion memory 39 can be added to the GSPU 36 so that not only pixel data for one still image screen but also pixel data for a plurality of screens can be stored. Further, the MCU 37 is equipped with an interface for connection with an external device. For example, for the memory card deck 16, a card interface, MO disk deck 17, A-printer 12, B-
A SCSI (Scazy) interface 41 is prepared for the printer 13.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the electrical configuration of the CCU 35. The photoelectric signal from the camera head 2 has a shading correction circuit 45 and a gain control amplifier 4 for each color.
6, the γ correction circuit 47, and the amplifier 48, and is quantized by the A / D converter 50. The shading correction circuit 45 corrects the color unevenness due to the difference in the incident angle of the light beam that is incident on the dichroic mirror when the imaging light flux is color-separated by the three-color separation prism 24. The gain control amplifier 46 functions to adjust the signal level of the photoelectric signal to an appropriate level, and the one used in the R channel and the B channel is a color balance (white balance) that cannot be corrected only by the color temperature conversion filter. For adjustment, the gain is controlled by a command from the microcomputer 52.

The γ correction circuit 48 sets the level of the input photoelectric signal to 0.4 so that an appropriate gradation expression can be obtained when the image is reproduced on the TV monitor 10 or the high-definition monitor 11.
Adjust to a level proportional to the fifth power. The amplifier 48 is AD
It is used to amplify the photoelectric signal to an appropriate level in consideration of the quantization in the converter 50.

The AD converter 50 quantizes the inputted photoelectric signal, converts the photoelectric signal into digital data, and inputs this into the memory control IC 55 as pixel data. The memory control IC 55 writes the pixel data obtained for each color into the memory 56 provided correspondingly. The quantization size of the data quantized by the AD converter 50 can be switched by the LUT 57, and it can be switched whether the photoelectric signal is quantized by 8 bits or 10 bits. This switching of the quantization size can be selected by an operation input on the camera remote controller 7, and this operation input is sent to the CC via the microcomputer 32 in the camera head.
It is transmitted to the microcomputer 52 of U35.

The pixel data written in the memory 56 is 8
In the case of the bit configuration, the pixel data read from the memory 56 is transferred to the GSPU 36 by the 24-bit data bus via the look-up table (LUT) 57 and the bit length conversion unit (SHIFT) 58 as they are. If the pixel data has a 10-bit configuration, the LUT 57 and the SHIFT 58 divide the pixel data into upper 8 bits and lower 2 bits, and transfer the data to the GSPU 36 via the 24-bit data bus.

The pixel data from the amplifier 48 is also input to the window selector 49a. Window selector 4
9a selects a part or all of the imaging screen range (corresponding to selection of partial photometry or average photometry) by a command from the microcomputer 52, and pixel data passing through this is quantized by the AD converter 49b and integrated. The circuit 49c integrates the signal levels. The output of the integrating circuit 49c corresponds to the brightness of the image pickup screen, and the microcomputer 52 determines the level thereof to adjust the brightness.
The microcomputer 52 sends a control signal to the microcomputer 32 of the camera head 2 to adjust the brightness, and the microcomputer 32 controls the aperture diameter of the diaphragm incorporated in the lens 3 via the lens driver 34. In addition, for brightness adjustment,
It is also possible to cope with this by adjusting the charge storage time by the CCD image sensor 25.

The microcomputer 52 sends and receives control signals to and from the microcomputer 32 built in the camera head 2. The PLL receiver 60 receives the clock pulse from the camera head 2, and in synchronization with this, the operation timing of each circuit block in the CCU 35 is determined. The EEPROM 61 stores data for gain adjustment of the gain control amplifier 46 and the amplifier 48.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic electrical configuration of the GSPU 36. The GSP controller 64, which controls the processing of the GSPU 36, performs data processing with a 32-bit length according to the program written in the ROM 64a. And C
A serial-parallel converter (SP) 65 is used for each color channel to process pixel data transferred from the CU 35 with a data length of 24 bits. Under control of the memory controller 66, these SPs 65 convert pixel data of 8 bits per pixel from the CCU 35 into 32-bit data of 4 pixels. SP for each color
Pixel data for four pixels obtained from 65 is written in a dynamic RAM (DRAM) 67 having a storage capacity of 2 megabytes used as a work memory.

Immediately after completion of this writing, these pixel data are stored in a video RAM (VRA) having a storage capacity of 2 megabytes.
M) 68. Then, after being converted into an analog amount by the DA converter 69, it is input to the high-definition monitor 11 and a high-definition still image is displayed. Therefore,
By observing this image, it is possible to confirm the precise focusing and the setting state of the illumination light.

When the pixel data having the quantization size of 10 bits is transferred to the GSPU 36, the upper 8 bits of pixel data for 4 pixels are first DR through SP65.
It is transferred to AM67, and dummy data of 6 bits is added to the lower 2 bits to make an 8-bit data length.
The pixels are transferred to the DRAM 67. And DRAM
When the writing to 67 is completed, the upper 8 bits are transferred to the VRAM 68 and the lower 2 bits are transferred to the 4-megabyte DRAM 70 used as a sub memory. In this case, display is performed on the high-definition monitor 11 with the pixel data of the upper 8 bits read from the VRAM 68.

The VRAM 68 and the DRAM 70 used as a sub memory are CPs in the main control unit (MCU) 37 via the host data bus.
It is also accessible from U75 (Fig. 6). Then, when the pixel data is recorded as non-compressed data on the non-volatile recording medium, the pixel data read from the VRAM 68 and further from the DRAM 70 is the MCU.
37 to the work memory 76. Further, in the case of performing compressed data recording, the pixel data read from the VRAM 68 is converted from RGB pixel data to YC data (16 bits) by the YC conversion circuit 77, and then MC
The data is transferred to the U37, and the data compression processing is performed in the MCU37.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic structure of the MCU 37. The programmable input / output interface (PPI) 78 is
Input / output of RGB pixel data with the GSP interface 79 is controlled according to various control signals, timing signals, and data latch signals from the CPU 75. The CPU 75 transfers the pixel data transferred from the GSPU 36 to the work memory 76. At this time, GS
From the PU 36, plane-sequential pixel data, that is, pixel data in a state of being divided for each color is transferred. These plane-sequential pixel data are point-sequential pixel data, that is, RGB pixel data for each pixel position. Is written in the work memory 76 as the pixel data associated with. Then, thereafter, the pixel data is appropriately read from the work memory 76 and the processing by the MPU 37 is executed.

The data processing IC 80 has a function of compressing the pixel data written as YC data in the work memory 76 according to a command from the CPU 75. The pixel data after data compression is stored in the memory card deck 1 via the card interface 81.
6 and is recorded on the non-volatile recording medium. Further, it is also possible to transfer the pixel data after data compression to the work memory 76 and send it to the MO disk deck 17 via the scangy (SCSI) interface 41 and the SCSI connector 83 to record it on the MO disk. The direct memory access (DMA) controller 88 also transfers the pixel data in the work memory 76 by direct memory access transfer via the CPU data bus to the SCSI interface 41.
Used to transfer to.

The encoder 84 is the memory card deck 1.
When the pixel data is reproduced by the No. 6 or MO disk deck 17, the pixel data is used to display an image on the TV monitor. Pixel data read from these external devices is also written once in the work memory 76, and therefore the hard copy can be obtained by the printer by the processing of the MCU 37. Further, the ROM 85 is used as a program storage area of the CPU 75, and whether the printer connected to the SCSI connector 83 is the A-printer 12 or the B-printer 13.
Stores data for identifying whether or not

The usage of the electronic still camera will be described below. The extension memory 39 is not required in the GSPU 36 when one still image is captured.
When the power switch of the controller 8 is turned on, CC
U35 operates the camera head 2 in the movie mode. In the movie mode, each of the CCD image sensors 25 is 1280 × 10 by the CCD driver 30.
Of 00 pixels, pixel data for 640 × 480 pixels is thinned out and transferred to the CCU 35.

The pixel data thus captured is CC
Shading correction, color balance adjustment in U35,
After each quantization process is performed, C is passed through the LUT 57.
A movie image is displayed on the TV monitor for the finder separately mounted on the camera head 2 through the video encoder circuit inside the CU 35. While viewing this image, the shooting angle of view and the rough focus adjustment can be performed.

When there is a release operation input from the release remote controller 5 or the camera remote controller 7, the CCD image sensor 25 captures pixel data in the still mode. In the still mode, each CCD image sensor 25 reads out pixel data for all pixels of 1280 × 1000. The pixel data thus obtained is used for the AD converter 5
Although it is quantized by 0, the quantized size is either 8 bits or 10 bits depending on the setting of the camera remote controller 7.

When the quantization size is 8 bits, GSP
Pixel data is written in the work memory 67 in U36. However, the pixel number is different from that in the movie mode, and pixel data for all pixels is written. Continued VRAM
After the pixel data is transferred to the 68, the VRAM 68
Pixel data is read out for each color from and is converted into an analog amount by the DA converter 69, and then the pixel data is converted into RGB.
It is sent to the high-definition monitor 11 via the terminal. Since image display is performed on the high-definition monitor 11 with pixel data for all pixels, accurate focusing can be performed at this point.

When the quantization size is set to 10 bits, the DRAM 70 for the sub memory is used together with the VRAM 68 for writing the image data. Of the 10-bit pixel data, the upper 8 bits are the VRAM 68.
Then, the lower 2 bits are written in the DRAM 70. V
The pixel data in the RAM 68 and the DRAM 70 are converted into analog data by the DA converter 69, and by supplying the analog data to the high-definition monitor 11, image observation becomes possible.

After performing a precise focus confirmation on the high-definition monitor 11, a recording operation is performed by a key input on the camera remote controller 7 or the operation panel 9, the VR of the GSPU 36 is changed.
The AM 68 and the DRAM 70 are accessed by the CPU 75 of the MCU 37, and the image data is transferred to the MCU 37. Then, the pixel data in the plane order is converted into the pixel data in the dot order and written in the work memory 76. Work memory 76
The pixel data written in is transferred to, for example, the SCSI interface 41 by the control of the CPU 75,
Further, it is input to the MO disc deck 17 connected to the SCSI connector 83, and pixel data is recorded on the MO disc.

When a memory card is selected as a recording medium by the camera remote controller 7 or the operation panel 9, the GSP controller 64 activates the YC conversion circuit 77 and the RGB written in the VRAM 68.
Convert the corresponding pixel data to YC compatible pixel data
It is sent to the shared bus line with the CU 37. MCU37
Converts the pixel data into dot-order pixel data and writes the pixel data in the work memory 76. The pixel data in the work memory 76 is subjected to data compression processing by the data processing IC 80, if necessary, according to the data compression and non-compression settings on the camera remote controller 7 and the operation panel 9, and then through the card interface 81 to the memory card. Sent to deck 16.

When the expansion memory 39 is added to the GSPU 36, it can be used not only in the single image pickup mode described above but also in the multiple image pickup mode. Expansion memory 39
The work memory 67 can be expanded to a maximum of 48 megabytes in units of 16 megabytes (4 images when the quantization size is 8 bits, 2 images when the quantization size is 10 bits). Can be added. When the expansion memory 39 is additionally installed and the camera remote controller 7 or the operation panel 9 is used in the multi-imaging mode, the pixel data obtained in the still mode is sequentially written to the work memory 67 and the expansion memory 39 for each release operation. Be done.

In the normal mode of the multi-imaging mode, it is often unnecessary to first perform precise focusing and then to perform focusing again. Therefore, the imaging operation is performed (the recording is not performed) during the setting operation of the imaging environment, and the high-definition monitor 11 is used for precise focus adjustment at this time, and the high-definition monitor 11 is used for each subsequent imaging. It is preferable to omit focusing for quick operation. In consideration of this, when it is discriminated that the multi-imaging mode is set, sending of pixel data to the high-definition monitor 11 for each imaging is prohibited. The high-definition monitor 11
Focusing using may be performed in the first one screen in the multi-imaging mode, or may be performed by inputting a preliminary focus adjustment operation button or the like. The still images for a plurality of screens are sequentially stored in the expansion memory 39, and are sequentially transferred to the VRAM 68 and the DRAM 70 each time the processing for one screen is completed by the MCU 37.

By connecting a printer to the SCSI connector 83, not only still images taken by the camera head 2 but also uncompressed pixel data from the MO disk deck 17 or the host computer 15 used by connecting to the SCSI connector 83 are used. Based on, you can easily get a hard copy of the image. As described as the A-printer 12 or the B-printer 13, in order to obtain a high-quality hard copy with a printer having a different printer type as well as a printer having a different print format, color tone correction and gradation are performed for each printer. Correction is needed. In order to automate this correction, the CPU 75 and the ROM 85 in the MCU 37 perform the following operations.

When the A-printer 12 is connected to the SCSI connector 83, the CPU 75 sends a check signal to the A-printer 12 via the SCSI interface 41 to identify the model of the A-printer 12. And R
The parameters prepared for the A-printer 12 in the OM 85 are sent to the A-printer 12 via the SCSI interface 41. When the A-printer 12 prints with the pixel data sent from the MCU 37, the correction corresponding to the above-mentioned parameters is performed, so that it is not necessary to correct the pixel data itself with the MCU 37 and then send it to the printer. The time can be shortened. The data value of the LUT 57, the saturation data value, the hue data value, and the like may be prepared as the parameters.

When the host computer 15 is connected to the SCSI connector 83 and uncompressed pixel data is transferred to it, the pixel data in RGB plane order from the GSPU 36 is written in the work memory 76. This pixel data is sent to the SCSI interface 41 by the DMA controller 88, and further the pixel data is transferred to the host computer 15 in accordance with the data transfer request (SCSI command) from the host computer 15.

[0056]

In the electronic still camera to which the present invention is applied, the pixel data obtained from the image pickup device by image pickup can be immediately displayed on a high-definition monitor. It is possible to check the adjustment and the setting status of the illumination light. Therefore, it is possible to judge the suitability of the image immediately after the image capturing, and it is possible to take a quick response such as re-taking. Also, since a general TV monitor can be connected to the controller, composition and rough focus adjustment can be easily performed. Furthermore, since the controller is provided with a variable function of the quantization size of pixel data, the quantization level can be selected according to the type and application of the recording medium. In particular, when a print manuscript that requires color expressions of yellow, magenta, and cyan is created based on the obtained RGB pixel data, the quantization size of the RGB pixel data is increased as in the present invention. It is effective to be able to do so. Furthermore, since the video ram is configured to be treated as a volatile recording medium, the high-definition monitor displays an image with the pixel data in the video ram, and then immediately shifts to the mode for recording to the nonvolatile recording medium. Can be made.

Further, it is possible to use in the multi-imaging mode only by adding an expansion memory to the controller, and further, in the multi-imaging mode, the image is not displayed on the high-definition monitor for each imaging screen. Therefore, multi-imaging can be quickly performed under limited conditions such as in a studio. When trying to obtain a hard copy by connecting a printer, the controller is configured to send image quality adjustment parameters to the printer for each printer type, so troublesome adjustment operations are required for each printer model used. It is possible to obtain a hard copy with stable quality under the color management system that does not need to be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electrical configuration of a controller.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a system configuration including the electronic still camera of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a camera head.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an electrical configuration of a camera control unit.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an electrical configuration of a pixel signal processing unit.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an electrical configuration of a main control unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 camera head 7 camera remote controller 8 controller 11 high-definition monitor 25R, 25G, 25B CCD image sensor 35 camera control unit 36 image signal processing unit 37 main control unit

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A camera head having a built-in color separation optical system and an image pickup device for performing photoelectric conversion for each color separated.
Connected to this camera head, the photoelectric signal for each color obtained from the image sensor is quantized and converted into pixel data,
In an electronic still camera including a controller that outputs this pixel data to an external device, the controller is a work memory that temporarily stores the quantized pixel data for each color, and each color transferred from this work memory. Of the pixel data of each color for storing high-order multiple bits, a sub-memory for storing the remaining low-order bits, and the pixel data read out for each color from the video RAM and sub-memory in analog amounts. An electronic still camera, comprising: a D / A converter for converting the image into a high-definition image by inputting a signal from the D / A converter to a high-definition monitor. 2. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the controller displays an image on a TV monitor based on the pixel data of the higher-order plural bits read from a video RAM. 3. The video RAM and sub-memory,
The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein at least pixel data read from the video RAM is recorded in a non-volatile recording medium. 4. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the video ram is built in as a volatile recording medium. 5. A video data RAM and a RAM for storing pixel data to be transferred to a sub memory are added to enable storage of pixel data of a still image for a plurality of screens, and at the time of imaging for a plurality of screens. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein image display on the high-definition monitor is restricted. 6. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the quantization size of the photoelectric signal is variable, and pixel data is recorded on the recording medium with a set quantization size. 7. The electronic still camera according to claim 6, wherein the quantization size is changed by a look-up table used for correction for each pixel data after the photoelectric signal is digitally converted. 8. A camera head having a built-in color separation optical system and an image sensor for performing photoelectric conversion for each color separated.
Connected to this camera head, the photoelectric signal for each color obtained from the image sensor is quantized and converted into pixel data,
In an electronic still camera including a controller that outputs this pixel data to an external device, the controller has a connector for connecting a printer, and automatically determines the type of printer connected to the connector, and An electronic still camera characterized by transmitting parameters for image quality adjustment. 9. The parameter for image quality adjustment is a data value of a lookup table used for adjusting a bit length of pixel data after quantizing the photoelectric signal, a saturation data value, and a hue data value. Claim 8 characterized by
Electronic still camera described.