JPH0970002A - High definition electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an image signal adaptive to a motion image and a still image by one high definition CCD by picking up a moving image while the resolution is comparatively lowered. SOLUTION: An image light from a lens 10 is fed to a digital image pickup processing circuit 12 via a high density CCD 11 and the converted image signal is stored in a memory 13. Then, in regard to image data stored in the memory 13 address is generated when a sampling circuit 15 is set to the moving image mode and the image data are read. Then the read image data are fed to an MPEG/JPEG encoder 16, in which the MPEG compression processing in the moving image mode is conducted. The processed data are given to a system encoder 17, in which data from an audio processing circuit and data such as character information are added to the image data, resulting that the resulting data are converted into a data stream.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic camera capable of capturing a moving image or a still image with high precision using a disc-shaped disc capable of optically or magnetically recording and reproducing digital image data as a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional technique for teaching "a method for obtaining a moving image and a still image" by using one camera, (1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 173735/1990 discloses that a light imaged on a lens is mirrored. By using an image sensor by photoelectric conversion,
A method of selectively switching (optical path) to a silver salt film and photographing is shown.

As a "thinning-out method" for image data, (2) "2nd" is characterized in that a "child screen" is displayed at a predetermined position as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-18183.
Techniques such as "image television" and "multi-screen display" for displaying a large number of small screens at the same time are well known.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned prior arts (1) and (2) have the following disadvantages, respectively. In the prior art (1), the recording medium is naturally different between the electronic camera and the silver salt film, and different processing must be performed when viewing a recorded image, which is inconvenient to handle. Further, it is necessary to mechanically move the mirror and the like, which complicates the apparatus itself, and has a problem in responsiveness for promptly responding to switching or the like.

Further, the "multi-screen" of the prior art (2)
And the method of thinning out the image data to make it a "child screen",
It is only a method for "displaying a monitor" as a small screen as a menu, and is not a technique disclosed as a recording / reproducing method for providing an independent recording mode when efficiently recording image data.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a high-definition electronic camera in which only one high-definition CCD is used as an image pickup element to obtain image signals suitable for moving images and still images. To do.

[0007]

In order to solve this problem and achieve the above object, the present invention takes the following means. (1) A first realization means is an electronic camera capable of selectively recording and reproducing a moving image and a still image, and an image sensor for photoelectrically converting light formed by a lens to an electric signal. An image pickup processing circuit for converting the photoelectrically converted electric signal into a digital video signal, a recording means for recording the digital video signal converted by the image pickup processing circuit, and a selection between the moving image and the still image, A high-definition electronic camera comprising: a thinning-out means for thinning out the electric signal or the digital video signal according to a predetermined rule.

(2) A second realization means is an electronic camera capable of selectively recording continuous moving images and still images, wherein the light imaged by the lens is photoelectrically converted into an electric signal. Image pickup device, an image pickup processing circuit for converting a photoelectrically converted electric signal into a digital video signal, a memory for temporarily storing the digital video signal converted by the image pickup processing circuit, and a writing operation and a reading operation of the memory A memory control circuit for controlling the digital video signal read from the memory, and a recording unit for recording the digital video signal read from the memory. It is a thinning-out means for performing "thinning-out processing" so that different read patterns are obtained when the still image is recorded in the recording means and when the still image is recorded in the recording means. A high-definition electronic camera characterized by the above.

(3) As a third realizing means, an electronic camera capable of selectively recording a continuous moving image and a still image, photoelectrically converting the light imaged by the lens into an electric signal. And an image pickup processing circuit for converting a photoelectrically converted electric signal into a digital video signal,
The image pickup processing circuit is an analog / digital converter for converting a photoelectrically converted electric signal into a digital signal while periodically sampling the same, a video signal creating means for converting the digital signal into a digital video signal, and the video signal. A recording means for recording the digital video signal created by the creating means, and a sampling cycle of the electric signal in the analog-digital converter when a moving image is recorded in the recording means, and a still image. A high-definition electronic camera, which is controlled so as to be different from the case of recording in the recording means.

(4) A fourth realization means is an electronic camera capable of selectively recording continuous moving images and still images, and photoelectrically converts the light imaged by the lens into an electric signal. Image pickup element, an image pickup element drive circuit that controls the operation of extracting the electric signal from the image pickup element, an image pickup processing circuit that converts the photoelectrically converted electric signal into a digital video signal, and the image pickup processing circuit A recording means for recording the recorded digital video signal, and a case where an electric signal extracted from the image pickup device records a moving image in the recording means and a case where a still image is recorded in the recording means. A high-definition electronic camera having different output patterns is provided.

(Operation) By taking the above-mentioned means, the high-definition electronic camera of the present invention has the following operations.

On the basis of an image signal obtained from one high-density image pickup device, image data corresponding to all the pixels of the image pickup device is recorded as a digital signal on a recording medium during still image shooting. Further, at the time of shooting a moving image, only pixel data necessary for a predetermined moving image recording specification is selected by the “thinning process” and recorded on the same recording medium.

As a result, in the electronic camera of the present invention, high-definition high-quality still images and relatively low-quality moving images can be processed by the same image pickup circuit, and random access can be performed on the same recording medium. Records can be saved. Therefore, the camera body can be downsized and the manufacturing cost can be reduced accordingly, and the handling responsiveness as a camera can be improved.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A plurality of embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an electronic camera using a digital video disk (hereinafter abbreviated as DVD) capable of recording and reproducing on an image recording medium, and its main part. The configuration of is shown.

The electronic camera according to the present invention is an optical image pickup system for photographing and photoelectrically converting a subject, a one-screen storage system for temporarily storing image data of one screen at a predetermined timing, a still image and a moving image. And a so-called image thinning processing system for efficiently recording these images on the same recording medium of the still image / moving image recording system.

Specifically, as shown in the figure, the electronic camera has a lens 10 as an optical image pickup system, an image pickup element (hereinafter abbreviated as CCD) 11, a digital image pickup processing circuit 12 as a single screen storage system, an image memory 13, and timing. A generator (hereinafter abbreviated as TG) 14 and a sampling circuit,
MPEG (Moving Picture Cod) as an image thinning processing system
ing Experts Group) / JPEG (Joint Photographic E
xperts Group) Encoder 16 and system encoder 1
7, a modulation / correction code adding circuit 18, a recording amplifier 19, a servo controller 21 as a still image / moving image recording system, a driver 22, a feed motor 23, a writing head 24, a disk motor 25, a DVD disk 26, and the above-mentioned components. It is composed of a system control circuit 20 for controlling elements in a centralized manner.

Next, the operation of the electronic camera of the present invention configured as described above will be described. First, an image pickup signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the light formed by the lens 10 by one image pickup device (high density CCD) 11 corresponding to 1 million pixels is converted into a predetermined digital image signal by the digital image pickup processing circuit 12. After that, it is temporarily stored in the image memory 13 having a storage capacity for one screen.

The TG 14 controls the CCD 11 by creating a transfer signal for extracting an output signal from the CCD 11, and controls the synchronization signal in the digital image pickup processing circuit 12 and the writing and reading of image data in the image memory 13. The reference synchronizing signal of the sampling circuit 15 for performing is generated.

(Description of "Still Image" Recording): When a "still image recording request signal" is input to the system control circuit 20 from a key not shown, the system control circuit 20 sends a "still image" to each constituent block. A "mode" command is sent.
The operation of each block will be described while following the signal flow in this case in the figure.

First, the image data stored in the image memory 13 is read out in the stored order by the sampling circuit 15 being in the "still image mode", and is read by the MPEG / JPEG encoder 16. Then, the JPEG compression process is performed in the still image mode.

Next, in the system encoder 17, data from a voice processing circuit (not shown) and data such as character information are added and converted into a data stream. Here, a signal for identifying that the recording signal is a still image may be added.

Further, the modulation / correction code adding circuit 18 adds a correction code for correcting the data when a read error occurs during reproduction to the data stream signal and further modulates the data for recording on the DVD disk 26. I do.

The data signal is appropriately leveled so that it becomes an appropriate signal for recording by the recording amplifier 19, and the DVD disk 26 is passed through the write head 24.
Is recorded at a predetermined position.

Further, in the "access control" of the write head 24, the system control circuit 20 creates a control signal for the write track position and the position within the track based on information from a head position sensor (not shown) or the like, and the servo controller 21
It is performed by controlling and driving the feed motor 23 via the driver 22.

Similarly, the "rotation control" of the DVD disk 26 is also controlled by the control signal from the system control circuit 20.
It is realized by performing appropriate drive control of the disk motor 25 via the servo controller 21 and the driver 22.

(Explanation at the time of recording "moving image"): Next, when a "moving image recording request signal" is input to the system control circuit 20 from a key not shown, this system control circuit 20
Sends a command of "moving picture mode" to each constituent block. The operation of each block will be described in the same manner as in the case of the still image described above, while following the flow of signals in this case in the figure.

First, as for the image data stored in the image memory 13, the sampling 15 is set to the moving image mode, so that only the pixels indicated by diagonal lines among the pixels in the CCD area are stored in the stored data as shown in FIG. Image data is read out by generating an address signal that is taken out.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, C
When a color filter having an RGB checkerboard pattern is arranged on the CD, the minimum unit of the extracted RGB checkered array shown by the diagonal lines in the figure is set as one block, and the blocks are read from the image memory 13 every other block.

The image data read out as described above is then sent to the MPEG / JPEG encoder 16 where MPEG compression processing is performed in the moving image mode. More specifically, this MPEG compression processing is based on MPEG1,
MPEG2 and more detailed divisions are known as predetermined standards, but are not particularly limited here.

Further, in the system encoder 17, data from a voice processing circuit (not shown) and data such as character information are added and converted into a data stream. A signal for identifying that the recording signal is a moving image may be added here.

The subsequent processing is exactly the same as the content described in the description of the still image recording described above. Next, the details of dividing the image data to be extracted from the image memory in the moving image mode or the still image mode will be described with reference to the detailed configuration diagram of the image memory 13 and the sampling 15 shown in FIG.

The image signal to the image memory 13 first passes through the input buffer 131 and the video memory 132 (however, this memory may be referred to as "image memory", but in order to avoid confusion with the image memory 13, ) To wr
It is written based on the ite address signal 13c. The input buffer 131 also has a function of blocking the image data input by the memory write ON / OFF signal 13a from the system control circuit.

The image data 13d stored in the video memory 132 is read based on the read address signal, and becomes an output signal of the image memory 13 via the output buffer 133. The output buffer 133 has a function of blocking the image data output by the memory read ON / OFF signal 13b from the system control circuit.

On the other hand, in the sampling 15, the synchronizing signal 15b from the TG 14 is used as the reference signal generating circuit 151 for generating the reference signal to generate the reference signal, and the reference signal is supplied to each address generating circuit described below. The address generator has
There are a memory write address generation unit 152, a memory read moving image address generation unit 153, and a memory read still image address generation unit 154.

First, the memory write address generator 152
Then, an address signal for writing the image data in the video memory is created and supplied as a write address signal 13c via the buffer 156. This buffer has a function of interrupting the supply of the address signal in order to stop the rewriting of the image data of the video memory in the still image mode by the write stop signal 15a from the system control.

Next, the memory read moving image address generator 15
In 3, the address signal for extracting the image data of the shaded portion in FIG. 3 is generated as described in FIG. Further, the memory read still image address generator 154 creates an address signal for reading the entire CCD area in FIG.

The output of the memory read moving image address generator 153 and the memory read still image generator 154.
Output is selected by the address signal selection unit 155 by the moving / still image switching signal 15c from the system control circuit, and the read address signal 13d is generated.

(Effects of the First Embodiment) As the effects of the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, since the image data from the CCD is once stored in the image memory as it is in the pixel array of the CCD and then read out in the moving image mode or the still image mode, C
There is no change in the order of the color signals in the CD color filter. Therefore, it is possible to process moving images and still images with different resolutions using the same signal processing circuit.

As a result, an electronic camera for storing moving images and still images having different resolutions can be realized at low cost.
In addition, an electronic camera using a disc-shaped disk capable of optically or magnetically storing, which is applied to the present invention, as a storage medium,
There is also an advantage that a plurality of resolutions can be selected and stored if desired.

(Second Embodiment) Next, the following embodiment is also possible as a second embodiment of the present invention. Here, description will be given based on FIG. 1 described in the first embodiment.

First, an image pickup signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the light imaged by the lens 10 by an image pickup device (CCD) 11 is converted into a predetermined digital image signal by a digital image pickup processing circuit 12 and a predetermined video signal processing is performed. Be seen. here,
In this embodiment, the image memory 13 and the sampling 1
5 is omitted, and the output of the digital imaging processing is MPEG /
It is input to the JPEG encoder 16 (not shown).

Further, the timing generator (TG) 1
Reference numeral 4 generates a transfer signal for extracting an output signal from the CCD 11 to control the CCD 11 and generate a synchronizing signal in the digital image pickup processing circuit 12.

Here, as the image data photoelectrically converted from the CCD 11, the pixel data of the entire area of the CCD shown in FIG. 5 is image-wise output, but the digital image pickup processing circuit sampling controlled by the timing signal of the TG 14. In the still image mode in 12, the data for all the pixels of the CCD 11 is sampled, and in the moving image mode, the pixel data in the hatched portion of the CCD image shown in FIG. Only the pixel data of the moving image is digitally imaged.

Other processing is the same as that of the first embodiment described above. FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the TG 14 and the digital image pickup processing circuit 12 described above, which is adapted to this embodiment.

The CCD 11 is provided in the digital image pickup processing circuit 12.
When the output signal of is input, first, the CDS / AGC12
1 performs a correlated double sampling process (CDS) to reduce the amount of noise, and adjusts the signal level to the next AD converter 122 within an appropriate range. AGC (automatic gain control) process, that is, "automatic gain control". "
I do.

Next, in the AD converter 122, the analog signal of the output of the CDS / AGC 121 is converted into a digital signal at the timing of sampling with the AD conversion sampling signal 14b from the TG 14, and the process processing unit 123 processes the image pickup signal. This is performed using the process signal sampling signal 14c, and the output signal from the process processing unit 123 becomes the output of the digital image pickup processing circuit 12.

Incidentally, in the image pickup signal processing of the process processing unit 123, "color separation processing", "γ processing", "Knee processing" and the like are performed, but the details thereof are omitted because they are known.

On the other hand, the TG 14 supplies the reference clock from the original clock 141 to each timing generation circuit shown below in a predetermined method by the reference synchronization signal generation / original clock frequency dividing circuit 142.

The timing generating circuit includes a CDS timing generating section 143 and a moving image timing generating circuit 14.
4 and a still image timing generation circuit 145.
First, the timing generation 143 for CDS is the CDS / AGC.
Generate timing signals for 121. However, no distinction is made here between moving images and still images.

Further, the moving picture timing generation circuit 144, as shown by the hatched lines in FIG. 5, is one-third in the vertical direction and one-third in the horizontal direction as compared with the sampling of all pixels.
Generate a sampling signal of times. Further, the still image timing generation circuit 145 performs sampling on all the pixels shown in FIG.

The outputs from these two timing circuits are supplied to the AD & process processing timing generator 146.
The switching signal is controlled by the switching signal of the moving image / still image from the system control circuit to cause the AD converter 122 and the process processing unit 123 to generate the AD conversion sampling signal 14b and the process processing timing signal 14c, respectively.

(Effects of the Second Embodiment) The following effects can be obtained according to the above embodiment. That is, C
When the image data from the CD is sampled by the AD converter, the generation of sampling timing signals can be switched in the moving image or still image mode to extract only the necessary data.

Further, in the subsequent signal processing, since the processing can be performed with the same timing signal as that of the AD converter, the processing circuit itself can be operated by the same circuit without any change in the moving image or the still image.

As a result, since the circuit can be shared, a simple structure can be achieved, and thus a high-definition electronic camera for storing moving images and still images having different resolutions can be realized at low cost.

(Other Embodiments) In the above-described embodiments of the present invention, the still image mode is set to "high resolution",
In the video mode, the resolution is lower than that of the still image, but the resolution is lower in the video mode.
A method of using the still image mode in a relatively low resolution mode and using the still image as a moving image index display may be considered.

Further, the CCD drive signal from the TG shown in FIG. 1 is driven at a high speed only with the horizontal transfer pulse or the vertical transfer pulse corresponding to the unnecessary pixel so that only the necessary part can be taken out as an output signal. A method of doing it is also possible.

Although the description has been given based on the embodiment of the present invention, the present invention includes the following inventions. (1) In an electronic camera capable of selectively recording a moving image and a still image, an image sensor for photoelectrically converting light formed by a lens to convert it into an electric signal, and a digital video signal for the photoelectrically converted electric signal According to the selection of the moving image and the still image, and the image signal processing circuit for converting the image signal to the digital image signal converted by the image processing circuit. A high-definition electronic camera, comprising: thinning means for thinning according to a rule.

(2) In an electronic camera capable of selectively recording continuous moving images and still images, an image sensor for photoelectrically converting the light imaged by the lens into an electric signal, and an electric device for photoelectric conversion. An image pickup processing circuit for converting a signal into a digital video signal, a memory for temporarily storing the digital video signal converted by the image pickup processing circuit, a control circuit for controlling writing and reading operations of the memory, and the memory Recording means for recording the read digital video signal, wherein the memory control circuit records a moving image in the recording means by the digital video signal read from the memory, and a still image. High-definition electronic camera, which is a thinning-out means for "thinning-out" so that a read pattern different from that when the .

(3) In an electronic camera capable of selectively recording continuous moving images and still images, an image sensor for photoelectrically converting the light imaged by a lens to convert it into an electric signal, and a photoelectrically converted electric signal. An image pickup processing circuit for converting a signal into a digital video signal, wherein the image pickup processing circuit converts an electric signal which has been photoelectrically converted into a digital signal while periodically sampling the electric signal; A sampling period of the electric signal in the analog-digital converter, which has a video signal creating means for converting the signal into a digital video signal and a recording means for recording the digital video signal created by the video signal creating means. However, it is controlled so as to be different when a moving image is recorded in the recording means and when a still image is recorded in the recording means. High-definition electronic camera characterized by

(4) In an electronic camera capable of selectively recording continuous moving images and still images, an image pickup device for photoelectrically converting light formed by a lens to convert it into an electric signal, and an image pickup device from the image pickup device. An image sensor driving circuit that controls the operation of extracting the electric signal, an image processing circuit that converts the photoelectrically converted electric signal into a digital video signal, and a recording unit that records the digital video signal converted by the image processing circuit. And an electric signal extracted from the image pickup device has different output patterns when a moving image is recorded in the recording unit and when a still image is recorded in the recording unit. High-definition electronic camera.

(5) The image pickup device has at least 10
The high-definition electronic camera according to (1), which is a solid-state image pickup device having 0,000 pixels or more. (6) The high-definition electronic camera according to (1), wherein the recording means is a disk-shaped disc capable of optically or magnetically recording and reproducing a digital video signal.

(7) The high-definition electronic camera described in (1) is characterized in that the recording means is provided with an identification signal indicating that it is a continuous moving image or a still image. (8) The high-definition electronic camera according to (1), characterized in that the recording amount in the recording means is a high-definition image when recording a still image compared to when recording a continuous moving image. .

(9) The thinning means has a memory circuit for temporarily storing the digital video signal converted by the image pickup processing circuit, and an address signal selecting means for selecting a memory read address of the memory circuit. The high-definition electronic camera according to (1), which is a circuit. (Corresponding to claim 2).

(10) The high-definition circuit according to (1), wherein the thinning means is a timing generation circuit for outputting an analog / digital conversion sampling signal to an analog / digital converter in the image pickup processing circuit. Electronic camera. (Corresponding to claim 3).

(11) The high-definition electronic camera described in (1) is characterized in that the thinning means is a timing generation circuit for outputting a high speed drive signal to the image pickup device.
(Corresponding to claim 4).

[0066]

As described above, according to the present invention, by using a high-definition CCD which realizes high resolution, all the pixel data of the image pickup device can be effectively used in still image shooting, while in moving image shooting. By shooting with a relatively low resolution, each shooting data can be recorded on the same recording medium (disk) capable of recording and reproducing optically or magnetically. And it becomes possible to shoot using the same camera for both still image shooting and video shooting,
Therefore, the conventional inconvenience of operating a plurality of different photographing devices for still image shooting and moving image shooting is eliminated.

In the present invention, since the "sampling method" of pixel data is different in the moving image mode and the high-quality still image mode, most of the same image pickup processing circuits are shared and processed in either mode. Therefore, the circuit size of the camera can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

In other words, the electronic camera of the present invention can perform signal processing by the same image pickup processing circuit and can collectively store on the same recording medium such as a DVD capable of high-density recording, and thus the handling responsiveness can be improved. An excellent small-sized and inexpensive high-definition electronic camera can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic camera using a recordable / reproducible DVD (digital video disc) as a recording medium in an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing in detail the image memory 13 and a memory write / read unit 15 related to the first embodiment in the configuration diagram of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an image memory array according to the first embodiment, and an image of pixel extraction during a moving image when the image memory array is adapted to the image of the pixel array of the image sensor.

FIG. 4 is a block configuration diagram showing details of a digital image pickup processing unit 12 and a timing generator 14 particularly related to the second embodiment example in the configuration diagram shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram that particularly illustrates pixel extraction during a moving image from the pixel array of the image sensor by sampling in the AD conversion processing according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Lens, 11 ... Imaging device (high-definition CCD), 12 ... Digital imaging processing circuit, 13 ... Image memory, 14 ... Timing generator (TG), 15 ... Sampling (circuit), 16 ... MPEG / JPEG encoder, 17 ... System encoder, 18 ... Modulation / correction code addition circuit, 19 ... Recording amplifier, 20 ... System control circuit, 21 ... Servo controller, 22 ... Motor driver, 23 ... Head feed motor, 24 ... Write head, 25 ... Disk motor, 26 ... DVD disc. 121 ... CDS / AGC, 122 ... AD converter, 123 ... Process processing section, 131 ... Input buffer, 132 ... Video memory, 133 ... Output buffer, 141 ... Original clock, 142 ... Reference sync signal generation original clock frequency divider circuit, 143 ... CDS timing generation unit, 144 ... Moving image timing generation circuit, 145 ... Still image timing generation circuit, 146 ... AD & process processing timing generation unit, 151 ... Address signal generation reference signal generation circuit, 152 ... Memory write Address generation unit, 153 ... Memory read moving image address generation unit, 154 ... Memory read still image address generation unit, 155 ... Address signal selection unit, 156 ... Buffer.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. In an electronic camera capable of selectively recording and reproducing a moving image and a still image, an image sensor for photoelectrically converting light imaged by a lens to convert it into an electric signal, and an electric signal photoelectrically converted. An image pickup processing circuit for converting into a digital image signal, a recording means for recording the digital image signal converted by the image pickup processing circuit, and the electric signal or the digital image signal according to the selection of the moving image or the still image. And a thinning-out means for thinning out in accordance with a predetermined rule. 2. An electronic camera capable of selectively recording continuous moving images and still images, an image pickup device for photoelectrically converting light imaged by a lens to an electric signal, and a photoelectrically converted electric signal To a digital image signal, a memory for temporarily storing the digital image signal converted by the image processing circuit, a memory control circuit for controlling write operation and read operation of the memory, and the memory Recording means for recording the digital video signal read from the memory control circuit, wherein the memory control circuit records a moving image in the recording means by the digital video signal read from the memory; High-definition means characterized by thinning means for "thinning-out" so that a read pattern different from that when an image is recorded on the recording means is obtained. Child camera. 3. An electronic camera capable of selectively recording a continuous moving image and a still image, an image sensor for photoelectrically converting light formed by a lens to an electric signal, and an electric signal photoelectrically converted. And an image pickup processing circuit for converting the digital signal into a digital image signal, wherein the image pickup processing circuit converts the photoelectrically converted electric signal into a digital signal while periodically sampling, and the digital signal. To a digital video signal, and a recording means for recording the digital video signal created by the video signal creating means, wherein the sampling cycle of the electric signal in the analog-digital converter is Control is performed so that the case where a moving image is recorded in the recording means and the case where a still image is recorded in the recording means are different. High-definition electronic camera which is characterized in Rukoto. 4. An electronic camera capable of selectively recording continuous moving images and still images, comprising: an image sensor for photoelectrically converting light formed by a lens to convert the light into an electric signal; An image pickup element drive circuit for controlling an operation of extracting an electric signal; an image pickup processing circuit for converting the photoelectrically converted electric signal into a digital video signal; and a recording means for recording the digital video signal converted by the image pickup processing circuit. And an electric signal extracted from the image pickup device has different output patterns when a moving image is recorded in the recording unit and when a still image is recorded in the recording unit. High definition electronic camera.