JP6851788B2 - Focus control device, control method and program of focus control device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a focus control device for controlling focus according to a designation of a focus position using a pointing device such as a touch sensor.

Conventionally, digital cameras equipped with a touch panel in which a finder and a pointing device are integrated and in which a focus point can be selected by touch operation have become widespread. On the other hand, a device equipped with a touch sensor other than the finder as a pointing device is also known. According to Patent Document 1, when the movement of a finger is detected in a display device using a peep-type display unit and a touch sensor, the display position of the AF (autofocus) target frame is moved according to the movement state. The technology is disclosed. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique of displaying the movable range of the focus point on the viewfinder when the movable range of the focus point is limited in the camera system that focuses on the subject specified on the viewfinder screen. Has been done.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-203143 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-365519

However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, since the display position of the AF target frame is moved according to the movement of the finger, there is a possibility that agile switching may not be possible or the focus may become unstable during the movement. It was. Further, in the technique of Patent Document 2, when the viewfinder screen is small, the focus point movable range becomes a narrow range, it is difficult to touch an accurate position, and it is difficult to specify an accurate AF point position. ..

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to accurately specify a focus position desired by a user.

Therefore, the present invention is a focus control device, which is a focus control means for controlling the focus with reference to a subject included in a focus target range which is a part of a range narrower than the entire shooting range by the shooting means. The touch detection means for detecting the touch operation on the touch detection surface and the touch position where the touch operation is performed within a predetermined range of the touch detection surface correspond to the positional relationship between the predetermined range and the touch position. The position conversion means for converting to a position in the focus target range, and when the contrast AF method is set, the first range, which is a part narrower than the entire shooting range, is set as the focus target range. However, when the phase difference AF method is set, the position changing means has a range setting means for setting a second range narrower than the first range as the focus target range, and the position changing means has the focus. Even if a touch operation is performed at the same position on the touch detection surface in the target range, the case where the phase difference AF method is set is closer to the center of the shooting range than the case where the contrast AF method is set. The focus control means controls the focus based on the position within the focus target range obtained by the position conversion means.

According to the present invention, the focus position desired by the user can be accurately specified.

It is an external view of a digital camera. It is an external view of the operation remote controller. It is a block diagram which shows the configuration example of a digital camera and an operation remote controller. It is a flowchart which shows the control process by a digital camera. It is a figure which shows the display screen example. It is a figure which shows the display screen example. It is a flowchart which shows the control process by an operation remote controller. It is a figure which shows the display screen example. It is a flowchart which shows the control process by a digital camera. It is a flowchart which shows the control process by an operation remote controller. It is a figure which shows the display screen example.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment>
1 (a) and 1 (b) are external views of a digital camera 100 which is an example of a focus control device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of the digital camera 100, and FIG. 1B is a rear perspective view of the digital camera 100. In FIG. 1, the display unit 28 is a display unit that displays images and various information, and in this embodiment, the aspect ratio is 16: 9. The shutter button 61 is an operation unit for giving a shooting instruction. The mode changeover switch 60 is an operation unit for switching various modes. The terminal cover 40 is a cover that protects a connector (not shown) such as a connection cable for connecting a connection cable to an external device and the digital camera 100.

The main electronic dial 71 is a rotation operation member included in the operation unit 70 shown in FIG. 3, and by turning the main electronic dial 71, setting values such as a shutter speed and an aperture can be changed. The power switch 72 is an operating member that switches the power of the digital camera 100 on and off. The sub-electronic dial 73 is a rotation operation member included in the operation unit 70 and included in the operation unit 70, and can move the selection frame, feed an image, and the like. The cross key 74 is included in the operation unit 70, and is a cross key capable of pushing up, down, left, and right portions, respectively. The operation can be performed according to the pressed portion of the cross key 74.

The SET button 75 is included in the operation unit 70, is a push button, and is mainly used for determining a selection item or the like. The LV button 76 is included in the operation unit 70, and is a button for switching ON / OFF of the live view (hereinafter, LV) in the still image shooting mode. In the moving image shooting mode, it is used to instruct the start and stop of movie shooting (recording). The enlargement button 77 is included in the operation unit 70, and is an operation button for turning on / off the enlargement mode and changing the enlargement ratio during the enlargement mode in the live view display of the shooting mode. In the playback mode, it functions as an enlargement button for enlarging the reproduced image and increasing the enlargement ratio.

The play button 78 is included in the operation unit 70, and is an operation button for switching between a shooting mode and a play mode. By pressing the playback button 78 during the shooting mode, the playback mode can be entered, and the latest image among the images recorded on the recording medium 300 can be displayed on the display unit 28. The lid 202 is a lid of a slot that stores the recording medium 300.

The grip portion 90 is a holding portion having a shape that makes it easy for the user to hold the digital camera 100 with his / her right hand. The quick return mirror 12 is instructed by the system control unit 50 shown in FIG. 3 and is moved up and down by an actuator (not shown). The communication terminal 10 is a communication terminal for the digital camera 100 to communicate with the lens side (detachable). The eyepiece finder 16 is a peep-type finder for confirming the focus and composition of the optical image of the subject obtained through the lens unit 110 by observing the focusing screen 13.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the operation remote controller 200. The user can perform operations related to shooting settings and recording of the digital camera 100 on the operation remote controller 200. The operation remote controller 200 can be connected to a connector (not shown) in the terminal cover 40 of the digital camera 100 by a connection cable 191. The digital camera 100 and the operation remote controller 200 can perform bidirectional data communication by the connection cable 191. However, in the present embodiment, the captured image is transmitted and received in real time and displayed by the operation remote controller 200. In this embodiment, it is premised that serial communication capable of communicating several hundred bytes per frame (1/60 second) is performed via the connection cable 191. However, the communication method and the amount of communication per frame are different. Not particularly limited. Further, the connection cable 191 and its communication can be replaced with wireless communication.

The power switch 172 is an operating member that switches the power of the operating remote controller 200 on and off. The display unit 128 is a display unit that displays setting information and a recording state. The display unit 128 does not display the captured image, unlike the display unit 28 of the digital camera 100. Further, in this embodiment, the aspect ratio of the display unit 128 is 16: 9. There are six operation buttons 171 above and below the operation remote controller 200, and the functions corresponding to each operation button 171 change depending on the content displayed on the display unit 128, and are included in the operation unit 170 shown in FIG. The cross key 174 is included in the operation unit 170, and is a cross key capable of pushing up, down, left, and right portions, respectively. The operation can be performed according to the pressed portion of the cross key 174.

The SET button 175 is included in the operation unit 170, is a push button, and is mainly used for determining a selection item or the like. The HOME button 176 is included in the operation unit 170, is a push button, and is used when transitioning to the HOME screen. The MENU button 177 is included in the operation unit 170, is a push button, and is used when transitioning to the MENU screen. The BACK button 178 is included in the operation unit 170 and is a push button, which is used for a cancel operation or a return to the previous screen.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the digital camera 100. FIG. 3B is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the operation remote controller 200. In FIG. 3A, the lens unit 110 is a lens unit equipped with an interchangeable photographing lens. The lens 103 is usually composed of a plurality of lenses, but here, only one lens is shown for brevity. The communication terminal 6 is a communication terminal for the lens unit 110 to communicate with the digital camera 100 side, and the communication terminal 10 is a communication terminal for the digital camera 100 to communicate with the lens unit 110 side.

The lens unit 110 communicates with the system control unit 50 via the communication terminals 6 and 10. The lens unit 110 controls the aperture mechanism 102 via the aperture drive circuit 2 by the internal lens system control circuit 4, and shifts the position of the lens 103 via the AF (Autoforce) drive circuit 3 to focus. match. The AE sensor 17 measures the brightness of the subject through the lens unit 110. The focus detection unit 11 outputs defocus amount information to the system control unit 50. The system control unit 50 controls the lens unit 110 based on this, and performs phase difference AF. Compared with the contrast AF described later, the phase difference AF can perform AF at a higher speed because the direction and distance in which the lens unit 110 should be driven can be known. On the other hand, since the accuracy depends on the lens 103, sufficient accuracy may not be obtained depending on the lens to be attached.

The quick return mirror 12 (hereinafter referred to as the mirror 12) is instructed by the system control unit 50 at the time of exposure, live view shooting, and moving image shooting, and is moved up and down by an actuator (not shown). The mirror 12 is a mirror for switching the light flux incident from the lens 103 between the eyepiece finder 16 side and the image pickup unit 22 side. Normally, the mirror 12 is arranged so as to guide the light flux to the eyepiece finder 16, but when shooting is performed or in the case of live view display, the mirror 12 is upward so as to guide the light flux to the image pickup unit 22. It jumps up and evacuates from the luminous flux (mirror lockup). By observing the focusing screen 13 through the pentaprism 14 and the eyepiece finder 16, the photographer can confirm the focus and composition of the optical image of the subject obtained through the lens unit 110.

The eyepiece detection unit 19 detects the approach (eyepiece) and separation (eyepiece) of the eye (object) with respect to the eyepiece finder 16 (approach detection). The system control unit 50 is a display unit in the display unit 28 and the eyepiece finder 16 according to the state detected by the eyepiece detection unit 19 (not shown. A display element that displays an optical image and a visible shooting setting at the same time). Switch between display (display state) and non-display (non-display state) of. For example, an infrared proximity sensor can be used for the eyepiece detection unit 19, and it is possible to detect the approach of some object to the eyepiece of the eyepiece finder 16. When an object approaches, the infrared rays projected from the light projecting unit (not shown) of the eyepiece detection unit 19 are reflected and received by the light receiving unit (not shown) of the infrared proximity sensor. From the amount of infrared rays received, it is possible to determine how close the object is from the eyepiece (eyepiece distance). In this way, the eyepiece detection unit 19 performs eyepiece detection for detecting the close distance of the object to the eyepiece.

The eyepiece detection unit 19 shall detect that an eyepiece has been drawn when an object approaching the eyepiece of the finder within a predetermined distance is detected from the non-eyepiece state (non-approaching state). The eyepiece detection unit 19 shall detect that the eye has been removed when the object for which the approach has been detected is separated by a predetermined distance or more from the eyepiece state (approaching state). The threshold value for detecting the eyepiece and the threshold value for detecting the eyepiece may be different, for example, by providing hysteresis. In addition, after the eyepiece is detected, the eyepiece is assumed to be in the eyepiece state until the eyepiece is detected. After the eyepiece is detected, it is assumed that the eyepiece is not in the eyepiece state until the eyepiece is detected. The infrared proximity sensor is an example, and the eyepiece detection unit 19 may employ another sensor as long as it can detect the approach of an eye or an object that can be regarded as an eyepiece.

The shutter 101 is a focal plane shutter that can freely control the exposure time of the imaging unit 22 under the control of the system control unit 50. The image pickup unit 22 is an image pickup device composed of a CCD, a CMOS element, or the like that converts an optical image into an electric signal. The image pickup unit 22 includes an element that serves as a distance measuring sensor, and can determine the amount of defocus of the captured subject. As a result, so-called imaging surface phase-difference AF can be performed. When the element (image plane sensor) capable of acquiring the defocus amount is arranged only in a part of the range of the imaging unit 22, the region where the imaging surface phase difference AF is possible is a part of the range. Limited to. Further, even when the elements capable of acquiring the defocus amount are arranged in the entire range of the imaging unit 22, the peripheral portion is not set as the AF-capable region, and the imaging surface phase difference is within a predetermined range from the center. The AF-capable area shall be limited. Hereinafter, the phase difference AF is a generic name for both the phase difference AF by the focus detection unit 11 and the image plane phase difference AF by the image plane sensor of the image pickup unit 22.

The A / D converter 23 converts an analog signal into a digital signal. The A / D converter 23 is used to convert an analog signal output from the imaging unit 22 into a digital signal.
The image processing unit 24 performs resizing processing such as predetermined pixel interpolation and reduction and color conversion processing on the data from the A / D converter 23 or the data from the memory control unit 15. Further, in the image processing unit 24, a predetermined calculation process is performed using the captured image data, and the system control unit 50 performs exposure control and distance measurement control based on the obtained calculation result. As a result, AF (autofocus) processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, and EF (flash pre-flash) processing of the contrast AF method (TVAF method) are performed.

Since the contrast AF calculates the sharpness of the image and performs focusing, the focus accuracy can be obtained regardless of the individual difference of the lens 103, but the AF speed is often inferior to the phase difference AF. On the other hand, contrast AF can perform forcing (focus adjustment, focus adjustment) as long as the sharpness (contrast) of the image can be calculated, so it is possible to acquire information on focus and AF in a wider range than the phase difference method. Is.

Further, the image processing unit 24 performs a predetermined calculation process using the captured image data, and also performs a TTL-type AWB (auto white balance) process based on the obtained calculation result. The output data from the A / D converter 23 is written directly to the memory 32 via the image processing unit 24 and the memory control unit 15 or via the memory control unit 15. The memory 32 stores image data obtained by the imaging unit 22 and converted into digital data by the A / D converter 23. The memory 32 also stores image data for display on the display unit 28 and OSD (On-Screen Display) data for displaying the setting state and setting information on the display unit 28. The memory 32 has a storage capacity sufficient to store a predetermined number of still images, moving images for a predetermined time, audio, and OSD data.

Further, the memory 32 also serves as a memory (video memory) for displaying an image. The D / A converter 27 converts the image display (combining image data and OSD data) data stored in the memory 32 into an analog signal and supplies it to the display unit 28. In this way, the display image data written in the memory 32 is displayed by the display unit 28 via the D / A converter 27. The display unit 28 displays on a display such as an LCD according to the analog signal from the D / A converter 27. The system control unit 50 analog-converts the digital signal once A / D-converted by the A / D converter 23 and stored in the memory 32 by the D / A converter 27, and sequentially transfers the digital signal to the display unit 28 for display. Control. As a result, the display unit 28 functions as an electronic viewfinder, and can perform through image display (live view display) and MENU screen display.

The non-volatile memory 56 is a memory that can be electrically erased and recorded, and for example, EEPROM or the like is used. The non-volatile memory 56 stores constants, programs, and the like for the operation of the system control unit 50. Here, the program includes a program for executing various flowcharts described later in the present embodiment.

The system control unit 50 controls the entire digital camera 100. By executing the program recorded in the non-volatile memory 56 described above, each process of the present embodiment described later is realized. Reference numeral 52 denotes a system memory, and RAM is used. In the system memory 52, constants and variables for the operation of the system control unit 50, a program read from the non-volatile memory 56, and the like are expanded. The system control unit 50 also controls the display including the OSD data by controlling the memory 32, the D / A converter 27, the display unit 28, and the like. The system timer 53 is a time measuring unit that measures the time used for various controls and the time of the built-in clock.

The mode changeover switch 60, the first shutter switch 62, the second shutter switch 64, and the operation unit 70 are operation means for inputting various operation instructions to the system control unit 50. The mode changeover switch 60 switches the operation mode of the system control unit 50 to any one of a still image recording mode, a moving image recording mode, a playback mode, and the like. The modes included in the still image recording mode include an auto shooting mode, an auto scene discrimination mode, a manual mode, an aperture priority mode (Av mode), and a shutter speed priority mode (Tv mode). Further, as a mode included in the still image recording mode, there are various scene modes, a program AE mode, a custom mode, etc., which are shooting settings for each shooting scene. The mode changeover switch 60 directly switches to any of these modes included in the still image shooting mode. Alternatively, after switching to the still image shooting mode once with the mode changeover switch 60, the mode may be switched to any of these modes included in the still image shooting mode by using another operating member.

Similarly, the moving image shooting mode may include a plurality of modes. The first shutter switch 62 is turned on by a so-called half-press (shooting preparation instruction) during the operation of the shutter button 61 provided on the digital camera 100, and the first shutter switch signal SW1 is generated. The first shutter switch signal SW1 starts operations such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (autoexposure) processing, AWB (auto white balance) processing, and EF (flash pre-flash) processing. The second shutter switch 64 is turned on when the operation of the shutter button 61 is completed, so-called full pressing (shooting instruction), and the second shutter switch signal SW2 is generated. The system control unit 50 starts a series of shooting processing operations from reading the signal from the imaging unit 22 to writing the image data to the recording medium 300 by the second shutter switch signal SW2.

Each operation member of the operation unit 70 is assigned a function as appropriate for each scene by selecting and operating various function icons displayed on the display unit 28, and acts as various function buttons. The function buttons include, for example, an end button, a back button, an image feed button, a jump button, a narrowing down button, an attribute change button, and the like. For example, when the menu button is pressed, various settable menu screens are displayed on the display unit 28. The user can intuitively make various settings by using the menu screen displayed on the display unit 28 and the up / down / left / right four-direction buttons and the SET button.

The operation unit 70 is various operation members as an input unit that receives an operation from the user. The operation unit 70 includes at least the following operation units. That is, the shutter button 61, the main electronic dial 71, the power switch 72, the sub electronic dial 73, the cross key 74, the SET button 75, the LV button 76, the enlargement button 77, and the play button 78. The power supply control unit 80 includes a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, a switch circuit for switching a block to be energized, and the like, and detects whether or not a battery is installed, the type of battery, and the remaining battery level. Further, the power supply control unit 80 controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection result and the instruction of the system control unit 50, and supplies a necessary voltage to each unit including the recording medium 300 for a necessary period.

The power supply unit 30 includes a primary battery such as an alkaline battery or a lithium battery, a secondary battery such as a NiCd battery, a NiMH battery, or a Li battery, an AC adapter, or the like. The recording medium I / F 18 is an interface with a recording medium 300 such as a memory card or a hard disk. The recording medium 300 is a recording medium such as a memory card for recording a captured image, and is composed of a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like. The external I / F 93 is an I / F for connecting to another device from a connector (not shown) in the terminal cover 40, and includes a PTP connection with a PC and an HDMI (registered trademark) connection with an external monitor. Further, the external I / F 93 also includes an I / F for connecting to the operation remote controller 200, and communicates with the operation remote controller 200 under the control of the system control unit 50. The communication I / F 92 includes a wireless chip, an antenna, and the like for wirelessly communicating with an external device. The communication I / F 92 shall perform communication by wireless LAN under the control of the system control unit 50.

With the above-mentioned digital camera 100, it is possible to take a picture using a central one-point AF, a face AF, or a touch AF at the time of live view shooting. The central one-point AF is to perform AF on one central position on the shooting screen. Face AF is to perform AF on the face in the shooting screen detected by the face detection function. Touch AF is to perform AF at a position specified by an operation from the user. However, since the information of the pixels around the AF point is used for AF control and the sharpness of the image is evaluated, the area where touch AF is possible is limited to the rectangular area slightly inside the entire image. .. The extent to which touch AF is possible depends on the AF method.

Next, the face detection function will be described. The system control unit 50 sends the image data of the face detection target to the image processing unit 24. Under the control of the system control unit 50, the image processing unit 24 applies a horizontal bandpass filter to the image data. Further, under the control of the system control unit 50, the image processing unit 24 applies a vertical bandpass filter to the processed image data. Edge components are detected from the image data by these horizontal and vertical bandpass filters.

After that, the system control unit 50 performs pattern matching on the detected edge components and extracts candidate groups for eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Then, the system control unit 50 determines from the extracted eye candidate groups that satisfy the preset conditions (for example, the distance between the two eyes, the inclination, etc.) as the eye pair, and determines that the eye pair. Only those with are narrowed down as a candidate group for the eyes. Then, the system control unit 50 associates the narrowed-down eye candidate group with other parts (nose, mouth, ear) that form the corresponding face, and passes a preset non-face condition filter. , Detect the face. The system control unit 50 outputs the above face information according to the face detection result, and ends the process. At this time, information such as the number of faces and the coordinates of the captured image of the face is stored in the system memory 52.

As described above, it is possible to perform image analysis on the image data displayed in the live view or reproduced, extract the feature amount of the image data, and detect the subject information. In this embodiment, face information is taken as an example of subject information, but the subject information also includes various information such as red-eye determination, eye detection, eye blindness detection, and smile detection.

The digital camera 100 can perform face AE, face FE, and face WB at the same time as face AF. Face AE is to optimize the exposure of the entire screen according to the detected brightness of the face. Face FE is to adjust the flash around the detected face. The face WB is to optimize the WB of the entire screen according to the detected face color. It is also possible to track a specific face (subject) selected from a plurality of detected faces and continue to focus and expose the face. In the tracking mode, tracking of a specific subject is performed by taking into account the brightness information and color information of the subject so that the tracking can be continued even if the detection is temporarily interrupted due to the direction or movement of the face.

Further, the digital camera 100 has a touch panel capable of detecting contact with the display unit 28 as one of the operation units 70. The touch panel and the display unit 28 are integrally configured. For example, the touch panel is configured so that the light transmittance does not interfere with the display of the display unit 28, and is attached to the upper layer of the display surface of the display unit 28. Then, the input coordinates on the touch panel are associated with the display coordinates on the display unit 28. As a result, it is possible to configure the GUI as if the user can directly operate the screen displayed on the display unit 28. The system control unit 50 can detect the following operations on the touch panel.
-Touching the touch panel with a finger or pen (hereinafter referred to as touchdown).
-The touch panel must be touched with a finger or pen (hereinafter referred to as touch-on).
-Move while touching the touch panel with your finger or pen (hereinafter referred to as move).
-Release the finger or pen that was touching the touch panel (hereinafter referred to as touch-up).
-A state in which nothing is touched on the touch panel (hereinafter referred to as touch-off).

These operations and the position coordinates of the finger or pen touching the touch panel are notified to the system control unit 50 through the internal bus, and the system control unit 50 performs what kind of operation on the touch panel based on the notified information. Determine if it was done. Regarding the move, the moving direction of the finger or pen moving on the touch panel can also be determined for each vertical component and horizontal component on the touch panel based on the change in the position coordinates. The system control unit 50 determines that a stroke has been drawn when the touch panel is touched up after a certain move from the touchdown. The operation of drawing a stroke quickly is called flicking. Flicking is an operation of quickly moving a finger on the touch panel by a certain distance and then releasing it as it is, in other words, an operation of quickly tracing the touch panel as if flicking it with a finger.

The system control unit 50 determines that the flick has been performed when it is detected that the movement has been performed over a predetermined distance at a predetermined speed or higher and the touch-up is detected as it is. Further, the system control unit 50 determines that the drag has been performed when it is detected that the movement is performed at a predetermined speed or more and less than a predetermined speed. As the touch panel, any of various methods such as a resistive film method, a capacitance method, a surface acoustic wave method, an infrared method, an electromagnetic induction method, an image recognition method, and an optical sensor method may be used. The touch panel is an example of a touch detection surface that detects touch.

In FIG. 3B, the memory 132 also serves as a memory for displaying the OSD. The D / A converter 127 converts the OSD display data stored in the memory 132 into an analog signal and supplies it to the display unit 128. In this way, the OSD data for display written in the memory 132 by the system control unit 150 is displayed by the display unit 128 via the D / A converter 127. The display unit 128 displays on a display such as an LCD according to the analog signal from the D / A converter 127. The system control unit 150 controls the OSD data written in the memory 132 to be analog-converted by the D / A converter 127 and sequentially transferred to the display unit 128 for display. As a result, the HOME screen and the MENU screen are displayed on the display panel.

The non-volatile memory 156 is a memory that can be electrically erased and recorded, and for example, EEPROM or the like is used. The non-volatile memory 156 stores constants, programs, and the like for the operation of the system control unit 150. Here, the program includes a program for executing various flowcharts described later in the present embodiment. The system control unit 150 controls the entire operation remote controller 200. By executing the program recorded in the non-volatile memory 156 described above, each process of the present embodiment described later is realized. Reference numeral 152 denotes a system memory, and RAM is used. In the system memory 152, constants and variables for the operation of the system control unit 150, a program read from the non-volatile memory 156, and the like are expanded. The system control unit also controls the display of OSD data by controlling the memory 132, the D / A converter 127, the display unit 128, and the like. The system timer 153 is a time measuring unit that measures the time used for various controls and the time of the built-in clock.

Each operation member of the operation unit 170 is assigned a function as appropriate for each scene by selecting and operating various function icons displayed on the display unit 128, and acts as various function buttons. The function buttons include, for example, an end button, a back button, an image feed button, a jump button, a narrowing down button, an attribute change button, and the like. For example, when the HOME button 176 is pressed, various configurable menu screens are displayed on the display unit 128. The user can intuitively make various settings by using the HOME screen displayed on the display unit 128 and the operation buttons 171 and SET buttons 175 on the upper and lower sides of the display unit 128. The operation unit 170 is various operation members as an input unit that receives an operation from the user. The operation unit 170 includes at least the following operation units. That is, the HOME button 176, the MENU button 177, the BACK button 178, the power switch 172, the cross key 174, the SET button 175, and the operation button 171.

The power supply control unit 180 is composed of a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, a switch circuit for switching a block to be energized, and the like, and detects whether or not a battery is installed, the type of battery, and the remaining battery level. Further, the power supply control unit 180 controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection result and the instruction of the system control unit 150, and supplies a necessary voltage to each unit including a necessary period. The power supply unit 130 includes a primary battery such as an alkaline battery or a lithium battery, a secondary battery such as a NiCd battery, a NiMH battery, or a Li battery, an AC adapter, or the like.

The external I / F 193 includes an I / F for connecting to the digital camera 100, and communicates with the digital camera 100 under the control of the system control unit 150. The communication I / F 192 includes a wireless chip, an antenna, and the like for wirelessly communicating with an external device. The communication I / F 192 shall perform communication by wireless LAN under the control of the system control unit 150. As one of the operation units 170, it has a touch panel capable of detecting contact with the display unit 128. Here, the touch panel is an example of a touch detection surface that detects touch. It is assumed that the touch panel and the display unit 128 are integrally configured. The configuration and operation names of the touch panel are the same as in FIG. 3A.

Next, the outline of the operation of the digital camera 100 and the operation remote controller 200 will be described. In the present embodiment, a live view (captured image) is displayed on the display unit 28 of the digital camera 100. Further, the touch panel of the operation remote controller 200 is used as a user interface (UI) for the user to specify the AF position. Then, when the user specifies the AF position on the touch panel of the operation remote controller 200, the operation remote controller 200 transmits an instruction according to the user operation to the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 sets the focus position according to the instruction received from the operation remote controller 200, and performs focus control according to the AF position. Hereinafter, the operations of the digital camera 100 and the operation remote controller 200 will be described in detail.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control process executed by the digital camera 100 during the live view shooting. This process is realized by the system control unit 50 controlling each unit of the digital camera 100 based on the program stored in the non-volatile memory 56. 5 and 6 are diagrams showing an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit 28 by the control process shown in FIG. On the display screen, some OSD elements are overlaid on the captured image (video) captured by the imaging unit 22.

In S401, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not the AF method change request is received from the operation remote controller 200 via the external I / F 93. If true (yes in S401), the system control unit 50 advances the process to S402. If it is false (no in S401), the system control unit 50 advances the process to S406. In S402, the system control unit 50 determines the type of the autofocus (AF) method received in S401. When the AF method is contrast AF (TVAF in S402), the system control unit 50 advances the processing to S403. When the AF method is phase-difference AF (phase-difference AF in S402), the system control unit 50 advances processing to S404. In the case of the MF (manual focus) method, the system control unit 50 advances the process to S401 (MF in S402).

In S403, the system control unit 50 sets the AF drive method to the contrast AF method. Further, the system control unit 50 sets a first range predetermined for the contrast AF method as a focus target range. On the other hand, in S404, the system control unit 50 sets the AF drive method to the phase difference AF method. Further, the system control unit 50 sets a second range predetermined for the phase difference AF method as a focus target range. The processing of S403 and A404 is an example of the range setting processing.

Here, it is assumed that the first range defined for the contrast AF method is a region of 90% in the vertical and horizontal directions of the image. Further, the second range defined for the phase difference AF method is assumed to be a range of 80% of the image. As described above, the range defined for the phase difference AF method is narrower than the range defined for the contrast AF method. The touch position indicated by the touch event received from the operation remote controller 200 in the process described later is associated with the position within the focus target range. After the processing of S403, the system control unit 50 advances the processing to S405. The focus target range is a part of the range narrower than the entire imaging range, and is not limited to the embodiment as long as it includes a position that can be set by the user as the focusing position.

In S405, the system control unit 50 controls to superimpose and display the frame image showing the focus target range set in S403 or S404 on the image displayed on the display unit 28. This process is an example of display control process. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of a frame image showing a focus target range. Reference numerals 500 in FIGS. 5A and 5B are images displayed on the display unit 28. 501 is a state display indicating that moving image shooting is in progress. 502 is a display indicating the time code of the moving image being shot. Reference numeral 503 is a subject imaged by the imaging unit 22. FIG. 5A is a display example when the contrast AF method is set, and a frame image 510 showing a first range set as a focus target range is superimposed and displayed on the image 500. FIG. 5B is a display example when the phase difference AF method is set, and a frame image 520 showing a second range set as the focus target range is superimposed and displayed on the image 500. .. The frame image showing the focus target range is an example of a range image superimposed and displayed at a position corresponding to the focus target range.

The position tapped on the touch panel of the operation remote controller 200 is associated with the focus target range of the digital camera 100. Therefore, by superimposing the frame image on the image in this way, the user can easily grasp the relationship between the image and the position to be tapped. In the operation remote controller 200, it is assumed that the touch target range that can be tapped in order to specify the focus position is defined on the touch panel. Here, it is assumed that the touch target range is a range in which the operation remote controller 200 can detect touch. The touch target range may be any range of the touch panel, and is not limited to the embodiment. From the viewpoint of effectively using the entire surface of the touch panel, the touch target range may be the entire surface of the touch panel. As another example, when it is difficult to use the peripheral part of the touch panel due to hardware, or when the touch panel is shared with other uses, only a part of the touch panel area is touched. May be.

In S406, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not a touch event including the touch position has been received from the operation remote controller 200 via the external I / F 93. If true (yes in S406), the system control unit 50 advances the process to S407. If it is false (no in S406), the system control unit 50 advances the process to S401. The touch event is a touch event for the touch panel included in the operation unit 170 (a touch event due to a touch operation on the touch panel corresponding to the display unit 128). The process of S406 is an example of a touch detection process for detecting a touch operation.

In S407, the system control unit 50 converts the touch position received as a touch event into a position within the focus target range, that is, a position within the image. Here, the position in the focus target range is a position such that the relative position in the focus target range coincides with the relative touch position in the touch target range. By referring to the corresponding rule, the system control unit 50 performs position conversion (coordinate conversion) from the touch position to a position within the focus target range without associating the touch position with the area outside the focus target range. Here, the corresponding rule is information in which each position in the focus target range is associated with each position in the touch target range. Further, the process of S407 is an example of the position conversion process of converting the touch position into a position within the focus target range corresponding to the positional relationship between the touch target range and the touch position.

It should be noted that the corresponding rule may be such that the position in the touch target range can be specified from the position in the focus target range, and the specific content thereof is not limited to the embodiment. As another example, the correspondence rule may be a function that specifies a position within the focus target range from a position within the touch target range.

Next, in S408, the system control unit 50 controls to superimpose and display a frame image as an index indicating the AF position on the position on the image obtained by the position conversion in S407. This process is an example of display control process.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of a frame image showing an AF position. FIG. 6A is a display example in the case of focusing by the contrast AF method, and corresponds to FIG. 5A. On the image 500 shown in FIG. 6A, a frame image 510 showing a first range as a focus target range is superimposed and displayed. Further, as shown in FIG. 6A, a frame image 610 showing the AF position is superimposed and displayed on the AF position on the image 500.

FIG. 6B is a display example in the case of focusing by the phase difference AF method, and corresponds to FIG. 5B. On the image 500 shown in FIG. 6B, a frame image 520 showing a second range as a focus target range is superimposed and displayed. Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, a frame image 520 showing the AF position is superimposed and displayed on the AF position on the image 500. The frame images 610 and 620 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B show display results corresponding to the case where the same position on the touch panel of the operation remote controller 200 is tapped. The focus target range of the phase difference AF method is smaller than the focus target range of the contrast AF method. Therefore, when the phase difference AF method is set, the touch position is repositioned to a position closer to the center of the image than when the contrast AF method is set. The frame image showing the AF position is an example of an index image superimposed and displayed on the coordinate position after the position conversion.

Returning to FIG. 4, after the processing of S408, in S409, the system control unit 50 sets the position (coordinates) on the image obtained in S407 as the AF position, and performs AF control with reference to the subject at the AF position. Do. The process of S409 is an example of the focus control process. Next, in S410, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not the AF position has succeeded in focusing on the subject as a result of the processing of S409. If the subject is too close to the digital camera 100, the subject is moving violently, or the brightness or color of the subject is low contrast, focusing on the subject may fail. If true (yes in S410), the system control unit 50 advances the process to S411. If it is false (no in S410), the system control unit 50 advances the process to S412.

In S411, the system control unit 50 transmits the success of AF to the operation remote controller 200 via the external I / F 93 when communicating with the operation remote controller 200. In S412, the system control unit 50 transmits an AF failure to the operation remote controller 200 via the external I / F 93 when communicating with the operation remote controller 200. The processes of S411 and S412 are examples of notification processes for notifying the success or failure of AF.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the control process by the operation remote controller 200. This process is linked to the control process (FIG. 4) by the digital camera 100. This processing is realized by the system control unit 150 controlling each unit of the operation remote controller 200 based on the program stored in the non-volatile memory 156. Further, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit 128 by the control process shown in FIG. 7. It is assumed that the image captured by the imaging unit 22 is not displayed on the display screen.

In S701, the system control unit 150 controls the display unit 128 to display the guide screen. FIG. 8A is a diagram showing a display example of the guide screen 800. Reference numeral 801 is a guide display indicating that the AF method change function is assigned to one of the operation buttons 171. Further, 802 is a display element indicating the AF method at the time of processing, and any one of contrast AF, phase difference AF, and MF is displayed. The operation remote controller 200 shall receive the AF method at the time of processing from the digital camera 100. Reference numeral 803 is a guide display indicating that the face corresponding to the tapped position can be selected by tapping the touch panel included in the operation unit 170. The display element 803 allows the user to understand what kind of operation should be performed on the touch panel.

Returning to FIG. 7, after the processing of S701, in S702, the system control unit 150 determines whether or not the AF method change is requested by the operation of the operation button 171. If true (yes in S702), the system control unit 150 advances the process to S703. If it is false (no in S702), the system control unit 150 advances the process to S704. In S703, the system control unit 150 transmits the AF method change request to the digital camera 100 via the external I / F 193, and then proceeds to the process to S701.

In S704, the system control unit 150 determines whether or not the touch target range of the touch panel included in the operation unit 170 has been tapped. If true (yes in S704), the system control unit 150 advances the process to S705. If it is false (no in S704), the system control unit 150 advances the process to S701. In S705, the system control unit 150 controls the touch panel to display a frame image as an index indicating the touch position at the position of the display unit 128 corresponding to the position tapped in S704. By this processing, the screen display of the display unit 128 changes from the state of FIG. 8A to the state of FIG. 8B. As shown in FIG. 8B, a frame image 810 as an index indicating the touch position is displayed at the touch position on the guide screen 800. By displaying the frame image 810, the user can confirm that the tap operation has been accepted.

Next, after the processing of S705, in S706, the system control unit 150 transmits a touch event including the coordinate value tapped in S704 to the digital camera 100 via the external I / F 193. Next, in S707, the system control unit 150 determines whether or not the result of AF control for the touch event transmitted in S706 has been received. The system control unit 150 waits until it becomes true, and if it is true (yes in S707), the process proceeds to S708.

In S708, the system control unit 150 controls the display unit 128 to display the AF control result received in S707. By this processing, the screen display of the display unit 128 changes from FIG. 8 (b) to the state of FIG. 8 (c) or FIG. 8 (d). FIG. 8C is a display example when AF control is successful. In this case, in the frame image 810, "OK" indicating that the AF control at the corresponding AF position was successful is displayed in the frame image 810. Further, FIG. 8D is a display example when AF control fails. In this case, the frame image 810 displays "NG" indicating that the AF control at the corresponding AF position has failed. With these displays, the user can grasp the success or failure of the AF control only by checking the display unit 128 of the operation remote controller 200 without checking the display unit 28 of the digital camera 100. The method of displaying the result of success or failure of AF control is not limited to the embodiment. As another example, the system control unit 150 may indicate the success or failure of the AF control with an icon or express it with the color of the frame.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the touch target range is associated with the focus target range, which is a part of the shooting range, which is narrower than the entire shooting range. Further, the AF position is determined based on the absolute position touched on the touch panel. Therefore, even if the touch panel of the operation remote controller 200 has a relatively small area, the user can accurately specify the desired focus position in the touch target range. Then, the digital camera 100 can accurately specify the focus position desired by the user according to the user operation on the operation remote controller 200, and can perform agile and stable focus control even during moving image shooting.

Further, regardless of whether the AF method is contrast AF or phase difference AF, the focus target range set corresponding to each method is associated with the touch target range, so that the accurate focus position can be specified. It can be carried out. Further, since the focus position is determined based on the absolute position touched on the touch panel of the operation remote controller 200, the digital camera 100 can perform agile and stable focus control even during the shooting of a moving image.

Further, in the present embodiment, the display unit 28 of the digital camera 100 that displays the captured image (video) showing the entire shooting range, and the touch panel of the operation remote controller 200 that accepts the user operation for designating the focus position. It is installed in different positions. Therefore, it is possible to both visually recognize the entire image using the display unit 28 and accurately specify the focus position on the touch panel of the operation remote controller 200.

As a modification of the first embodiment, the touch detection surface that receives the designation of the focus position and the display unit that displays the captured image of the entire imaging range may be provided at different positions. The specific configuration of is not limited to the embodiment.

For example, live view display is performed on the display unit of the eyepiece finder 16 of the digital camera 100, and the touch panel provided integrally with the display unit 28 of the digital camera 100 is used as a UI for designating the AF position. Good. That is, the display unit that displays the captured image and the touch detection surface that receives the touch operation are arranged at different positions in the same device. The eyepiece finder 16 is assumed to be an electronic viewfinder. In this case, the captured image (live view) is displayed on the display unit of the eyepiece finder 16. Further, in the control process described with reference to FIG. 4, the frame image of the focus target range and the frame image showing the AF position, which are described as being controlled to be displayed on the display unit 28, are displayed in the eyepiece finder 16. Is superimposed and displayed on the captured image.

In this case, the digital camera 100 performs the control process described with reference to FIG. 4, but in this modification, the display content displayed on the display unit 28 in the embodiment is displayed on the display unit of the eyepiece finder 16. Control. Further, the digital camera 100 performs a process corresponding to the control process described with reference to FIG. 7. However, in this modification, the digital camera 100 controls the display content (guide screen) displayed on the display unit 128 of the operation remote controller 200 in the embodiment so as to be displayed on the display unit 28 of the digital camera 100. Further, in this modification, the operation remote controller 200 is not required.

Further, the eyepiece finder 16 may be an optical finder. In this case, since the user can visually recognize the optical image in the eyepiece finder 16, the captured image is not displayed on the display unit in the eyepiece finder 16. The user can visually recognize the optical image and the frame image displayed on the display unit in the eyepiece finder 16, that is, can visually recognize the same display as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Further, for example, live view display is performed on the display unit of the eyepiece finder 16 of the digital camera 100, and as the UI for designating the AF position, the touch panel of the operation remote controller 200 is used as described in the embodiment. You may use it. In this case, the operation remote controller 200 performs the control process described with reference to FIG. 7. Further, the digital camera 100 performs the control process described with reference to FIG. 4, but controls the display contents displayed on the display unit 28 in the embodiment so as to be displayed on the display unit of the eyepiece finder 16.

<Second embodiment>
Next, the differences between the digital camera 100 and the operation remote controller 200 according to the second embodiment and the digital camera 100 and the operation remote controller 200 according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a control process by the digital camera 100 according to the second embodiment. Of the control processes shown in FIG. 9, the same processes as the control processes of the digital camera 100 according to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 4 are assigned the same numbers. There is.

In S901, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not a request for changing the focus target range has been received from the operation remote controller 200 via the external I / F 93. If true (yes in S901), the system control unit 50 advances the process to S902. If it is false (no in S901), the system control unit 50 advances the process to S406. In S902, the system control unit 50 determines a range corresponding to the change request received in S901 as a new focus target range, and sets the determined range as a new focus target range. Although the details will be described later, the request for changing the focus target range is information instructing to change the focus target range to a range according to the user operation. The process of S902 is an example of a determination process for determining a focus target range according to a user operation.

Next, in S903, the system control unit 50 controls the display unit 28 to superimpose and display the frame image indicating the focus target range set in S902. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the frame images 510 and 520 are superimposed and displayed on the image 500 on the display unit 28. Since the position of the focus target range set in the process of S901 is changed according to the user operation, the display position of the frame image may be a position other than the center position of the display unit 28. After the processing of S903, the system control unit 50 advances the processing to S406.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a control process by the operation remote controller 200 according to the second embodiment. Of the control processes shown in FIG. 10, the same processes as the control processes of the operation remote controller 200 according to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 7 are assigned the same numbers. There is. Further, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit 128 by the control process shown in FIG. As in the first embodiment, it is assumed that the image captured by the imaging unit 22 is not displayed on the display screen.

In S1001, the system control unit 150 controls the display unit 128 to display the guide screen. FIG. 11A is a diagram showing a display example of the guide screen 1100. Reference numeral 1101 is a guide display indicating that one of the operation buttons 171 is assigned an operation for changing the focus target range to a narrower range. Reference numeral 1102 is a guide display indicating that one of the operation buttons 171 is assigned an operation for changing the focus target range to a wider range. Reference numeral 1103 is a guide display indicating that an operation of moving the focus target range is assigned so that the current AF position is at the center of the screen. Reference numeral 1104 is a guide display indicating that the face corresponding to the tapped position can be selected by tapping the touch panel included in the operation unit 170. Reference numeral 1110 is a radar display indicating the position of the focus target range with respect to the entire image. 1111 is a frame image showing a focus target range. With these display elements, the user can understand what kind of operation should be performed on the touch panel.

Returning to FIG. 9, after S1001, in S1002, the system control unit 150 determines whether or not the focusable range has been changed by the operation button 171. If true (yes in S1002), the system control unit 150 advances the process to S1004. If it is false (no in S1002), the system control unit 150 advances the process to S1003. In S1003, the system control unit 150 determines whether or not the touch panel included in the operation unit 170 has been dragged. If true (yes in S1003), the system control unit 150 advances the process to S1004. If it is false (no in S1003), the system control unit 150 advances the process to S704.

In S1004, the system control unit 150 transmits a request for changing the focus target range to the digital camera 100 via the external I / F 193, and then proceeds to the process to S1001. When the operation button 171 is operated in S1002, the system control unit 150 transmits a request for changing the expansion or contraction of the focus target range. Further, when the drag operation is performed in S1003, the system control unit 150 transmits a change request according to the drag direction and the drag amount.

The processing after S704 is the same as that described in the first embodiment. By the process of S705, the screen display of the display unit 128 changes from the state of FIG. 11A to the state of FIG. 11B. As shown in FIG. 11B, a frame image 1120 as an index indicating the touch position is displayed at the touch position of the guide screen 1100. Further, in the present embodiment, the frame image 1112 showing the touch position is displayed in the radar display 1110. By displaying the frame image 1120, the user can confirm that the tap operation has been accepted.

Further, when the button operation corresponding to the guide 1103 is performed during the screen display of FIG. 11B, the system control unit 150 transmits a request for changing the focus target range according to the button operation. Then, as shown in FIG. 11C, the system control unit 150 moves the display position of the frame image 1120 to the center of the display unit 128. The system control unit 150 further moves the display positions of the frame image 1120 indicating the focus target range and the frame image 1112 indicating the touch position in the radar display 1110 in response to the movement of the frame image 1120. That is, the system control unit 150 changes the frame image 1120 in the focus target range to a position centered on the touch position. The other configurations and processes of the digital camera 100 and the operation remote controller 200 according to the second embodiment are the same as the configurations and processes of the digital camera 100 and the operation remote controller 200 according to the first embodiment.

As described above, in the second embodiment, as described in the first embodiment, even if the touch panel of the operation remote controller 200 has a relatively small area, the user can use the touch target range. , The desired focus position can be specified accurately. Then, the digital camera 100 can accurately specify the focus position desired by the user according to the user operation on the operation remote controller 200, and can perform agile and stable focus control even during moving image shooting. Further, in the second embodiment, the AF frame can be finely adjusted easily and accurately by combining the three operations of enlargement, reduction, and centering assigned to the operation buttons 171 by the control process of the operation remote controller 200. It can be carried out. Further, the digital camera 100 can determine the focus target range according to the user operation on the operation remote controller 200.

As a first modification of the second embodiment, the digital camera 100 may track a specific face (subject) and perform face AF. Further, in this case, the process of changing the focus target range to the range centered on the touch position described in the embodiment may be automatically performed at any time according to the detected face position. That is, the digital camera 100 may track a specific subject and determine the focus target range based on the tracking result. As a result, even in a situation where the position of the face changes in the image, the area around the face can be easily and accurately selected.

As a second modification, as described in the modification of the first embodiment, the touch detection surface that accepts the designation of the focus position and the display unit that displays the captured image of the entire imaging range are at different positions. It may be the one provided in.

Although the present invention has been described in detail based on the preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various embodiments within the scope of the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. included. Some of the above-described embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

The present invention can be used for functions other than focus control. For example, the frame position determined by the flow of the present embodiment and the selected face information may be used for the AE processing and the WB processing, and this case is also included in one embodiment of the present invention.

Further, the operation remote controller 200 may perform a part of the control process of the digital camera 100, or the digital camera 100 may perform a part of the control process of the operation remote controller 200. For example, the position conversion process of S407 may be performed by the system control unit 150 of the operation remote controller 200. In this case, in S706, the system control unit 150 transmits the coordinate value after the position conversion instead of the coordinate value of the tapped position.

Further, the digital camera 100 and the operation remote controller 200 may be an integrated device incorporated in one housing. In this case, the external I / F 93 and the external I / F 193 are replaced by the bus connection inside the device. Further, equivalent modules such as the system control unit 50 and the system control unit 150 can be integrated into one module. Even with such a configuration, the same effect as that of this embodiment can be obtained.

Further, as another example, the digital camera 100 and the operation remote controller 200 may be an integrated device incorporated in one housing, and a remote controller corresponding to another operation remote controller 200 may be connected. .. In this way, when the cameraman and the assistant take pictures as a team, both the cameraman who handles the digital camera 100 and the assistant who handles the separate operation remote controller 200 can perform AF control in the same procedure.

The various controls described above as those performed by the system control unit 50 and the system control unit 150 may be performed by one hardware, or the entire device may be controlled by sharing the processing among a plurality of hardware. You may.

Further, although the present invention has been described in detail based on the preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various embodiments within the scope of the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. included. Furthermore, each of the above-described embodiments is merely an embodiment of the present invention, and each embodiment can be combined as appropriate.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the digital camera 100 and the operation remote controller 200 has been described as an example. However, this is not limited to this example, and can be applied to any device having a display means for displaying a captured image and a means for receiving a user operation via a touch panel that accepts the user operation. That is, the present invention is applicable to a personal computer, a PDA, a mobile phone terminal, a portable image viewer, and a printer device including a display. Further, the present invention can be applied to a home appliance device including a digital photo frame, a music player, a game machine, an electronic book reader, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, a projection device, a display, an in-vehicle device, and the like.

(Other Examples)
The present invention supplies a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiment to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and one or more processors in the computer of the system or device reads and executes the program. It can also be realized by the processing to be performed. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

50 System control unit 100 Digital camera 150 System control unit 200 Operation remote control

Claims (16)

Focus control means that controls the focus based on the subject included in the focus target range, which is a part of the range narrower than the entire shooting range by the shooting means.
Touch detection means that detects touch operations on the touch detection surface,
A position changing means for converting the touch position where the touch operation is performed within a predetermined range of the touch detection surface into a position in the focus target range corresponding to the positional relationship between the predetermined range and the touch position .
When the contrast AF method is set, the first range, which is a part of the shooting range narrower than the entire shooting range, is set as the focus target range, and the phase difference AF method is set. It has a range setting means for setting a second range narrower than the first range as the focus target range.
Even if the position changing means is touch-operated at the same position on the touch detection surface in the focus target range, the case where the phase difference AF method is set is better than the case where the contrast AF method is set. Is also converted to a position closer to the center of the shooting range,
The focus control means is a focus control device that controls focus based on a position within a focus target range obtained by the position conversion means. Further, it has a display means for displaying an captured image showing the entire shooting range.
The focus control device according to claim 1, wherein the touch detection surface is provided at a position different from that of the display means. The claim is characterized in that it further includes a display control means for controlling to superimpose and display an index on a position within the focus target range obtained by the position conversion means of the captured image displayed on the display means. 2. The focus control device according to 2. The focus control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the display means further includes a display control means for controlling the display to indicate the focus target range together with the captured image. Further having a finder in which the user can visually recognize the optical image in the shooting range,
The focus control device according to claim 1, wherein the touch detection surface is provided at a position different from that of the finder. The claim is characterized in that the display means provided corresponding to the finder further includes a display control means for controlling the display of an index at a position within the focus target range obtained by the position conversion means. 5. The focus control device according to 5. The focus control device according to claim 6, wherein the display control means controls the display means to display a display indicating the focus target range. The focus control device according to claim 1 , wherein the phase difference AF is an imaging surface phase difference AF. The focus control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , further comprising a determination means for determining the focus target range according to a user operation. A tracking means that tracks a specific subject based on a captured image taken by the photographing means, and
The focus control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , further comprising a determining means for determining the focus target range based on the tracking result by the tracking means. The focus control device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the predetermined range is a range in which touch detection is possible on the touch detection surface. The focus control device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the predetermined range is a part of the touch detection surface preset in the touch detection surface. The focus control device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 , further comprising a notification means for notifying the success or failure of AF by the focus control means. It is a control method of the focus control device.
A focus control step that controls the focus based on the subject included in the focus target range, which is a part of the shooting range narrowed by the shooting means.
A touch detection step that detects a touch operation on the touch detection surface,
A position conversion step of converting the touch position where the touch operation is performed within a predetermined range of the touch detection surface into a position in the focus target range corresponding to the positional relationship between the predetermined range and the touch position .
When the contrast AF method is set, the first range, which is a part of the shooting range narrower than the entire shooting range, is set as the focus target range, and the phase difference AF method is set. , Including a range setting step of setting a second range narrower than the first range as the focus target range.
In the position conversion step, even if a touch operation is performed at the same position on the touch detection surface in the focus target range, the case where the phase difference AF method is set is the case where the contrast AF method is set. Convert to a position closer to the center of the shooting range than
A control method of a focus control device, characterized in that, in the focus control step, control related to focus is performed based on a position within the focus target range obtained in the position conversion step. A program for causing a computer to function as each means of the focus control device according to any one of claims 1 to 13. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program for causing the computer to function as each means of the focus control device according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

Images