JPH11298791A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To confirm the focusing state of an image picked up by a solid-state image-pickup element of a large number of pixels by the image display means of a small number of pixels, and to manually and precisely focus a camera. SOLUTION: For the solid-state image-pickup element (CCD) 18 of this electronic camera, the number of pixels is larger than that in a liquid crystal monitor 14. When magnifying is instructed by a magnifying switch 32, concerning an image displayed on the monitor 14, a prescribed partial image is segmented from the entire one frame obtained from CCD 18, and the segmented partial image is magnifying-displayed on the whole screen. Thus, the focusing state of an actually picked-up image can be confirmed accurately. In addition, even although the partial image is magnify-displayed on the monitor 14, the original image of the whole of one frame can be recorded in a memory card 12. In addition, focusing is satisfactorily executed while viewing at the screen of the monitor 14 magnify-displaying the partial image by providing a manual focusing function.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic camera,
In particular, the present invention relates to an electronic camera provided with an image display device such as a liquid crystal monitor that can be used as a finder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the number of pixels of a solid-state imaging device used for an electronic camera such as a digital camera is small, and is 3 pixels.
There are as many as 100,000 pixels up to 1.4 million pixels, and the number of pixels tends to increase. On the other hand, the number of pixels of a liquid crystal monitor provided in an electronic camera is often from 60,000 to at most 100,000.

[0003]

Therefore, when a liquid crystal monitor with a small number of pixels is used as a finder, it is not possible to confirm the focus state with the accuracy required for recording and print output. In some cases, defocusing can be recognized only after a captured image is displayed on a screen of a personal computer or printed with a printer.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the focus state of an image captured by a solid-state imaging device having a large number of pixels can be confirmed by image display means having a small number of pixels. An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera capable of performing manual focusing with high accuracy.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image light representing a subject is formed on a light-receiving surface of a solid-state image sensor, and the light-receiving surface of the solid-state image sensor is achieved. Imaging means for converting the image light imaged into the image signal into an image signal, recording means for recording the image signal obtained by the imaging means on a recording medium, and an image having a smaller number of pixels than the number of pixels of the solid-state imaging device A display unit, an enlargement switch for enlarging an image to be displayed on the image display unit to a predetermined magnification, and an image signal obtained from the imaging unit that is processed separately from an image signal output to the recording unit. An enlargement processing means for outputting to the image display means, when receiving an instruction to enlarge the image from the enlargement switch, cuts out a predetermined partial image from all the images taken by the image pickup means, and It is characterized by comprising a enlargement processing means for enlarged display on the entire screen of the image display means.

That is, when an enlargement switch is operated to instruct enlargement of an image to be displayed, the image displayed on the image display means is obtained by cutting out a predetermined partial image from all the captured images obtained from the image pickup means, and cutting out the image. The enlarged partial image is displayed on the full screen. As a result, the focus state of the image actually picked up can be confirmed with high accuracy. Since the number of pixels of all captured images obtained from the imaging unit is larger than the number of pixels of the image display unit, the number of pixels required by the image display unit even when the cut-out partial image is displayed in an enlarged manner. Can be obtained sufficiently.

In addition, by providing a manual focus function for performing focusing by manually operating a focus adjusting member, it is possible to perform manual manual focusing with high precision. . As the enlargement switch, a sensor for detecting whether or not a hand is touching the focus adjustment member, a changeover switch for switching between a manual focus function and an autofocus function, a macro switch as described in claims 3 to 7 , And a touch panel can be used.

Further, when the macro switch is switched to macro photography by the macro switch, the image display means is forcibly turned on even if the display switch for turning on / off the image display means is turned off. . Thereby, it is possible to manually and accurately focus at the time of macro shooting while watching the image displayed on the image display means.

Further, the touch panel according to the seventh aspect of the present invention can specify an enlarged area on a display screen, and thereby can enlarge and display a partial image suitable for focusing. Further, when the manual focus function is selected by the changeover switch as described in claim 8 of the present application, the image display means is forcibly turned on, and focusing is performed manually while watching the image displayed on the image display means. be able to.

Further, when the image display means is enlarging and displaying the partial image, the warning means warns that the image display means is being enlarged and displayed. . Thereby, it is possible to recognize whether the image displayed by the image display means is a whole photographed image or a partial image cut out from the whole photographed image.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of an electronic camera according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic camera according to the present invention. This electronic camera is a digital camera that records a still image on a memory card 12 by operating a shutter release button 10 (see FIG. 2).
Four. The liquid crystal monitor 14 functions as an electronic viewfinder that can display a subject image during shooting, and functions as a monitor that displays a still image recorded on the memory card 12 during reproduction.

When shooting with this digital camera (not only when recording a still image by pressing the release button fully, but also when displaying a moving image on the liquid crystal monitor 14 when pressing the release button halfway or during a movie), the photographing lens 16 is used. The subject image formed on the light receiving surface of the solid-state imaging device (CCD) 18 is photoelectrically converted here, sequentially read as a CCD signal, and applied to the image signal processing circuit 20. Here, CCD 18
Is larger than the number of pixels of the liquid crystal monitor 14.

The image signal processing circuit 20 includes a white balance adjustment circuit, a gamma correction circuit, and a YC processing circuit. The image data processed by these circuits is stored in an image recording device 22, an autofocus device (AF device) 24, and a display. Output to the range selection circuit 28. The image recording device 22
When the shutter release button 10 is operated, a YC signal (a luminance signal Y and a chroma signal C) is received from the YC processing circuit of the image signal processing circuit 20 and the YC signal is received. Is compressed, and the compressed image data is recorded on the memory card 12 via the card interface.

In the AF device 24, the AF switch 26 is ON.
Then, operation becomes possible, and contrast AF is performed based on the luminance signal Y input from the image signal processing circuit 20.
That is, the AF device 24 extracts a high frequency component of the luminance signal Y input from the image signal processing circuit 20, and obtains an evaluation value indicating the in-focus state of the photographed frame by integrating the high frequency component. Then, the photographing lens 16 is controlled so that this evaluation value becomes maximum. Note that this photographing lens 16 has a manual focus function, and the AF switch 2
When the button 6 is turned off, the focus can be adjusted by manually operating a focus adjustment member such as a focus ring.

The display range selection circuit 28 normally outputs the image signal of one entire frame inputted from the image signal processing circuit 20 to the display circuit 30 as it is, while the enlargement switch 32 is turned on or the AF switch 26 is turned on. Is turned off, operation becomes possible, and a predetermined partial image is cut out from one entire frame, and an image signal indicating the cut out partial image is output to the display circuit 30.

The display circuit 30 displays an image on the entire screen of the liquid crystal monitor 14 based on the image signal input from the display range selection circuit 28. Therefore, when the release is half-pressed or during a movie, the image of the subject is displayed in real time or not in real time, but as a substantially continuous moving image on the liquid crystal monitor 14, whereby the composition of the subject to be shot while viewing the screen of the liquid crystal monitor 14 is displayed. Can be determined.

Next, when the image signal of the entire frame is output from the display range selection circuit 28, a partial image is cut out from the entire frame, and an image signal indicating the cut-out partial image is output. The operation in the case will be described.
Now, when the subject 1 is photographed as shown in FIG. 2, the display range selection circuit 28 normally outputs the image signal of one entire frame to the display circuit 30 as described above. In this case, the number of pixels of the image signal (the number of pixels of the CCD 18) input from the display range selection circuit 28 is larger than the number of pixels of the liquid crystal monitor 14, so that the display circuit 30 matches the number of pixels of the liquid crystal monitor 14. The number of pixels in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the image signal to be input to the liquid crystal monitor 14 is reduced (pixels are thinned out at a predetermined ratio) and output to the liquid crystal monitor 14.

As a result, the liquid crystal monitor 14 is
As shown in (A), an image of the entire frame being shot is displayed. On the other hand, when the enlargement switch 32 is turned on, the display range selection circuit 28 cuts out a partial image from the entire frame and outputs an image signal indicating the cut out partial image to the display circuit 30. In this case, since the number of pixels of the image signal of the partial image input from the display range selection circuit 28 decreases, the display circuit 30 uses the image signal of the input partial image as it is or reduces the pixel thinning rate as compared with the normal case. The output is reduced and output to the liquid crystal monitor 14.

As a result, the liquid crystal monitor 14 is
As shown in (B), a partial image cut out from the entire frame being photographed is enlarged and displayed. Further, while the partial image is being enlarged and displayed as shown in FIG. 3B, a warning is displayed that the display on the liquid crystal monitor 14 is being enlarged and displayed.
In this embodiment, an icon 34 indicating a magnifying glass is displayed on the liquid crystal screen.

As described above, when the enlargement switch 32 is turned on, the image displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 14 is enlarged and displayed, so that the focus state of the actually picked-up image can be checked accurately. Since the number of pixels of the CCD 18 is larger than the number of pixels of the liquid crystal monitor 14, even if a partial image cut out from one entire frame is enlarged and displayed,
Can sufficiently obtain the required number of pixels.

In this embodiment, if the AF switch 26 is turned off and manual focusing for focusing by manually operating the focus adjustment member becomes possible, even if the enlargement switch 32 is off, The partial image is enlarged and displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 14 in the same manner as when turned on. As a result, it is possible to accurately focus manually while watching the screen of the liquid crystal monitor displaying the enlarged partial image.

As another embodiment of the present invention, a sensor such as a touch sensor for detecting whether or not the hand is touching the focus adjustment member of the photographing lens 16 is provided. During the period in which the partial image is detected, the partial image may be enlarged and displayed on the liquid crystal monitor. A macro switch for switching to macro shooting may be provided, and when the macro switch is used to switch to macro shooting, a partial image may be enlarged and displayed on the liquid crystal monitor. In addition, turn on / off the LCD monitor
A display switch for performing FF may be provided, and when switching to macro shooting is performed by the macro switch, the liquid crystal monitor may be forcibly turned on, and a partial image may be enlarged and displayed on the liquid crystal monitor. That is, when the LCD monitor is OFF, the optical viewfinder is used. However, since the parallax becomes large during macro shooting, the LCD monitor is forcibly turned ON and focus adjustment is performed while looking at the LCD monitor screen. it can.

Further, a touch panel for designating an enlarged area is provided on the screen of the liquid crystal monitor 14, and when the enlarged area is designated by the touch panel, a partial image corresponding to the designated enlarged area is cut out. May be enlarged and displayed on a liquid crystal monitor. Note that the autofocus device and the recording medium are not limited to those in this embodiment. In this embodiment, a digital camera has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is also applicable to a video camera and the like as long as the number of pixels of a solid-state imaging device is larger than the number of pixels of an image display. it can.

[0024]

As described above, according to the electronic camera of the present invention, the focus state of an image picked up by the solid-state image pickup device having a large number of pixels can be confirmed by the image display means having a small number of pixels. In addition, focusing can be performed manually with high accuracy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a shooting state of the electronic camera shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a display screen of a liquid crystal monitor of the electronic camera shown in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Subject 10 ... Shutter release button 12 ... Memory card 14 ... Liquid crystal monitor 16 ... Shooting lens 18 ... Solid-state imaging device (CCD) 20 ... Image signal processing circuit 22 ... Image recording device 24 ... Autofocus device 26 ... AF switch 28 ... Display range selection circuit 30 ... Display circuit 32 ... Enlargement switch

Claims (9)

[Claims] An imaging unit configured to form image light representing a subject on a light receiving surface of a solid-state imaging device and convert the image light formed on the light receiving surface of the solid-state imaging device into an image signal; Recording means for recording the obtained image signal on a recording medium; image display means having a smaller number of pixels than the solid-state imaging device; and an image display means for enlarging an image to be displayed on the image display means to a predetermined magnification. An enlargement switch, enlargement processing means for processing an image signal obtained from the image pickup means separately from an image signal outputted to the recording means, and outputting the processed image signal to the image display means, wherein an instruction for image enlargement is issued from the enlargement switch. And receiving a received partial image, enlarging a predetermined partial image from all the images captured by the imaging unit, and enlarging the extracted partial image on an entire screen of the image display unit. Electronic camera, characterized in that. 2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, further comprising a manual focus function for performing focusing by manually operating a focus adjustment member. 3. A sensor for detecting whether or not a hand is touching the focus adjustment member, wherein the sensor is also used as the enlargement switch, and outputs the image enlargement instruction upon detection. The electronic camera according to claim 2. 4. A manual focus function for focusing by manually operating a focus adjustment member, an autofocus function for automatically focusing, and a changeover switch for switching between a manual focus function and an autofocus function. 2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the changeover switch is also used as the enlargement switch, and outputs the image enlargement instruction when a manual focus function is selected. 3. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a macro switch for switching to macro photography, wherein the macro switch is also used as the enlargement switch, and outputs the image enlargement instruction when switching to macro photography. Electronic camera. 6. A switch for turning on / off the image display means and a macro switch for switching to macro photography, the macro switch also serving as the enlargement switch, and instructing the image enlargement when switching to macro photography. 2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the electronic camera outputs the image data and forcibly turns on the image display unit. 7. A touch panel provided on a display screen of said image display means and designating an enlargement area on said display screen, said touch panel also being used as said enlargement switch, and said image enlargement area is designated when an enlargement area is designated. An instruction is output, and when an enlargement area is designated by the touch panel, the enlargement processing means cuts out a partial image corresponding to the designated enlargement area, and displays the cutout partial image on the entire screen of the image display means. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein image processing for enlarging and displaying is performed. 8. A manual focus function for performing focusing by manually operating a focus adjusting member, an autofocus function for automatically performing focusing, a changeover switch for switching between a manual focus function and an autofocus function, 5. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a display switch for turning on / off the image display unit, wherein the changeover switch forcibly turns on the image display unit when a manual focus function is selected. camera. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a warning unit for warning that the display on the image display unit is displaying the enlarged image while the image display unit is displaying the partial image in an enlarged manner. An electronic camera according to any one of claims 1 to 8.