Image pickup apparatus

• US 20040174454A1
• Filed: 03/17/2004
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Satoshi Okamura
• Original Assignee: Satoshi Okamura
• Inventors: Okamura, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/347
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

In an image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, the image pickup apparatus is able to record at least one of a still image and a sound and is able to change at least one of a focal length of an image forming optical system and an illuminating angle of a flash device, and the image pickup apparatus, when recording the at least one of the still image and the sound, is prevented from changing the at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device. Further, there are provided a control method for the image pickup apparatus and a computer program product for controlling the image pickup apparatus.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising:

(A) a recording device which records at least one of a still image and a sound; and

(B) a changing device which changes at least one of a focal length of an image forming optical system and an illuminating angle of a flash device, said changing device, when said recording device records said at least one of the still image and the sound, being prevented from changing said at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device.

2. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the focal length of the image forming optical system.

3. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the illuminating angle of the flash device.

4. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operation member which issues an instruction for causing said recording device to record said at least one of the still image and the sound, said changing device, in response to the instruction from said operation member, being prevented from changing said at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device.

5. An image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising:

(A) a recording device which records at least one of a still image and a sound;

(B) a changing device which changes at least one of a focal length of an image forming optical system and an illuminating angle of a flash device; and

(C) a restraining device which restrains said changing device from changing said at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device when said recording device records said at least one of the still image and the sound.

6. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the focal length of the image forming optical system.

7. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the illuminating angle of the flash device.

8. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

an operation member which issues an instruction for causing said recording device to record said at least one of the still image and the sound, said restraining device becoming operative in response to the instruction from said operation member.

9. An image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising:

(A) a recording device which records at least one of a still image and a sound;

(B) a changing device which changes at least one of a focal length of an image forming optical system and an illuminating angle of a flash device; and

(C) an interlocking device which prevents recording by said recording device of said at least one of the still image and the sound and changing by said changing device of said at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device from being concurrently performed.

10. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the focal length of the image forming optical system.

11. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the illuminating angle of the flash device.

12. An image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising:

(A) a recording device which records a still image; and

(B) a changing device which changes a focal length of an image forming optical system, said changing device, when said recording device records the still image, being prevented from changing the focal length of the image forming optical system.

13. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the focal length of the image forming optical system.

14. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

an operation member which issues an instruction for causing said recording device to record the still image, said changing device, in response to the instruction from said operation member, being prevented from changing the focal length of the image forming optical system.

15. An image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising:

(A) a recording device which records a still image;

(B) a changing device which changes a focal length of an image forming optical system; and

(C) a restraining device which restrains said changing device from changing the focal length of the image forming optical system when said recording device records the still image.

16. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the focal length of the image forming optical system.

17. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

an operation member which issues an instruction for causing said recording device to record the still image, said restraining device becoming operative in response to the instruction from said operation member.

18. An image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising:

(A) a recording device which records a still image;

(B) a changing device which changes a focal length of an image forming optical system; and

(C) an interlocking device which prevents recording by said recording device of the still image and changing by said changing device of the focal length of the image forming optical system from being concurrently performed.

19. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the focal length of the image forming optical system.

20. An image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising:

(A) a recording device which records a still image; and

(B) a changing device which changes an illuminating direction of a flash device, said changing device, when said recording device records the still image, being prevented from changing the illuminating direction of the flash device.

21. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the illuminating direction of the flash device.

22. An image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising:

(A) a recording device which records a still image;

(B) a changing device which changes an illuminating direction of a flash device; and

(C) a restraining device which restrains said changing device from changing the illuminating direction of the flash device when said recording device records the still image.

23. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the illuminating direction of the flash device.

24. An image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising:

(A) a recording device which records a still image;

(B) a changing device which changes an illuminating direction of a flash device; and

(C) an interlocking device which prevents recording by said recording device of the still image and changing by said changing device of the illuminating direction of the flash device from being concurrently performed.

25. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said changing device includes a motor for changing the illuminating direction of the flash device.

26. A control method for an image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising the steps of:

(A) recording at least one of a still image and a sound; and

(B) changing at least one of a focal length of an image forming optical system and an illuminating angle of a flash device, but, when recording said at least one of the still image and the sound, being prevented from changing the at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device.

27. A control method for an image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising the steps of:

(A) recording at least one of a still image and a sound;

(B) changing at least one of a focal length of an image forming optical system and an illuminating angle of a flash device; and

(C) restraining changing of said at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device when recording said at least one of the still image and the sound.

28. A control method for an image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising the steps of:

(A) recording at least one of a still image and a sound;

(B) changing at least one of a focal length of an image forming optical system and an illuminating angle of a flash device; and

(C) preventing recording of said at least one of the still image and the sound and changing of said at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device from being concurrently performed.

29. A control method for an image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising the steps of:

(A) recording a still image;

(B) changing an illuminating direction of a flash device; and

(C) preventing recording of the still image and changing of the illuminating direction of the flash device from being concurrently performed.

30. A computer program product for controlling an image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising contents of:

(A) recording at least one of a still image and a sound; and

(B) changing at least one of a focal length of an image forming optical system and an illuminating angle of a flash device, but, when recording said at least one of the still image and the sound, being prevented from changing said at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device.

31. A computer program product according to claim 30, wherein said computer program product includes a recording medium.

32. A computer program product for controlling an image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising contents of:

(A) recording at least one of a still image and a sound;

(B) changing at least one of a focal length of an image forming optical system and an illuminating angle of a flash device; and

(C) restraining changing of said at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device when recording said at least one of the still image and the sound.

33. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein said computer program product includes a recording medium.

34. A computer program product for controlling an image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising contents of:

(A) recording at least one of a still image and a sound;

(B) changing at least one of a focal length of an image forming optical system and an illuminating angle of a flash device; and

(C) preventing recording of said at least one of the still image and the sound and changing of said at least one of the focal length of the image forming optical system and the illuminating angle of the flash device from being concurrently performed.

35. A computer program product according to claim 34, wherein said computer program product includes a recording medium.

36. A computer program product for controlling an image pickup apparatus capable of picking up an image as a moving image, comprising contents of:

(A) recording a still image;

(B) changing an illuminating direction of a flash device; and

(C) preventing recording of the still image and changing of the illuminating direction of the flash device from being concurrently performed.

37. A computer program product according to claim 36, wherein said computer program product includes a recording medium.