Image capturing apparatus, and method of setting flash synchronization speed

• US 20060055788A1
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawabe, Koutaro
• Application Number:
  US11/101,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20060055788A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.120
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/689 Motion occurring during a rolling shutter mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

An image capturing technique capable of extending a settable range of exposure conditions and achieving appropriate image capturing in accordance with a subject is provided. In response to an operation of a mode setting dial included in an operation unit, a selection is made between a camera-shake compensation ON mode for achieving camera-shake compensation and a camera-shake compensation OFF mode for not achieving camera-shake compensation, under the control of an overall control section. Then, a flash synchronization speed is set higher in the camera-shake compensation ON mode than in the camera-shake compensation OFF mode.

Claims

1. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

a taking lens device for forming a light image of a subject on a predetermined image capturing surface;

a light emitter for emitting light in flash shooting;

a camera-shake compensation part for suppressing a relative displacement between said image capturing surface and said light image caused by camera shake, thereby achieving camera-shake compensation;

a mode setting part for selecting between a first mode in which said camera-shake compensation part is activated and a second mode in which said camera-shake compensation part is deactivated; and

a changing part for changing a flash synchronization speed in accordance with a selection made by said mode setting part.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said changing part changes a flash synchronization speed so as to be higher in said second mode than in said first mode.

3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said image capturing surface is disposed on an imaging device provided for said image capturing apparatus, and

said camera-shake compensation part shifts said image capturing surface relative to said image capturing apparatus, thereby achieving camera-shake compensation.

4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said second mode is a mode for performing exposure with said image capturing surface placed in a predetermined position,

said image capturing apparatus further comprising:

a shutter mechanism for blocking an optical path which guides light reflected from said subject to said image capturing surface; and

a controller for controlling said shutter mechanism and said light emitter such that blocking of an optical path leading to a whole of a predetermined area in which said image capturing surface can be shifted is started before the end of a period of a light emission from said light emitter and such that blocking of an optical path leading to said image capturing surface placed in said predetermined position is started after a lapse of a predetermined time from a start of said light emission, when said second mode is selected in flash shooting.

5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said predetermined time includes said period of said light emission.

6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said second mode is a mode for performing exposure with said image capturing surface placed in a predetermined position,

said image capturing apparatus further comprising:

a shutter mechanism for blocking an optical path which guides light reflected from said subject to said image capturing surface; and

a controller for controlling said shutter mechanism and said light emitter such that light emission from said light emitter is started after a lapse of a predetermined time from a start of opening of said optical path performed by said shutter mechanism and before the end of opening of an optical path leading to a whole of a predetermined area in which said image capturing surface can be shifted, when said second mode is selected in flash shooting.

7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said predetermined time is a period between a start of opening of said shutter mechanism and the end of opening of an optical path leading to said image capturing surface placed in said predetermined position.

8. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

a taking lens device for forming a light image of a subject on a predetermined image capturing surface;

a light emitter for emitting light in flash shooting;

a camera-shake compensation part for suppressing a relative displacement between said image capturing surface and said light image caused by camera shake, thereby achieving camera-shake compensation; and

a mode setting part for selecting between a first mode in which said camera-shake compensation part is activated and a second mode in which said camera-shake compensation part is deactivated, wherein

a flash synchronization speed is set higher in said second mode than in said first mode.

9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said image capturing surface is disposed on an imaging device provided for said image capturing apparatus, and

said camera-shake compensation part shifts said image capturing surface relative to said image capturing apparatus, thereby achieving camera-shake compensation.

10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said second mode is a mode for performing exposure with said image capturing surface placed in a predetermined position,

said image capturing apparatus further comprising:

a shutter mechanism for blocking an optical path which guides light reflected from said subject to said image capturing surface; and

a controller for controlling said shutter mechanism and said light emitter such that blocking of an optical path leading to a whole of a predetermined area in which said image capturing surface can be shifted is started before the end of a period of a light emission from said light emitter and such that blocking of an optical path leading to said image capturing surface placed in said predetermined position is started after a lapse of a predetermined time from a start of said light emission, when said second mode is selected in flash shooting.

11. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

said predetermined time includes said period of said light emission.

12. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said second mode is a mode for performing exposure with said image capturing surface placed in a predetermined position,

said image capturing apparatus further comprising:

a shutter mechanism for blocking an optical path which guides light reflected from said subject to said image capturing surface; and

a controller for controlling said shutter mechanism and said light emitter such that light emission from said light emitter is started after a lapse of a predetermined time from a start of opening of said optical path performed by said shutter mechanism and before the end of opening of an optical path leading to a whole of a predetermined area in which said image capturing surface can be shifted, when said second mode is selected in flash shooting.

13. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

said predetermined time is a period between a start of opening of said shutter mechanism and the end of opening of an optical path leading to said image capturing surface placed in said predetermined position.

14. A method of setting a flash synchronization speed in an image capturing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting between a first mode of suppressing a relative displacement between an image capturing surface and a light image of a subject formed on said image capturing surface caused by camera shake for achieving camera-shake compensation and a second mode for not achieving said camera-shake compensation; and

(b) setting a flash synchronization speed relatively higher than in said first mode when said second mode is selected in said step (a).