Digital still camera

• US 20080018749A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Uehara, Ryo, Kawamura, Koichiro
• Application Number:
  US11/819,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20080018749A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00291 with receiver circuitry television receiver circuitry per se H04N5/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2125 Display of information relating to the still picture recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/212 Selecting different recording or reproducing modes, e.g. high or low resolution, field or frame

Abstract

In a digital still camera, when the reproducing mode is selected, an indication to the effect that the operation is in standby for reproduction is displayed on an indicating device, and if the command dial is not operated until 16 seconds elapses after the indication has been started, the supply of source voltage to the various parts of the camera is stopped, to achieve a reduction in power consumption. If the command dial is operated within 16 seconds, image signals are output to an external monitor and also an indication to the effect that reproduction is in progress is displayed on the indicating device. If the command dial has been operated within three minutes after reproduction of a given photographic frame has been started, reproduction of the following frame is performed, but if the command dial has not been operated until the three minutes have elapsed, the indication to the effect that the operation is in standby for reproduction is displayed again. If the sensitivity changeover switch and the command dial are operated together during reproduction or standby for reproduction, the photographic frame to be reproduced is determined in correspondence to the quantity and direction of the rotation of the command dial and the frame number of the frame thus determined is displayed on the indicating device.

Claims

1. A digital still camera, comprising:

an image device that outputs image data corresponding to the image of a photographic subject which has been picked up, a recording device that converts said image data to digital data and records said digital data to a recording medium, said camera further comprising;

a selection device that enables a user to select a specific signal processing system from a plurality of signal processing systems including at least a NTSC and a PAL system without restarting the digital still camera;

an output circuit operative in conformance with the plurality of signal processing systems that converts said digital data recorded by said recording device to image signals and outputs said image signals in accordance with the specific signal processing system selected at the selection device,

wherein said recording device records said digital data to said recording medium at a compression format, said recording medium can store a plurality of said compressed digital data, and said output circuit converts said compressed digital data to said image signals and outputs said image signals to an external monitor connected to the digital still camera in order to reproduce an image corresponding to said image signals.

2. A digital still camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display device that displays information showing the currently selected signal processing system while said selection device is operated to selected one of the signal processing system.

3. A digital still camera according to claim 2, wherein said recording medium is a memory card.

4. A digital still camera according to claim 3, further comprising:

a selection switch that selects either a photographing mode or a reproducing mode, wherein said output circuit outputs a frame number information to superimpose a frame number onto said image on said external monitor when the reproducing mode is selected by said selection switch.

5. A digital still camera, comprising:

an image device that outputs image data corresponding to the image of a photographic subject which has been picked up;

a recording device that converts said image data to compressed digital data and records said compressed digital data to a memory card which can store plural said compressed digital data;

a selection device that enables a user to select a specific signal processing system from a plurality of signal processing systems including at least a NTSC and a PAL system without restarting the digital still camera; and

an output circuit operative in conformance with the plurality of signal processing systems that converts said compressed digital data recorded by said recording device to image signals and outputs said image signals, to an external monitor connected to the digital still camera, in accordance with the specific signal processing system selected at the selection device.

6. A digital still camera defined by a camera body, comprising:

an image device that outputs image data corresponding to the image of a photographic subject which has been picked up, a recording device that converts said image data to digital data and records said digital data to a recording medium, said camera further comprising;

a selection device that enables a user to select a specific signal processing system from a plurality of signal processing systems including at least a NTSC and a PAL system without restarting the digital still camera;

an output circuit operative in conformance with the plurality of signal processing systems that converts said digital data recorded by said recording device to image signals and outputs said image signals in accordance with the specific signal processing system selected at the selection device,

a display located on the camera body for indicating the selected signal processing system; and

wherein said recording device records said digital data to said recording medium in a compressed format, wherein said recording medium can store a plurality of said compressed digital data, wherein said output circuit converts said compressed digital data to said image signals, and wherein said digital still camera is adapted to be connected to an external monitor in order to output said image signals to said monitor for viewing.

7. A digital still camera according to claim 6, wherein said display device displays information showing the currently selected signal processing system while said selection device is operated to selected one of the signal processing system.

8. A digital still camera according to claim 7, wherein said recording medium is a memory card.

9. A digital still camera according to claim 8, further comprising:

a selection switch that selects either a photographing mode or a reproducing mode, wherein said output circuit outputs a frame number information to superimpose a frame number onto said image on said external monitor when the reproducing mode is selected by said selection switch.

10. A digital still camera defined by a camera body, comprising:

an image device that outputs image data corresponding to the image of a photographic subject which has been picked up;

a recording device that converts said image data to compressed digital data and records said compressed digital data to a memory card which can store plural said compressed digital data;

a selection device that enables a user to select a specific signal processing system from a plurality of signal processing systems including at least a NTSC and a PAL system without restarting the digital still camera;

a display located on the camera body for indicating the selected signal processing system; and

an output circuit operative in conformance with the plurality of signal processing systems that converts said compressed digital data recorded by said recording device to image signals and outputs said image signals, wherein the digital still camera is configured to output said image signals to an external monitor in accordance with the specific signal processing system selected at the selection device.