IMAGE CAPTURE APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20120274806A1
• Filed: 04/19/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Mori, Naomi
• Granted Patent: US 8,760,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/223.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/672 based on the phase difference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/676 Bracketing for image capture at varying focusing conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/743 Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions

Abstract

An image capture apparatus capable of auto bracketing. When a capture count for the auto bracketing is N (N is an integer of not less than three), a total of N−1 correction values are set by at least one on each of a positive side and negative side with respect to a reference value, and the apparatus sequentially expands or narrows a correction width serving as a difference between the reference value and each of the N−1 correction values in accordance with user'"'"'s operation. When the capture count is two, the reference value and one correction value are set, and the apparatus sequentially increases or decreases the one correction value within the predetermined range in accordance with user'"'"'s operation.

Claims

1. An image capture apparatus capable of auto bracketing to obtain a plurality of images by setting a set value of a capture setting item to a reference value and at least one correction value, comprising:

a setting unit configured to set a capture count in the auto bracketing in accordance with a user operation; and

a change unit configured to change the correction value in the auto bracketing within a predetermined range including a positive value and negative value with respect to the reference value in accordance with a first operation signal and second operation signal corresponding to user operations,

wherein when the capture count is N (N is an integer of not less than three), a total of N−

1 correction values are set by at least one on each of a positive side and negative side with respect to the reference value, and said change unit sequentially expands a correction width serving as a difference between the reference value and each of the N−

1 correction values in accordance with one operation signal out of the first operation signal and the second operation signal, and sequentially narrows the correction width in accordance with the other operation signal until the correction width reaches 0, and

when the capture count is two, the reference value and one correction value are set, and said change unit sequentially increases said one correction value within the predetermined range in accordance with one operation signal out of the first operation signal and the second operation signal, and sequentially decreases said one correction value within the predetermined range in accordance with the other operation signal.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the capture count is three, a total of two correction values are set by one on each of the positive side and negative side with respect to the reference value, and said change unit sequentially expands the correction width in accordance with the first operation signal, and sequentially narrows the correction width in accordance with the second operation signal, and

when the capture count is two, said change unit sequentially increases the correction value within the predetermined range in accordance with the first operation signal, and sequentially decreases the correction value within the predetermined range in accordance with the second operation signal.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an order setting unit configured to set, as a capture order in the auto bracketing, an order of capture using the reference value, capture using a positive correction value with respect to the reference value, and capture using a negative correction value with respect to the reference value,

wherein when the capture count is two, the auto bracketing is performed in an order in which capture at a nonexistent correction value is skipped in the order set by said order setting unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a unit configured to, when said setting unit changes the capture count from three to two, set, as a correction value corresponding to the capture count of two, a correction value used first in a capture order in the auto bracketing out of correction values corresponding to the capture count of three.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when said setting unit changes the capture count from three to five, correction values are added by one on each of the positive side and negative side with respect to the reference value, and a difference between each of the added correction values and the reference value is set to be double the correction width corresponding to the capture count of three.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reference value setting unit configured to set the reference value in accordance with a user operation.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the capture setting item in the auto bracketing is at least one of exposure, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, flash, focus, aperture, and HDR.

8. A method of controlling an image capture apparatus capable of auto bracketing to obtain a plurality of images by setting a set value of a capture setting item to a reference value and at least one correction value, comprising the steps of:

causing a setting unit to set a capture count in the auto bracketing in accordance with a user operation; and

causing a change unit to change the correction value in the auto bracketing within a predetermined range including a positive value and negative value with respect to the reference value in accordance with a first operation signal and second operation signal corresponding to user operations,

wherein when the capture count is N (N is an integer of not less than three), a total of N−

1 correction values are set by at least one on each of a positive side and negative side with respect to the reference value, and in the step of causing the change unit to change the correction value, a correction width serving as a difference between the reference value and each of the N−

1 correction values is sequentially expanded in accordance with one operation signal out of the first operation signal and the second operation signal, and the correction width is sequentially narrowed in accordance with the other operation signal until the correction width reaches 0, and

when the capture count is two, the reference value and one correction value are set, and in the step of causing the change unit to change the correction value, said one correction value is sequentially increased within the predetermined range in accordance with one operation signal out of the first operation signal and the second operation signal, and said one correction value is sequentially decreased within the predetermined range in accordance with the other operation signal.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer of an image capture apparatus capable of auto bracketing to obtain a plurality of images by setting a set value of a capture setting item to a reference value and at least one correction value, to execute the steps of:

setting a capture count in the auto bracketing in accordance with a user operation; and

changing the correction value in the auto bracketing within a predetermined range including a positive value and negative value with respect to the reference value in accordance with a first operation signal and second operation signal corresponding to user operations,

wherein the program causes the computer to, when the capture count is N (N is an integer of not less than three), set a total of N−

1 correction values by at least one on each of a positive side and negative side with respect to the reference value, and in the step of changing the correction value, sequentially expand a correction width serving as a difference between the reference value and each of the N−

1 correction values in accordance with one operation signal out of the first operation signal and the second operation signal, and sequentially narrow the correction width in accordance with the other operation signal until the correction width reaches 0, and

the program causes the computer to, when the capture count is two, set the reference value and one correction value, and in the step of changing the correction value, sequentially increase said one correction value within the predetermined range in accordance with one operation signal out of the first operation signal and the second operation signal, and sequentially decrease said one correction value within the predetermined range in accordance with the other operation signal.