IMAGING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD FOR THE SAME, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20130063645A1
• Filed: 09/06/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Aoyama, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,106,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/634 Warning indications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• 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 23/743 Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/42 by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode

Abstract

A shooting target detection unit detects a main shooting target from a position where a touch-down operation is performed on a touch panel. A system control device causes a ranging control device and an exposure control device to perform AF processing and AE processing on the main shooting target. The system control device displays a continuous shooting switch near the touched position. The system control device performs continuous shooting if a user moves his/her finger to the continuous shooting switch and then performs a touch-up operation. Whereas, the system control device performs single shooting if the user performs the touch-up operation without moving his/her finger to the continuous shooting switch.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit;

a touch panel;

an imaging preparation unit configured to conduct a preparation for imaging processing of the imaging unit based on a position where a touch-down operation is performed on the touch panel; and

a control unit configured to cause the imaging unit to perform continuous shooting according to a touch-up operation in a case where an operation for instructing about continuous shooting is performed on the touch panel since execution of the touch-down operation until execution of the touch-up operation, and cause the imaging unit to perform single shooting according to the touch-up operation in a case where the operation for instructing about continuous shooting is not performed on the touch panel since the execution of the touch-down operation until the execution of the touch-up operation.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a unit configured to detect a movement of a main shooting target during the preparation for imaging processing; and

a unit configured to allow the operation for instructing about continuous shooting to be performed on the touch panel in a case where a movement of the main shooting target is detected.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a unit configured to detect an apparatus shake of the imaging apparatus during the preparation for imaging processing; and

a unit configured to allow the operation for instructing about continuous shooting to be performed on the touch panel in a case where the apparatus shake is detected,

wherein the operation for instructing about continuous shooting on the touch panel is an operation for setting a number of images to be captured by the continuous shooting.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a unit configured to detect an in-focus degree of the imaging unit during the preparation for imaging processing; and

a unit configured to allow the operation for instructing about continuous shooting to be performed on the touch panel in a case where the in-focus degree of the imaging unit indicates an out-of-focus state during the preparation for imaging processing,

wherein the control unit causes the imaging unit to perform continuous shooting while changing a focal length of the imaging unit for each imaging processing according to the touch-up operation in a case where the operation for instructing about continuous shooting is performed on the touch panel before execution of the touch-up operation on the touch panel.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a unit configured to allow the operation for instructing about continuous shooting to be performed on the touch panel according to either a touch continuing for a predetermined time on the touch panel or a movement along a predetermined locus on the touch panel during the preparation for imaging processing.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit stops the continuous shooting if a predetermined number of images is captured.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit stops the continuous shooting according to a touch on the touch panel during the continuous shooting.

8. A method for controlling an imaging apparatus which includes an imaging unit and a touch panel and is configured to conduct a preparation for imaging processing of the imaging unit based on a position where a touch-down operation is performed on the touch panel and capture an image according to a touch-up operation on the touch panel, the method comprising:

determining whether an operation for instructing about continuous shooting is performed on the touch panel since execution of the touch-down operation until execution of the touch-up operation;

causing the imaging unit to perform continuous shooting in a case where the operation for instructing about continuous shooting is performed on the touch panel since the execution of the touch-down operation until the execution of the touch-up operation; and

causing the imaging unit to perform single shooting according to the touch-up operation in a case where the operation for instructing about continuous shooting is not performed on the touch panel since the execution of the touch-down operation until the execution of the touch-up operation.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for executing a method for controlling an imaging apparatus which includes an imaging unit and a touch panel and is configured to conduct a preparation for imaging processing of the imaging unit based on a position where a touch-down operation is performed on the touch panel and capture an image according to a touch-up operation on the touch panel, the method comprising:

determining whether an operation for instructing about continuous shooting is performed on the touch panel since execution of the touch-down operation until execution of the touch-up operation;

causing the imaging unit to perform continuous shooting in a case where the operation for instructing about continuous shooting is performed on the touch panel since the execution of the touch-down operation until the execution of the touch-up operation; and

causing the imaging unit to perform single shooting according to the touch-up operation in a case where the operation for instructing about continuous shooting is not performed on the touch panel since the execution of the touch-down operation until the execution of the touch-up operation.