IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20130265467A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OM Digital Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuzawa, Yoshinori, Nonaka, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 9,204,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/240.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• 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 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit, a display unit, an interested-position obtaining unit, a zoom operation obtaining unit and an image-processing unit. The imaging unit is configured to image an image of an object through a lens. The display unit is configured to display the image imaged by the imaging unit. The interested-position obtaining unit is configured to obtain specification of an interested position in the image displayed on the display unit. The zoom operation obtaining unit is provided for the lens and is configured to obtain a zoom operation. The image-processing unit is configured to perform, on the image, an electronic zoom processing of enlarging the interested position, in accordance with the zoom operation.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit configured to image an image of an object through a lens;

a display unit configured to display the image imaged by the imaging unit;

an interested-position obtaining unit configured to obtain specification of an interested position in the image displayed on the display unit;

a zoom operation obtaining unit provided for the lens and configured to obtain a zoom operation; and

an image-processing unit configured to perform, on the image, an electronic zoom processing of enlarging the interested position, in accordance with the zoom operation.

2. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image-processing unit makes a storage medium store the image and a cutout image that is a part of the image and has been cut out by the electronic zoom.

3. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein an instruction to cut out an image at the interested position from the image is assigned to the zoom operation.

4. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interested-position obtaining unit includes a touch panel provided on the display unit.

5. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein a relationship between the zoom operation and the zoom speed is changed based on a signal that the interested-position obtaining unit obtains.

6. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens is detachable.

7. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an operation member configured to determine a cutout range change per time; and

a specification unit configured to specify a center of a cutout area in an image.

8. The imaging apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operation member includes a switch for switching between telescopic side and wide-angle side.

9. The imaging apparatus of claim 7, wherein the operation member includes a ring-shaped rotary member.

10. The imaging apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cutout range change is performed by using optical zoom and electronic zoom in combination with each other.

11. The imaging apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an input unit configured to be inputted with a change rate of the cutout range change per time.

12. A method of trimming an image, the method comprising:

specifying a cutout center in an image; and

determining a cutout range change per time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining the cutout range change per time includes determining an operation of a switch for switching between telescopic side and wide-angle side.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining the cutout range change per time includes determining an operation of a ring-shaped rotary member.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising changing a cutout range, wherein the changing the cutout range includes changing optical zoom and changing electronic zoom.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising setting a change rate of the cutout range change per time.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising changing optical zoom when the cutout center is within a predetermined range from a center of the image.