Photographing apparatus with two image sensors of different size

• US 6,639,626 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1999
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kenji, Hamamura, Toshihiro, Kubo, Hiroaki, Niikawa, Masahito
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Application Number:
  US09/335,416
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 348/218.1, 348/219.1, 348/335, 348/343, 348/344, 348/333.11, 348/236, 348/337, 348/222.1, 348/64, 396/429
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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 23/843 Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

An photographing apparatus comprises a photographing lens, a first area sensor, a second area sensor, a display, a manipulation unit, and a processor. The first area sensor has a plurality of pixels, and photoelectrically converts an optical image of an object into first pixel data. The second area sensor has a plurality of pixels, the number of pixels of the second area sensor being greater than the number of pixels of the first area sensor, and photoelectrically converts an optical image of an object into second pixel data. The display displays the first pixel data supplied from the first area sensor as a preview image before image recording. The manipulation unit allows a user to start image recording. The processor combines the first pixel data and the second pixel data supplied form the first and second area sensors to produce a composite image when the manipulation unit is operated.

Claims

1. A photographing apparatus, comprising:

a photographing lens;

a first area sensor having a plurality of pixels and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of an object formed by the photographing lens into first pixel data;

a second area sensor having a plurality of pixels and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of the object formed by the photographing lens into second pixel data, the number of pixels of the second area sensor being greater than the number of pixels of the first area sensor;

a display for displaying the first pixel data supplied from the first area sensor as a preview image prior to image recording;

a manipulation unit for starting the image recording; and

a processor for combining the first and second pixel data supplied from the first and second area sensors when the manipulation unit was operated.

2. The photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first area sensor outputs colour information of the object, and the second area sensor outputs luminance information of the object.

3. The photographing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a corrector for providing contour correction to the luminance information supplied from the second area sensor.

4. The photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an optical system for switching optical paths between the first and second area sensors, one path guiding light reflected by the object and incident on the photographing lens to the first area sensor, and the other guiding the light to the second sensor.

5. The photographing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the optical system is a movable mirror.

6. The photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for recording the first pixel data supplied from the first area sensor before the manipulation unit is operated, wherein the processor combines the first pixel data recorded in the memory with the second pixel data captured by the second area sensor in synchronization with the manipulation of the manipulation unit.

7. The photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a relay lens system positioned before the first area sensor and for focussing the optical image of the object onto the first area sensor.

8. The photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photographing apparatus has a prohibition mode for prohibiting exposure time of the second area sensor from being set shorter than a predetermined time.

9. The photographing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the photographing apparatus has a short exposure mode for allowing the exposure time of the second sensor to be set shorter than the predetermined time, and wherein the photographing apparatus further comprises a filter for decreasing the spatial frequency of the pixel data output from the first area sensor when the short exposure mode has been selected.

10. A photographing apparatus, comprising;

a photographing lens;

a first image pick-up device having a first light-receiving unit and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of an object formed by the photographing lens into first pixel data;

a second image pick-up device having a second light-receiving unit and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of the object formed by the photographing lens into second pixel data, the size of the second light-receiving unit being different from the size of the first light-receiving unit; and

a relay lens system positioned before the first image pick-up device and for focussing the optical image of the object onto the first image pick-up device,

wherein a ratio of the composite focal length of the photographing lens and the relay lens system to a size of the first light-receiving unit being equal to a ratio of the focal length of the photographing lens to a size of the second light-receiving unit.

11. A photographing apparatus, comprising:

a photographing lens;

a first image pick-up device having a plurality of pixels and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of an object formed by the photographing lens into first pixel data;

a second image pick-up device having a plurality of pixels and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of the object formed by the photographing lens into second pixel data, the number of pixels of the second image pick-up device being greater than the number of pixels of the first image pick-up device;

a display for displaying the first pixel data supplied from the first image pick-up device as a preview image prior to image recording;

a first processor for processing the first pixel data supplied from the first image pick-up device; and

a second processor for processing the second pixel data supplied from the second image pick-up device, wherein only the first processor adjusts white balance.

12. A photographing apparatus, comprising:

a photographing lens;

a first image pick-up device having a plurality of pixels and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of an object formed by the photographing lens into first pixel data;

a second image pick-up device having a plurality of pixels and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of the object formed by the photographing lens into second pixel data, the number of pixels of the second image pick-up device being greater than the number of pixels of the first image pick-up device;

a display for displaying the first pixel data supplied from the first image pick-up device as a preview image prior to image recording; and

a controller for controlling the first and second image pick-up devices at a same driving frequency.

13. A photographing apparatus, comprising:

a photographing lens;

a first image pick-up device having a plurality of pixels and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of an object formed by the photographing lens into first pixel data;

a second image pick-up device having a plurality of pixels and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of the object formed by the photographing lens into second pixel data, the number of pixels of the second image pick-up device being greater than the number of pixels of the first image pick-up device;

a processor for combining a part of the first pixel data obtained by the first image pick-up device with a part of the second pixel data obtained by the second image pick-up device to produce a composite image; and

a display for displaying the composite image produced by the processor as a preview image prior to image recording.

14. A photographing apparatus, comprising:

a photographing lens;

a first area sensor having a plurality of pixels and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of an object formed by the photographing lens into first pixel data;

a second area sensor having a plurality of pixels and for photoelectrically converting an optical image of the object formed by the photographing lens into second pixel data, the number of pixels of the second area sensor being greater than the number of pixels of the first area sensor, and a size of the second area sensor being larger than a size of the first area sensor;

a display for displaying the first pixel data supplied from the first area sensor as a preview image prior to image recording; and

a recorder for recording the second pixel data supplied from the second area sensor in a recording medium.