Digital camera with a number of photographing systems

• US 7,834,928 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Misawa, Atsushi, Nakazawa, Michitaka, Uchida, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam; Hung H
• Application Number:
  US11/599,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20070103577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 348/345, 348/335, 348/349
• US Class Current: 348/345
• 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 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• 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 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A digital camera comprises two photographing systems which are independent of and substantially identical to each other, and each of which includes a photographing optical system and an image pickup device. The photographing optical system is configured to include a photographing lens, a focusing lens and an aperture stop. The focusing lens of one of the photographing systems is driven stepwise from a first predetermined position at which it is to be located when a focusing position lies at an infinite distance, toward a second predetermined position at which it is to be located when the focusing position lies at the closest distance, while the focusing lens of the other photographing system is driven stepwise from the second predetermined position toward the first predetermined position every step width. The contrasts of images formed by the respective photographing systems are evaluated while the two focusing lenses are being moved, and a position corresponding to the maximum value of the contrasts is determined as the focusing position.

Claims

1. A digital camera comprising:

a first photographing system that includes a first monofocal optical system;

a second photographing system that includes a second variable-focus optical system whose focus is variable;

a changeover switch which changeovers a photographing system for photographing the subject, to one of the first photographing system or the second photographing system;

a utilization unit which utilizes focus adjustment information at the time when a focus is adjusted when photographing the subject with one photographing system determined by the changeover switch, for a use other than the focus adjustment; and

a single zoom alteration unit that performs zoom operation for both the first photographing system and the second photographing system, which is selected by the changeover switch,

wherein;

the first and the second photographing systems include image pickup devices which pick up an image of the subject, an optical system which forms an image of the subject on the image pickup devices, and a focus adjustment unit which adjusts a focus for the subject;

the utilization unit displays the photographed image obtained by one photographing system determined by the changeover switch, and displays a focus adjustment state which expresses a state of the focus adjustment based on the focus adjustment unit of the one photographing system determined by the changeover switch, on the basis of the focus adjustment information at the time when the focus is adjusted when photographing the subject by the one photographing system,

the second photographing system has a focal depth set shorter than that of the first photographing system; and

a focus adjustment control unit that controls the respective focus adjustment units of the first photographing system and the second photographing system so that, when the second photographing system has been determined by the changeover switch, the focus adjustment unit of the first photographing system is controlled so as to perform the focus adjustment based on the first focus adjustment unit, whereupon the focus adjustment based on the focus adjustment unit of the second photographing system may be performed on the basis of a focus adjustment result based on the first focus adjustment unit.

2. A digital camera according to claim 1, wherein:

the first photographing system includes a first image pickup device which picks up an image of a subject, and a first focus adjustment unit which adjusts a focus for the subject;

the second photographing system includes a second image pickup device which picks up an image of a subject, and a second focus adjustment unit which adjusts the focus for the subject;

in a case where the first photographing system has been determined by the changeover switch and where a zoom operation has been instructed by the zoom alteration unit, the utilization unit submits image data obtained by the first photographing system, to image processing so that the image is zoomed in correspondence with the instruction of the zoom alteration unit; and

in a case where the second photographing system has been determined by the changeover switch and where a zoom operation has been instructed by the zoom alteration unit, the utilization unit utilizes the focus adjustment information by adjusting the second variable-focus optical system through said second focus adjustment unit so as to alter the focal point of the second photographing system in correspondence with the instruction of the zoom alteration unit.

3. A digital camera according to claim 2, wherein in a case where the second variable-focus optical system has been instructed a zoom operation in excess of an adjustable range by the zoom alteration unit through the second focus adjustment unit, the utilization unit submits image data obtained by the second photographing system to image processing so that the image is zoomed in correspondence with the instruction of the zoom alteration unit.

4. A digital camera according to claim 2, further comprising a display device which displays images;

wherein the display device displays the images which are respectively obtained by the first photographing system and the second photographing system, regardless of a changeover state of the changeover switch.

5. A digital camera according to claim 2, further comprising a display device which displays images;

wherein the display device displays only the image obtained by the first photographing system, in a case where the first photographing system has been determined by the changeover switch, and displays the images respectively obtained by the first photographing system and the second photographing system, in a case where the second photographing system has been determined by the changeover switch.

6. A digital camera comprising:

a first photographing system that includes a first monofocal optical system;

a second photographing system that includes a second variable-focus optical system whose focus is variable;

a changeover switch which changeovers a photographing system for photographing the subject, to one of the first photographing system or the second photographing system;

a utilization unit which utilizes focus adjustment information at the time when a focus is adjusted when photographing the subject with one photographing system determined by the changeover switch, for a use other than the focus adjustment; and

a single zoom alteration unit that performs zoom operation for both the first photographing system and the second photographing system, which is selected by the changeover switch

wherein;

the first photographing system includes a first image pickup device which picks up an image of a subject, and a first focus adjustment unit which adjusts a focus for the subject;

the second photographing system includes a second image pickup device which picks up an image of a subject, and a second focus adjustment unit which adjusts the focus for the subject;

in a case where the first photographing system has been determined by the changeover switch and where a zoom operation has been instructed by the zoom alteration unit, the utilization unit submits image data obtained by the first photographing system, to image processing so that the image is zoomed in correspondence with the instruction of the zoom alteration unit;

in a case where the second photographing system has been determined by the changeover switch and where a zoom operation has been instructed by the zoom alteration unit, the utilization unit utilizes the focus adjustment information by adjusting the second variable-focus optical system through said second focus adjustment unit so as to alter the focal point of the second photographing system in correspondence with the instruction of the zoom alteration unit;

the optical system of said second photographing system has a focal depth set shorter than that of the optical system of the first photographing system; and

in a case where the second photographing system has been determined by the changeover switch, after the first focus adjustment unit has performed the focus adjustment said the second focus adjustment unit performs the focus adjustment on the basis of a result of the focus adjustment by the first focus adjustment unit.