Image pickup apparatus with an inclination guide display

• US 8,022,995 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawahara, Hideo, Shibata, Masahiro, Ishikawa, Daisuke, Yamazaki, Tatsuya, Ishikawa, Yoshikazu, Yasuda, Hitoshi, Ishii, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): CUTLER, ALBERT H
• Application Number:
  US12/044,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20080204566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.99, 348/208.1, 348/208.2, 348/208.3, 348/208.12, 348/208.15, 348/208.16, 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 348/333.03, 348/333.04, 348/333.12, 396/291
• US Class Current: 348/208.15
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/272 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/682 Vibration or motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/025 Systems for the transmission of digital non-picture data, e.g. of text during the active part of a television frame transmission of digital non-picture data during the vertical blanking interval only H04N7/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus is disclosed which provides an appropriate inclination guide display in accordance with an aspect ratio of a picked-up image and the like. The image pickup apparatus includes an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus, a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image, and an aspect ratio setter which sets the aspect ratio of a picked-up image. The apparatus includes a display controller which controls whether or not to show the inclination guide display on the display device on the basis of the aspect ratio set by the aspect ratio setter.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a display device;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display controller which, when an inclination guide display corresponding to an inclination detected by the inclination detector is not shown and the inclination detected by the inclination detector is equal to or larger than a first angle, controls the display device such that the inclination guide display is shown on the display device, and when the inclination guide display is shown and the inclination detected by the inclination detector is equal to or smaller than a second angle that is smaller than the first angle, controls the display device such that the inclination guide display is not shown on the display device;

a gain adjuster which adjusts gain of the inclination detector; and

an angle setter which sets the second angle depending on the gain of the inclination detector that is adjusted by the gain adjuster.

2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim claim 1, wherein the angle setter sets the first angle depending on the gain of the inclination detector.

3. An image pickup method comprising:

detecting an inclination of an image pickup apparatus;

when an inclination guide display corresponding to an inclination detected by the detecting step is not shown and the inclination detected by the detecting step is equal to or larger than a first angle, controlling a display device such that the inclination guide display is shown on the display device;

when the inclination guide display is shown and the inclination detected by the inclination detector is equal to or smaller than a second angle that is smaller than the first angle, controlling the display device such that the inclination guide display is not shown on the display device;

adjusting gain of the detected inclination; and

setting the second angle depending on the adjusted gain.

4. The image pickup method according to claim 3, further comprising setting the first angle depending on the adjusted gain.