Electronic camera

• US 8,130,280 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Imafuji, Kazuharu, Matsuda, Toshiharu, Uematsu, Kimio
• Primary Examiner(s): AGGARWAL, YOGESH K
• Application Number:
  US12/232,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20090096896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222.1, 348/227.1, 348/228.1, 348/229.1, 348234-239, 348/252, 382/162, 382/167, 382/199
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/743 Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions

Abstract

An electronic camera includes: an imaging device that captures a subject image and outputs image signals; an image synthesizing device that performs image synthesis to generate a single image by using a plurality of sets of image signals obtained on different imaging conditions by the imaging device; and a control device that determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device based on a predetermined determination condition, and, when it is determined to perform the image synthesis, controls the image synthesizing device so as to perform the image synthesis.

Claims

1. An electronic camera, comprising:

an imaging device that captures a subject image and outputs image signals;

an image synthesizing device that performs image synthesis to generate a single image by using a plurality of sets of image signals obtained on different exposure values in response to a single imaging instruction by the imaging device;

a control device that determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device based on a predetermined determination condition, and, when it is determined to perform the image synthesis, controls the image synthesizing device so as to perform the image synthesis to achieve an image with wide dynamic range; and

a photometric device that performs a photometric calculation using the image signals, wherein;

the control device decides a number of the plurality of sets of the image signals used for performing the image synthesis based on a difference between a maximum luminance value and a minimum luminance value obtained by the photometric calculation.

2. An electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein:

the control device determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device based on a brightness distribution of an image obtained by the photometric calculation by the photometric device.

3. An electronic camera according to claim 2, wherein:

the control device determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device using the difference between the maximum luminance value and the minimum luminance value obtained by the photometric calculation.

4. An electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of sets of the image signals used by the image synthesizing device to perform the image synthesis are those obtained by the imaging device at a frame rate of more than several tens of frames per second in response to an instruction for photography.

5. An electronic camera according to claim 1,

the control device determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device based on a maximum value or a minimum value of image signals captured by the imaging device in response to an instruction for photography, on an imaging condition based on average brightness of an image obtained by the photometric calculation by the photometric device.

6. An electronic camera according to claim 5, wherein:

the control device determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device according to a number of image signals that exceed a first predetermined value among the image signals captured in response to the instruction for photography.

7. An electronic camera according to claim 5, wherein:

the control device determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device according to a number of image signals that fall short of a second predetermined value among the image signals captured in response to the instruction for photography.

8. An electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein:

the control device determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device according to a photographing mode that has been set on the electronic camera.

9. An electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein:

the image synthesizing device generates the single image that has a range of signal value wider than a range of signal value of each of the plurality of sets of the image signals used for the image synthesis.

10. An electronic camera according to claim 2, wherein:

the control device determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device based on a brightness distribution of a live preview image obtained before an instruction for photography by the photometric calculation.

11. An electronic camera according to claim 10, wherein:

if the control device determines to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device, the control device decides a number of the plurality of sets of the image signals used for the image synthesis and an imaging condition for obtaining the plurality of sets of the image signals, using a difference between a maximum luminance value and a minimum luminance value of image signals that make up a plurality of live preview images obtained on different imaging conditions by the imaging device.

12. An electronic camera according to claim 11, wherein:

a length of time required to obtain the plurality of sets of the image signals used for the image synthesis is displayed on a display device before the instruction for photography as a shutter speed.

13. An electronic camera according to claim 5, wherein:

if the control device determines to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device, the control device controls the imaging device so as to obtain image signals on different imaging conditions, and, when the obtained image signals include equal to or more than a predetermined number of image signals which exceed a first predetermined value, or when the obtained image signals include equal to ore more than a predetermined number of image signals which fall short of a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value, the control device controls the imaging device so as to obtain image signals on yet another different imaging condition.

14. An electronic camera, comprising:

an imaging device that captures a subject image and outputs image signals;

an image synthesizing device that performs image synthesis to generate a single image by using a plurality of sets of image signals obtained on different exposure values by the imaging device;

a photometric device that performs a photometric calculation using the image signals; and

a control device that determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device based on a maximum value or a minimum value of image signals captured by the imaging device in response to an instruction for photography, on an imaging condition based on average brightness of an image obtained by the photometric calculation by the photometric device.

15. An electronic camera according to claim 14, wherein:

the control device determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device according to a number of image signals that exceed a first predetermined value among the image signals captured in response to the instruction for photography.

16. An electronic camera according to claim 14, wherein:

the control device determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device according to a number of image signals that fall short of a second predetermined value among the image signals captured in response to the instruction for photography.

17. An electronic camera, comprising:

an imaging device that captures a subject image and outputs image signals;

an image synthesizing device that performs image synthesis to generate a single image by using a plurality of sets of image signals obtained on different exposure values by the imaging device;

a control device that determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device based on a predetermined determination condition, and, when it is determined to perform the image synthesis, controls the image synthesizing device so as to perform the image synthesis; and

a photometric device that performs a photometric calculation using the image signals, wherein;

the control device determines whether or not to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device based on a brightness distribution of an image obtained by the photometric calculation by the photometric device; and

if the control device determines to perform the image synthesis with the image synthesizing device, the control device decides a number of the plurality of sets of the image signals used for the image synthesis and an imaging condition for obtaining the plurality of sets of the image signals, using a difference between a maximum luminance value and a minimum luminance value of image signals that make up a plurality of live preview images obtained on different imaging conditions by the imaging device.

18. An electronic camera according to claim 17, wherein:

a length of time required to obtain the plurality of sets of the image signals used for the image synthesis is displayed on a display device before the instruction for photography as a shutter speed.