Image pickup apparatus with an inclination guide display

• US 8,497,913 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• 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: Yamazaki, Tatsuya, Shibata, Masahiro, Ishikawa, Yoshikazu, Ishii, Kazunori, Kawahara, Hideo, Yasuda, Hitoshi, Ishikawa, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): CUTLER, ALBERT H
• Application Number:
  US12/946,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 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:

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

a display device capable of showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector;

a shake detector which detects a shake of the image pickup apparatus;

a determiner which determines, based on a detection output from the shake detector, whether or not the image pickup apparatus is fixed; and

a display controller which controls display of the inclination guide display based on the detection output from the shake detector,

wherein, when a state in which a frequency or an amplitude of the detection output from the shake detector is equal to or larger than a predetermined value is continuous for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, the display controller controls so that the inclination guide display is not provided.

2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, when a state in which a frequency or an amplitude of the detection output from the shake detector is lower than the predetermined value is continuous for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, the display controller controls so that the inclination guide display is provided.

3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display controller shows the inclination guide display so that, when determination that the image pickup apparatus is fixed is made by the determiner, a display angle of the inclination guide display for a same inclination detected by the inclination detector is larger than that when determination that the image pickup apparatus is not fixed is made by the determiner.

4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the determiner determines that the image pickup apparatus is fixed when the shake detected by the shake detector is smaller than a predetermined shake.

5. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display controller switches between a display and a non-display of the inclination guide display in accordance with the inclination set by detected by the inclination detector, and changes a set value of the inclination to switch between the display and the non-display of the inclination guide display in accordance with whether or not it is determined by the determiner that the image pickup apparatus is fixed.

6. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, when the determiner determines that the image pickup apparatus is fixed, the display controller makes small the set value of the inclination to switch between the display and the non-display of the inclination guide display.

7. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

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

a display device capable of showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector;

a shake detector which detects a shake of the image pickup apparatus;

a determiner which determines, based on a detection output from the shake detector, whether or not the image pickup apparatus is fixed; and

a display controller which controls display of the inclination guide display based on the detection output from the shake detector,

when a state in which a frequency or an amplitude of the detection output from the shake detector is lower than the predetermined value is continuous for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, the display controller controls so that the inclination guide display is provided.

8. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display controller shows the inclination guide display so that, when determination that the image pickup apparatus is fixed is made by the determiner, a display angle of the inclination guide display for a same inclination detected by the inclination detector is larger than that when determination that the image pickup apparatus is not fixed is made by the determiner.

9. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the determiner determines that the image pickup apparatus is fixed when the shake detected by the shake detector is smaller than a predetermined shake.

10. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display controller switches between a display and a non-display of the inclination guide display in accordance with the inclination set by detected by the inclination detector, and changes a set value of the inclination to switch between the display and the non-display of the inclination guide display in accordance with whether or not it is determined by the determiner that the image pickup apparatus is fixed.

11. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, when the determiner determines that the image pickup apparatus is fixed, the display controller makes small the set value of the inclination to switch between the display and the non-display of the inclination guide display.

12. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

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

a display device capable of showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector;

a shake detector which detects a shake of the image pickup apparatus;

a determiner which determines, based on a detection output from the shake detector, whether or not the image pickup apparatus is fixed; and

a display controller which controls display of the inclination guide display based on the detection output from the shake detector,

wherein the display controller shows the inclination guide display so that, when determination that the image pickup apparatus is fixed is made by the determiner, a display angle of the inclination guide display for a same inclination detected by the inclination detector is larger than that when determination that the image pickup apparatus is not fixed is made by the determiner.

13. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the determiner determines that the image pickup apparatus is fixed when the shake detected by the shake detector is smaller than a predetermined shake.

14. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

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

a display processor which shows an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination detected by the inclination detector, on the display device;

a shake detector which detects a shake of the image pickup apparatus;

a determiner which determines, based on the detection output from the shake detector, whether or not the image pickup apparatus is fixed; and

a setter which sets sensitivity of the inclination detector so that, when determination that the image pickup apparatus is fixed is made by the determiner, the sensitivity of the inclination is higher than that when determination that the image pickup apparatus is not fixed is made by the determiner.

15. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the determiner determines that the image pickup apparatus is fixed when the shake detected by the shake detector is smaller than a predetermined shake.

16. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

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

a display device capable of showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector;

a shake detector which detects a shake of the image pickup apparatus;

a determiner which determines, based on a detection output from the shake detector, whether or not the image pickup apparatus is fixed; and

a display controller which controls display of the inclination guide display based on the detection output from the shake detector,

wherein the display controller switches between a display and a non-display of the inclination guide display in accordance with the inclination detected by the inclination detector, and changes a set value of the inclination to switch between the display and the non-display of the inclination guide display in accordance with whether or not it is determined by the determiner that the image pickup apparatus is fixed.

17. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, when the determiner determines that the image pickup apparatus is fixed, the display controller makes small the set value of the inclination to switch between the display and the non-display of the inclination guide display.

18. A control method of an image pickup apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a picked-up image;

detecting an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

showing an inclination guide display corresponding to the detected inclination;

detecting a shake of the image pickup apparatus;

determining, based on an output of the detected shake, whether or not the image pickup apparatus is fixed; and

setting sensitivity of detecting the inclination so that, when determination that the image pickup apparatus is fixed is made in the determining step, the sensitivity of the inclination is higher than that when determination that the image pickup apparatus is not fixed is made in the determining step.