Imaging apparatus and method for recapturing an image captured in a multiple exposure shooting mode

• US 9,413,979 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2012
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohdate, Takayoshi, Sugie, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): SPINKS, ANTOINETTE T
• Application Number:
  US13/454,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20120274827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 348/218.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• 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 23/741 by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors

Abstract

An imaging apparatus receives an instruction to recapture an image last captured in a multiple exposure shooting mode after a first number of images in the multiple exposure shooting mode are acquired. The imaging apparatus generates an image into which an image captured in the multiple exposure shooting mode and a second number of images are multiple combined, the second number of images being the first number of images excluding the image last captured. The imaging apparatus displays, on a display unit, a first image obtained by multiple combining the first number of images and a second image obtained by multiple combining the second number of images after the first number of images are acquired in the multiple exposure shooting mode and before the instruction to recapture the image is received.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a first receiving unit configured to receive a capturing instruction to capture an image in a multiple exposure shooting mode;

a generation unit configured to generate a second composite image by combining a first image captured according to the capturing instruction received by the first receiving unit with a first composite image generated by combining a plurality of images;

a display control unit configured to display, on a display unit, the second composite image generated by the generation unit as a quick review immediately after the first image is captured in response to the capturing instruction received by the first receiving unit, and to switch during the quick review, display from the second composite image to the first composite image in response to an operation by a user; and

a second receiving unit configured to receive a recapturing instruction to recapture the first image when the first composite image is displayed on the display unit during the quick review,

wherein the display control unit is configured to display the first composite image and the second composite image in a playback mode, and

wherein the display control unit is configured not to display an image that is captured before shifting to the multiple exposure shooting mode except a base image if shifting to the playback mode is performed with one or more images captured in the multiple exposure shooting mode, and is configured to display also an image that is captured before shifting to the multiple exposure shooting mode if shifting to the playback mode is performed after the recapturing instruction is received by the second receiving unit in a state where only one captured image is retained in the multiple exposure shooting mode.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit is configured to display a monotone image or a warning that an image cannot be displayed if only one captured image is retained in the multiple exposure shooting mode.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a retention unit configured to retain data of the first image captured according to the capturing instruction, data of the first composite image generated by combining the plurality of images, and data of the second composite image generated by combining the first image and the first composite image.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to function as each unit of the imaging apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where a delete instruction of the first image is received by the second receiving unit, the generation unit generates a third composite image by combining the first composite image and an image captured in response to the capturing instruction after reception of the delete instruction of the first image.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, in a case where, after the first image is captured, the capturing instruction is received by the first receiving unit without the reception of the delete instruction of the first image, the generation unit generates a fourth composite image by combining the second composite image and an image captured according to the capturing instruction.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

wherein, in response to a delete instruction received by the second receiving unit, the retention unit removes the data of the first image and the data of the second composite image.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first composite image is able to be displayed in the quick review even if the deletion of the first image is not confirmed.

9. A method for controlling an imaging apparatus, comprising:

receiving a capturing instruction to capture an image in a multiple exposure shooting mode;

generating a second composite image by combining a first image captured according to the capturing instruction received with a first composite image generated by combining a plurality of images;

displaying, on a display unit, the second composite image generated in a quick review immediately after the first image is captured in response to the capturing instruction received, and to switch during the quick review, display from the second composite image to the first composite image in response to an operation by a user; and

receiving a recapturing instruction to recapture the first image when the first composite image is displayed on the display unit during the quick review,

wherein the display unit is configured to display the first composite image and the second composite image in a playback mode, and

wherein the display unit is configured not to display an image that is captured before shifting to the multiple exposure shooting mode except a base image if shifting to the playback mode is performed with one or more images captured in the multiple exposure shooting mode, and is configured to display also an image that is captured before shifting to the multiple exposure shooting mode if shifting to the playback mode is performed after the recapturing instruction is received in a state where only one captured image is retained in the multiple exposure shooting mode.