Image pickup apparatus

• US 20040051807A1
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Niwa, Chiyumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,701,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/372
• 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

Abstract

In order to make it possible to perform the starting or the changing of photographing, recording and reproducing modes easily and to eliminate walls between the modes, an image pickup apparatus includes a first mode for recording a photographed image on a record medium as an image file, a second mode for reproducing the image file, and an operation member which can switch to each mode by different operation methods, wherein the operation member returns to its original state after the performance of an operation.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus including a first mode for picking up an object image and a second mode for reproducing a recorded image, said apparatus comprising:

an operation member which is switched to said first mode according to an operation to a first position, and is switched to said second mode according to an operation to a second position, and further is suppressed to a third position during a period of time except for the operations; and

control means for changing control to said image pickup apparatus both according to a current mode and according to a position to which said operation member is operated.

2. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during said second mode, said control means shifts said second mode to said first mode without operating said operation member, and according to an operation of other operation member related to photographing.

3. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in case that said image pickup apparatus is in an electric power off state, said control means turns electric power on according to a mode switching operation of said operation member and starts up said image pickup apparatus in a mode corresponding to a position operated in the mode switching operation.

4. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means withdraws a lens barrel according to the operation to said second position by means of said operation member, when said lens barrel is fed forward in a state of said second mode.

5. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a state of said first mode, said control means switches to a mode different in photographing format from that of said first mode according to the operation of said operation member to said first position.

6. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein position in a state of said second mode, said control means switches to a mode different in reproduction format from that of said second mode according to the operation of said operation member to said second position.

7. An image pickup apparatus including a first mode for picking up an object image and a second mode for reproducing a recorded image, said apparatus comprising:

an operation member which is switched to said first mode according to an operation to a first position, and is switched to said second mode according to an operation to a second position, and further is suppressed to a third position during a period of time except for the operations; and

control means for turning electric power of said image pickup apparatus on and determines an operating mode according to a position to which said operation member is operated, when said operation member is operated in a state in which the electric power of said image pickup apparatus is off.

8. A control method of an image pickup apparatus including a first mode for picking up an object image and a second mode for reproducing a record image, comprising:

the step of operating an operation member which is switched to a first mode for picking up an object image according to an operation to a first position, and is switched to a second mode for reproducing a recorded image according to an operation to a second position, and further is suppressed to a third position during a period of time except for the operations; and

the step of changing control to said image pickup apparatus according to a current mode and said position to which said operation member is operated.

10. A storage medium comprising a stored program for executing said control method of an image pickup apparatus according to claim 8.

9. A control method of an image pickup apparatus including an operation member which is switched to a first mode for picking up an object image according to an operation to a first position, and is switched to a second mode for reproducing a recorded image according to an operation to a second position, and further is suppressed to a third position during a period of time except for the operations, said method comprising:

the step of turning electric power of said image pickup apparatus on and determines an operating mode according to a position to which said operation member is operated, when said operation member is operated in a state in which the electric power of said image pickup apparatus is off.