JP2017126911A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device capable of acquiring a captured image having no unnaturalness as intended by a user when a scene containing a mixture of plural subjects is imaged.SOLUTION: A display device for displaying an image is mounted in an imaging device capable of acquiring an output image by applying image processing to a part or all of a captured image. The display device has an area specifying mechanism capable of displaying an imaging-scheduled image after image processing even before imaging, and specifying a clear image quality area and/or an unclear image quality area with respect to the image displayed on the display device. An imaging condition is determined according to a subject condition within the specified clear image quality area and outside the clear image quality area corresponding to the specified non-clear image quality area, and set in the imaging device. By operating an operation member, an image for which the degree of image processing is arbitrarily set is displayed on the display device and imaging is performed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus capable of capturing an image that is clear for a subject that is desired to be sharp and that is unclear for a subject that is desired to be unclear and obtains an image as intended by a user.

  In recent years, there has been an increasing need to publish images taken using an imaging device such as a digital camera on a network through a social networking service (SNS) or the like.

  At this time, in the case of an image obtained by mixing a plurality of subjects, there is a demand for acquiring an image by dividing the subject into a subject that is desired to be easily recognized and a subject that is difficult to be recognized.

  However, in order to satisfy this demand for all users, it has been difficult to obtain an image by performing image processing suitable for each of the subjects separated as described above.

  For example, there is a background blur process as one of the above-described image processes, but an image that can be recognized due to insufficient blur even though the subject is not desired to be disclosed on the network may be acquired. On the other hand, there may be cases where an image that blurs a subject that is not desired to be blurred is acquired, and there are not a few cases where an image desired by the user cannot be obtained. Had problems.

  As a technique for solving the above-described problems, an image composition device described in Patent Document 1 is disclosed. According to this, the main subject image including the main subject and the background image including the background subject are photographed in such a manner that images with different visibility are obtained. It is described that by combining these two types of images, it is possible to acquire an image in consideration of privacy protection.

JP2013-135398A

  The image synthesizing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 acquires and synthesizes two images of a main subject image and a background image under different shooting conditions (aperture, exposure time, etc.), so that a natural image desired by the user is not necessarily obtained. Could not get.

  In addition, when trying to realize with a general camera with one optical system, it takes two shots, the time to shoot the main subject image and the time to shoot the background image. I can't shoot. Therefore, since there is a time lag between the start of shooting by the user and the start of shooting of the second shot, there is also a problem of missing a photo opportunity.

In order to solve the above problems, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention provides:
An imaging device capable of obtaining an output image by performing image processing on a part or all of the captured image, wherein the imaging device is equipped with a display device for displaying an image, The display device is an image pickup device that can display an image after image processing that is scheduled to be taken even before the image pickup. The display device has a clear image quality area and / or a non-defective image area. It has an area specification mechanism that can specify a clear image quality area, and shooting conditions are determined by subject conditions within the clear image quality area specified by the area specification mechanism and outside the clear image quality area corresponding to the unclear image quality area. Then, an operation member that can arbitrarily change the degree of the image processing is mounted on the image pickup device, and the operation member is operated. It allows the image set the degree of image processing arbitrarily by displaying on the display device, characterized in that it can be imaged.

  According to the present invention, when shooting a scene in which a plurality of subjects are mixed, it is clear for a subject that wants to improve visibility, and unclear for a subject that wants to reduce visibility. It is possible to obtain a photographed image as intended and without unnaturalness. Further, since the above-described image can be acquired by taking one shot, it is possible to acquire a captured image as intended by the user without missing a photo opportunity.

The figure which showed the sequence regarding the SNS mode of the imaging system in embodiment The figure which showed the sequence regarding the subprocess S103 on the sequence of FIG. 1 in embodiment. Schematic diagram showing an example of a subject photographed by the imaging system in the embodiment The schematic diagram which showed the example which designated the clear image quality area of the imaging | photography subject on EVF of the imaging system in embodiment The schematic diagram which showed the example of the EVF display switched according to the image processing level in the imaging system of embodiment The schematic diagram which showed the example of EVF display at the time of displaying on the EVF the image which processed the image in the image processing level which the user selected in the imaging system of embodiment 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a digital camera according to an embodiment. Schematic diagram showing luminance input / output characteristics (γ curve) used for image processing (gradation conversion processing) of the imaging system of the embodiment

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  The technical scope of the present invention is determined by the claims, and is not limited by the following individual embodiments. In addition, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the present invention.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of the digital camera 700 in the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 7, an optical system 701 includes at least a lens group including a zoom lens, a focus lens, and an anti-vibration lens, and a diaphragm device. The optical system 701 controls the magnification of the subject image reaching the image sensor 702, the suppression of blurred image output due to the focus position, camera shake, or the like, or the amount of light.

  The imaging element 702 is a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor, and converts an object image into an electrical signal to generate an image signal. In the present embodiment, the image sensor 702 is assumed to be composed of a CCD. The A / D converter 703 converts the analog image signal output from the image sensor 702 into a digital image signal.

  The image processing circuit 704 performs white balance processing, noise suppression processing, gradation conversion processing, edge enhancement processing, blurring processing, and the like on the image signal, and outputs the image signal as a luminance signal Y and color difference signals U and V. . The image processing circuit 704 also calculates a brightness value of the subject and a focus value indicating the focus state of the subject from the image signal.

  Also, in this embodiment, a shooting mode called SNS mode is prepared, and when there is a subject to be clearly projected and a subject to be unclearly displayed in a predetermined shooting scene, arbitrary image processing is performed on the subject specified by the user. To obtain a desired image. The image processing at this time is also performed by operating the image processing circuit 704, and details will be described later.

  The control circuit 705 controls each circuit constituting the digital camera 700 of this embodiment, controls the operation of the digital camera 700, and also controls the drive of the optical system 701 and the image sensor 702.

  The display memory 706 is a memory that temporarily stores an image signal that is a source of an image displayed on the display device 707. The display device 707 includes a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, and displays an image signal generated by the image sensor 702 and an image related to the image signal read from the recording medium 708. It is possible to function as an electronic viewfinder (EVF) by updating and displaying continuous image signals read from the image sensor 702 as needed.

  The recording medium 708 may be configured to be detachable from the digital camera 700 or may be built in the digital camera 700.

  The operation member 709 is a member that the user operates to send an instruction to the digital camera 700. In the present embodiment, the display device 707 is a touch panel type liquid crystal display, and also serves as an operation member 709 for some operations.

  A bus 710 is used to exchange image signals among the image processing circuit 704, the control circuit 705, the display memory 706, and the recording medium 708.

  Next, an example of the operation of the digital camera 700 in the present embodiment when shooting a still image will be described.

  When the user operates the operation member 709 and inputs an instruction to start shooting preparation, the control circuit 705 starts controlling the operation of each circuit.

  First, the image sensor 702 photoelectrically converts a subject image transmitted through the optical system 701 to generate an analog image signal, and the A / D converter 703 digitizes the analog image signal. The image processing circuit 704 performs white balance processing, noise suppression processing, gradation conversion processing, edge enhancement processing, and the like on the image signal output from the A / D converter 703.

  The image signal processed by the image processing circuit 704 is displayed as an image on the display device 707 via the display memory 706. As described above, the image pickup device 702 generates image signals continuously, updates the subject image in real time using the read continuous image signals, and displays the image on the display device 707. Function as.

  These processes are repeated until the user operates a shutter button included in the operation member 709. When the user operates the shutter button, the control circuit 705 re-adjusts the operation of the optical system 701 based on the luminance value and the focus value obtained by the image processing circuit 704 and takes a still image. The image processing circuit 704 performs various image processing such as blurring processing and edge enhancement processing on the still image signal, and the image signal output from the image processing circuit 704 is recorded on the recording medium 708. The

  The above is the description of the basic operation of still image shooting of the digital camera 700 in the present embodiment. The operation in the SNS mode, which is characteristic in the present embodiment, will be described in detail below.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an operation sequence at the time of shooting in the SNS mode, which is a feature of the above-described embodiment. When the user sets the SNS mode switching member included in the operation member 709 to a predetermined setting, the operation is performed. To start.

  After the SNS mode start operation, the process proceeds to S101, where the user can specify an area where he / she wants to obtain clear image quality (or unclear image quality) while confirming with EVF. For example, for the subject shown in FIG. 3, the boundary between the clear image quality area and the unclear image quality area can be specified by the dotted frame in FIG. At this time, the user may specify a dotted frame by placing a frame on the touch panel display device 707 with a finger or the like, or the digital camera 700 may automatically determine and specify the dotted frame. . In the present embodiment, the former method of specifying the dotted frame is adopted. After the dotted frame is specified, the user touches a part inside the dotted frame or a part outside the dotted frame so that the touched area has a clear image quality. Can be specified as an area.

  Next, the process proceeds to the conditional branch of S102, and it is determined whether the user has half-pressed the shutter button of the operation member 709 (hereinafter referred to as SW1). SW1 is an operation for re-adjusting the operation of the optical system 701 based on the luminance value and the focus value, and indicating the start of shooting preparation of the digital camera 700. If SW1 is not confirmed in S102, the process returns to S101 again, and if confirmed, the process proceeds to the next S103.

  S103 is a sub-process for setting shooting conditions suitable for the SNS mode in the digital camera 700 according to the state of the subject. This will be described in detail below with reference to FIG.

  When the start of S103 in FIG. 1 is confirmed, the process proceeds to the conditional branch of S201 as described in FIG. In S201, it is confirmed whether a moving object has not been detected outside the clear image quality area (outside the dotted frame shown in FIG. 4).

  If a moving object can be detected in S201, the process proceeds to S204, and the settings of the digital camera 700 are as follows: “ISO sensitivity: Sv1 (lower setting), aperture: Av1 (setting where the clear area is properly exposed), shutter speed: Tv1 (Slow setting), [gamma] curve: [gamma] 1 (normal setting), camera shake correction: strong], various settings are made, and a shooting preparation state is entered, and the sub-process of S103 is terminated. Here, the γ curve represents the relationship between the output luminance and the input luminance used in the gradation conversion processing performed by the image processing circuit 704 as shown in FIG. When the output of the image sensor 702 after passing through the A / D converter 703 is used as input luminance, output luminance corresponding to the relationship of the γ curve is output from the image processing circuit 704. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, three types of γ curves (γ1, γ2, γ3) are prepared, and are used properly according to the shooting situation. As a result of the above settings, since the subject is moving outside the clear image quality area, a blurred image is obtained for acquisition as a blurred image, and the image is captured with appropriate exposure within the clear image quality area. Therefore, it can be acquired as a clear subject image.

  On the other hand, if a moving object cannot be detected outside the clear image quality area in S201, the process proceeds to S202 in the next conditional branch. Here, it is determined whether there is a difference in the brightness of the subject inside and outside the clear image quality area. If it is determined that there is a difference, the process proceeds to the next conditional branch S203. If it is determined that there is no difference, the process proceeds to S205.

  In S205, as the settings of the digital camera 700, “ISO sensitivity: Sv2 (a setting in which the clear area is properly exposed)”, aperture: Av2 (a setting in which the clear area is properly exposed), shutter speed: Tv2 (in the clear area) Are set to appropriate exposure), γ curve: γ1 (normal setting), camera shake correction: normal ”, and various preparations are made to prepare for photographing, and the sub-process of S103 is terminated. The setting here is not a special setting that is activated only in the SNS mode, but is a setting based on normal exposure control that can be set in other shooting modes.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S202 that there is a difference in brightness between the subjects inside and outside the clear image quality area, the process proceeds to the next conditional branch S203. Here, the brightness (luminance) of the subject in the clear image quality area is compared with the brightness of the subject outside the clear image quality area. If it is determined that the subject in the clear image quality area is brighter, the process proceeds to S206. On the other hand, if it is determined that the subject in the clear image quality area is darker, the process proceeds to S207.

  In S206, as the settings of the digital camera 700, “ISO sensitivity: Sv3 (lower setting), aperture: Av3 (setting in which the clear area is properly exposed), shutter speed: Tv3 (setting in which the clear area is properly exposed) ), Γ curve: γ2, camera shake correction: normal ”, various settings are made, and a shooting preparation state is set, and the sub-process of S103 is terminated. By shooting with this setting, a subject outside the clear image quality area can be easily crushed, and the subject can be darkened and blurred. On the other hand, since the image is taken with appropriate exposure in the clear image quality area, it can be acquired as a clear subject image.

  In S207, as the settings of the digital camera 700, “ISO sensitivity: Sv4 (higher setting)”, aperture: Av4 (setting in which the clear area is properly exposed), shutter speed: Tv4 (clear area has the proper exposure) ), Γ curve: γ3, camera shake correction: normal ”, various preparations are made, and a shooting preparation state is entered, and the sub-process of S103 is terminated. By shooting with this setting, a subject outside the clear image quality area can be noisy and so-called overexposed, and the subject can be blurred. On the other hand, since the image is taken with appropriate exposure in the clear image quality area, it can be acquired as a clear subject image.

  The above is the description of the sub-process S103 in the present embodiment. By setting the shooting conditions in S103, it is desirable to make the subject that is desired to be clear clearly and unclear, without excessively performing post-shooting image processing on the image shot under this shooting condition. The subject can be blurred. Here, each of the above-described shooting conditions is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this as long as the clearness of the subject can be changed between the clear image quality area and the clear image quality area.

  After determining the optimum shooting condition corresponding to each shooting scene in the above sub-process S103, the process proceeds to S104. In step S104, the user selects an image processing effect (blur processing in the present embodiment). The user selects an image processing effect desired by the user as described below.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the image processing area is exaggerated so that the image processing area can be recognized on the EVF of the display device 707 by coloring the image processing area. Is displayed on the FVF. The degree of image processing (image processing level) corresponding to the initial display at this time is set to have the weakest image processing effect in this embodiment.

  In addition, an image processing level strength setting button included in the operation member 709 is prepared. When this button is pressed once, the image processing level can be switched from “weak setting → medium setting → strong setting → weak setting → ...”. it can.

  At this time, in the present embodiment, “(a) → (b) → (c) as shown in FIG. 5 so as to correspond to the image processing level“ weak setting → medium setting → strong setting → weak setting → ... ”. ⇒ (a) ⇒... ”, The color density of the image processing area is changed and displayed on the EVF. Here, the coloring area displayed by EVF indicates an area where image processing is performed, and the color density indicates the degree of image processing, and the darker the color, the stronger the image processing is performed. Yes.

  When the image processing level desired by the user is displayed, the image processing level is determined again by pressing the image processing level strength setting button, and the process proceeds to S105.

  In S105, an image actually subjected to image processing at the image processing level selected in S104 as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the EVF. The user finally confirms the image after the image processing displayed here, and if the image is desired by the user, the shutter button is fully pressed (hereinafter referred to as SW2) in S106, and the image is acquired and photographed. Exit. On the other hand, if the SW2 operation is not confirmed even after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this embodiment) has elapsed in S105, the process returns to S104, and the display of EVF for the user to select an image processing effect is performed again. Become.

  Through S104 and S105 described above, it is possible to acquire a captured image that has been subjected to image processing at an image processing level desired by the user, and to acquire an image intended by the user.

700 digital camera, 701 optical system, 702 image sensor, 703 A / D converter,
704 Image processing circuit, 705 control circuit, 706 display memory, 707 display device,
708 recording medium, 709 operation member

Claims (4)

An imaging device capable of obtaining an output image by performing image processing on a part or all of the captured image, wherein the imaging device is equipped with a display device for displaying an image, The display device is an image pickup device that can display an image after image processing that is scheduled to be taken even before the image pickup, and has a clear image quality area and / or a non-defective area for the image displayed on the display device. It has an area specification mechanism that can specify a clear image quality area, and shooting conditions are determined by subject conditions within the clear image quality area specified by the area specification mechanism and outside the clear image quality area corresponding to the unclear image quality area. Then, an operation member that can arbitrarily change the degree of the image processing is mounted on the image pickup device, and the operation member is operated. It allows the image set the degree of image processing arbitrarily by displaying on the display device, an imaging apparatus characterized by can be imaged. The image to be displayed on the display device is displayed on the display device by an image processing region and a display method capable of recognizing the degree of image processing. Imaging device. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display method represents an area on which image processing is performed with a specific color, and represents a degree of image processing with a density of the specific color. The imaging device is provided with a confirmation operation member for instructing display on the display device for confirmation of an output image, and a region to be displayed by the display method and subjected to image processing, and a degree of image processing. 4. The final output image subjected to predetermined image processing is displayed on the display device by operating the confirmation operation member after the determination. 5. Imaging device.