Abstract: A digital camera has a feature to photograph a subject and record the image data onto a recording medium in a dynamic range wider than that required for printing, the digital camera further having a feature to store tag information into an image file, together with the image data, and record the image file onto the recording medium, the tag information including: range compression information indicating whether dynamic range compression has been made; maximum range information indicating the maximum subject reflection factor before and after the dynamic range compression; and knee point information indicating the subject reflection factor assumed when the dynamic range compression was made.

Abstract: A digital camera has a plurality of shooting modes such as a day scenic shooting mode, a night scenic shooting mode and a person shooting mode and displays a composition assist frame selected from a plurality of composition assist frames on a liquid crystal monitor to assist composition. If a user sets the person shooting mode by a mode dial, one or more composition assist frames that are suitable for a person shooting are extracted from the plurality of the composition assist frames, and the user selects one of the extracted composition assist frames by a left key and a right key of a cross key. Therefore, the appropriate composition assist frame can be automatically or easily selected.

Abstract: A digital still camera includes plural input buttons operable externally. A function assignment table memory stores a function assigning data table of relationship data between an operation mode, and existence or lack of a function or function information of a function predetermined respectively with the input buttons. The operation mode is constituted by a combination of one or more functions among plural functions. There is a CPU for control in the function according to one of the input buttons being operated. Plural electroluminescent (EL) display devices are disposed in association with respectively the input buttons. A display control unit causes one of the EL display devices of a specified function being assigned specifically according to the function assigning data table to display information of the specified function, and sets one of the EL display devices of a remaining function inactive among the functions.

Abstract: An image combined high sensitivity image and low sensitivity image is provided with well-adjusted white balance and broad dynamic range. The image is obtained by multiplying the combined data by total gain that depends on scene. A white balance is adjusted with gain value calculated from of high output image data. Lv value representing luminance is calculated and compared with a threshold to decide whether or not the high sensitivity image and the low sensitivity image should be combined. First gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the high sensitivity signal with first gamma character, second gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the low sensitivity signal with second gamma character that is different from the first gamma character, and addition unit combines the image signal from the first gamma correction unit and the image signal from the second gamma correction unit.

Abstract: An image combined high sensitivity image and low sensitivity image is provided with well-adjusted white balance and broad dynamic range. The image is obtained by multiplying the combined data by total gain that depends on scene. A white balance is adjusted with gain value calculated from of high output image data. Lv value representing luminance is calculated and compared with a threshold to decide whether or not the high sensitivity image and the low sensitivity image should be combined. First gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the high sensitivity signal with first gamma character, second gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the low sensitivity signal with second gamma character that is different from the first gamma character, and addition unit combines the image signal from the first gamma correction unit and the image signal from the second gamma correction unit.

Abstract: An image combined high sensitivity image and low sensitivity image is provided with well-adjusted white balance and broad dynamic range. The image is obtained by multiplying the combined data by total gain that depends on scene. A white balance is adjusted with gain value calculated from of high output image data. Lv value representing luminance is calculated and compared with a threshold to decide whether or not the high sensitivity image and the low sensitivity image should be combined. First gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the high sensitivity signal with first gamma character, second gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the low sensitivity signal with second gamma character that is different from the first gamma character, and addition unit combines the image signal from the first gamma correction unit and the image signal from the second gamma correction unit.

Abstract: According to the present invention, it is possible, by using the first and second light source loci, to tone down the influence of the object color of the color information in the image and detect the light source based on the color information having the influence of the object color toned down so as to detect the light source accurately. It is thereby possible to reduce the color failure when controlling the white balance.

Abstract: Moving images can be collectively recorded in one file with ease when the moving images are repeatedly captured in the same place or situation. The digital camera which can capture a moving image and record a captured moving image in a file includes a mode setting dial which sets a single recording mode or a continuous recording mode. The captured moving image is recorded in a newly created file when the single recording mode is set by the mode setting dial, and the captured moving image is additionally recorded in an existing file in which a moving image is recorded when the continuous recording mode is set by the mode setting dial. Therefore, when the moving images are repeatedly captured, the moving images can be collectively recorded in one file with ease, and can be also jointed in captured order.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image-processing method of synthesizing an high-sensitivity image having a narrow dynamic range and an low-sensitivity image having a wide dynamic range to create an image having a wide dynamic range, the image-processing method comprising: a first gradation-conversion step of applying a gradation conversion to each of a high-sensitivity image signal representing the high-sensitivity image and a low-sensitivity image signal representing the low-sensitivity image; an addition step of adding the gradation-converted high-sensitivity image signal and the gradation-converted low-sensitivity image signal; and a second gradation-conversion step of further applying a gradation conversion, to the added image signal, that corresponds to a gradation property selected from a plurality of gradation properties.

Abstract: An electronic camera is provided with a touchscreen. When a cameraman touches the touchscreen on a principal subject in a captured image shown on the touchscreen, the touched portion is determined and the focus and exposure are adjusted in conformity with the principal subject. When the image is designated to be stored, positional information on the principal subject as well as image information is stored into a built-in memory or a detachable external memory. For this reason, wherever the principal subject is located on the image, the image-capturing is performed with favorable results. The positional information on the principal subject is utilized for printing or reproducing the image so as to perform image tone corrections such as correction of brightness and skin pigmentation in an area including the principal subject, so that a high-quality image can be printed or reproduced.

Abstract: According to the present invention, when a lens is moved in an operation of an operation device, the focal information calculated for each travel position of the lens can be graphed corresponding to the lens position, and the focal information about the current lens position can be identified from the focal information about another position. Thus, a manual focus adjustment can be made while checking the graph. Especially, since the history of the focal information calculated for each lens travel position can be graphed, the lens can travel to the lens position in which a desired peak can be obtained when there are a plurality of peaks of focal information on the graph.

Abstract: An image-capturing EV is obtained when a shutter button is half pressed, and whether to flash an electronic flash for a subject of low luminance is determined according to the image-capturing EV. If it is determined that the electronic flash should be flashed for the subject of low luminance, a white balance is adjusted according to an electronic flash light. If it is determined that the electronic flash should not be flashed for the subject of low luminance, color information relating to a plurality of areas divided from an entire image plane is acquired, and the number of areas belonging to a shade determination frame, which indicates a color distribution range corresponding to the shade, is found according to the acquired color information. Then, whether a type of the light source is the shade or the daylight is determined according to the obtained image-capturing EV and the number of areas belonging to the shade determination frame.

Abstract: A camera which can perform operations by touching a screen of an image display and can give different instructions according to different pressures applied on the touching. A digital camera has an LCD for displaying the captured image or a reproduced image. A touch panel for determining the position of a touched portion and the pressure applied to the touched portion is provided over the LCD. The camera gives a variety of instructions with respect to a camera operating system according to pressure applied to the touched portion on the touch panel. For example, the touch panel instructs an image-recording preparation in a case that the pressure is no more than a predetermined pressure, and instructs image-recording in a case that the pressure is more than the predetermined pressure. In short, adjusting a focus and an exposure to the principal subject by touching the principal subject displayed on the LCD, and touching the principal subject harder can record an image of the principal subject.

Abstract: A method of controlling a solid-state image pickup apparatus with the step of determining the zoom position Z of a lens at the time of picking up an image. If the zoom position Z is above a lower value Z1 but below a higher value Z2, first color difference gain processing is executed. If the zoom position Z is below or equal to Z1, it is determined whether or not the photometric data A of a pixel block A used for divisional photometry is greater than a threshold TH. If the answer of this step is positive, second color gain processing is executed; otherwise, the first processing is executed. On the other hand, if the zoom position Z is above or equal to Z2 and if the photometric data B of a block B is greater than the threshold TH, the second color difference gain processing is executed; otherwise the first processing is executed.

Abstract: Providing a digital camera capable of transmitting information on the compression of dynamic range to a printer while it is being transparent to the user whether the image data has been recorded in a wide dynamic range.

Abstract: Effectively reducing a noise on the face region to improve the picture quality of the entire image

Abstract: When images recorded in a memory card are read and reduced images of image files are displayed on a liquid crystal monitor in order, printing information of the image files is referred to. An image of which two or more prints have been designated is enclosed by a predetermined-colored (for example, yellow) frame, and a figure is displayed according the number of the prints that have been designated. An image of which any prints have not been designated is not enclosed by the frame. An image that has been printed is enclosed by an another-colored (for example, blue) frame.

Abstract: An image combined high sensitivity image and low sensitivity image is provided with well-adjusted white balance and broad dynamic range. The image is obtained by multiplying the combined data by total gain that depends on scene. A white balance is adjusted with gain value calculated from of high output image data. Lv value representing luminance is calculated and compared with a threshold to decide whether or not the high sensitivity image and the low sensitivity image should be combined. First gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the high sensitivity signal with first gamma character, second gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the low sensitivity signal with second gamma character that is different from the first gamma character, and addition unit combines the image signal from the first gamma correction unit and the image signal from the second gamma correction unit.

Abstract: A received light quantity detection device where high-sensitivity pixels and low-sensitivity pixels are formed is used for photometry. It is possible to perform measurement over the low range (for example, 0[EV] through 8[EV]with a single occasion of photometry. In the case that both the high-sensitivity pixels and the low-sensitivity pixels are saturated, it is possible to perform further measurement over the high range (for example, 8[EV] through 16[EV]) by narrowing the aperture or increasing the electronic shutter speed for retried photometry with a retried photometry. This reduces the time required to calculate a correct exposure value on image pickup apparatus such as a camera.

Abstract: A digital camera has a plurality of shooting modes such as a day scenic shooting mode, a night scenic shooting mode and a person shooting mode and displays a composition assist frame selected from a plurality of composition assist frames on a liquid crystal monitor to assist composition. If a user sets the person shooting mode by a mode dial, one or more composition assist frames that are suitable for a person shooting are extracted from the plurality of the composition assist frames, and the user selects one of the extracted composition assist frames by a left key and a right key of a cross key. Therefore, the appropriate composition assist frame can be automatically or easily selected.