Abstract: Even when a part of a subject image is cut down after imaging, an image of good image quality is obtained. When a subject is imaged, divisional photometry (divided brightness measuring) is performed. Image data representing an image of the subject and a divisional photometry values are recorded on a memory card in correspondence with photometry sections obtained by division. At the time of reproduction (playback), image data is read out of the memory card, to display the subject image. A desired part of the displayed subject image is cut out (trimmed). Correction is made such that the brightness of the trimmed image is proper using the divisional photometry values corresponding to the trimmed image.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus and method for dynamic range adjustment and stereography. The photographing apparatus includes a first imaging device for converting a light of a subject received through a first optical system into an electric signal; a second imaging device for converting a light of the subject received through a second optical system into an electric signal; a first image signal processor for generating an image signal for live view based on the electric signal output from the first imaging device before a photographing operation of a still image; an exposure controller for controlling an exposure so as to perform a step exposure in the second imaging device before the photographing of the still image; and an exposure calculator for calculating an exposure amount in the photographing operation of the still image based on the electric signal converted in the second imaging device obtained through the step exposure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, an image recording method, and an image compressing apparatus capable of performing a still image process during moving image shooting without stopping a sequence of a moving image process also in the case of performing the still image shooting during the moving image shooting. In a moving image shooting mode, CCD data of an odd-numbered frame image and image data of an even-numbered frame image are separately stored into an SDRAM. In the case of writing CCD data of an odd-numbered frame image, in parallel with the writing, a moving image process based on CCD data of an even-numbered frame image written in the immediately preceding cycle is performed. When shooting still images is directed during the moving image, the still image process is divided into processes for a plurality of cycles and then executed.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a MOS image sensor that shoots an image of a subject, and a control unit that selects one of plural shutter drive modes and drives the MOS image sensor in the selected shutter drive mode. The control unit analyzes a through image of a subject that is obtained by the MOS image sensor before main shooting (step S3) and performs the selection automatically based on a result of the analysis (steps S6, S9, and S10).

Abstract: A photographing apparatus which converts a subject image received via a photographic optical system into image data, compresses and encodes the image data, and stores the image data in a predetermined storage medium, comprises a calculation part which calculates the storable number of image data according to an available space of the predetermined storage medium using a predetermined prediction function, a shooting condition setting part which sets a shooting condition, a target code amount setting part which sets a target code amount of image data according to the set shooting condition, a compression rate setting part which sets a compression rate of image data to reach the set target code amount, and a prediction function correcting part which corrects the prediction function to be used by the calculation part, based on the set compression rate. Thereby, it enables to reliably predict the number of remaining shots.

Abstract: An image taking apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention comprises: a light source discrimination device which discriminates a light source in a photographing environment; and a shading correction device which makes shading correction according to the light source discriminated by the light source discrimination device for an image photographed under the light source in the photographing environment. According to the image taking apparatus of the present invention, the shading correction is made according to the light source in the photographing environment, whereby the excellent image quality can be maintained by appropriately making shading correction even if the light source is changed.

Abstract: A digital photographing device in which processing time for correcting optical distortion is shortened. A first distortion correction circuit, which can carry out processing at a low correction accuracy but in a short time, and a second distortion correction circuit, which carries out processing at a high correction accuracy but requires time for processing, are provided at an image processing circuit for processing digital image data. Control is carried out such that the second distortion correction circuit is selected and carries out optical distortion correction at a high accuracy only at a time of actually photographing a still image (i.e., when the still image photographing mode is selected and a release button is depressed fully). In other cases, control is carried out such that the first distortion correction circuit is selected.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an imaging apparatus comprising: a solid-state image sensor having an effective pixel area and an optical black area; a smear detection device which detects smear intensity and smear occurrence position in a smear occurrence area, in which a smear occurs, in the effective pixel area, based on an output signal obtained from the optical black area of the solid-state image sensor; and a smear correction device which performs smear correction by subtracting a smear correction value corresponding to the smear intensity from an output signal of the smear occurrence area and the vicinity thereof in the effective pixel area.

Abstract: Even when a part of a subject image is cut down after imaging, an image of good image quality is obtained. When a subject is imaged, divisional photometry (divided brightness measuring) is performed. Image data representing an image of the subject and a divisional photometry values are recorded on a memory card in correspondence with photometry sections obtained by division. At the time of reproduction (playback), image data is read out of the memory card, to display the subject image. A desired part of the displayed subject image is cut out (trimmed). Correction is made such that the brightness of the trimmed image is proper using the divisional photometry values corresponding to the trimmed image.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an image control processing section in which a memory controller controls a video memory, a bus arbitrator, a display sequencer, and a timing adjusting section. Image data are read out of the video memory and fed to a data corrector. The display sequencer adjusts a sampling order in accordance with the combination of luminance data and color data constituting the image data, while varying a packet size. The bus arbitrator arbitrates access requests in accordance with priority to thereby reduce the occupation ratio of a bus. The data corrector restores and processes the image data and then delivers them to a buffer memory included in the timing adjusting section.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an image control processing section in which a memory controller controls a video memory, a bus arbitrator, a display sequencer, and a timing adjusting section. Image data are read out of the video memory and fed to a data corrector. The display sequencer adjusts a sampling order in accordance with the combination of luminance data and color data constituting the image data, while varying a packet size. The bus arbitrator arbitrates access requests in accordance with priority to thereby reduce the occupation ratio of a bus. The data corrector restores and processes the image data and then delivers them to a buffer memory included in the timing adjusting section.

Abstract: According to the present invention, when determining a smear signal from a digital signal having a predetermined bit width derived from an optical black area of a solid-state image sensor, a digital signal having a bit width smaller than the bit width of the digital signal is used. Therefore, the size of the circuit for generating a smear correction signal or the like can be reduced, and thus, the power consumption and the cost can be reduced.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image pickup apparatus and an image pickup method capable of suppressing degradation of the picture quality caused by correction of optical distortion. A distortion correction circuit corrects optical distortion contained in digital image data obtained by photographing conducted via a lens. Correction coefficients (gain) are set by a CPU so as to increase a correction quantity of contour correction as a quantity of correction for the optical distortion increases. Contour correction using the correction coefficients set by the CPU is conducted on the digital image data corrected in optical distortion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, an image recording method, and an image compressing apparatus capable of performing a still image process during moving image shooting without stopping a sequence of a moving image process also in the case of performing the still image shooting during the moving image shooting. In a moving image shooting mode, CCD data of an odd-numbered frame image and image data of an even-numbered frame image are separately stored into an SDRAM. In the case of writing CCD data of an odd-numbered frame image, in parallel with the writing, a moving image process based on CCD data of an even-numbered frame image written in the immediately preceding cycle is performed. When shooting still images is directed during the moving image, the still image process is divided into processes for a plurality of cycles and then executed.

Abstract: A digital photographing device in which processing time for correcting optical distortion is shortened. A first distortion correction circuit, which can carry out processing at a low correction accuracy but in a short time, and a second distortion correction circuit, which carries out processing at a high correction accuracy but requires time for processing, are provided at an image processing circuit for processing digital image data. Control is carried out such that the second distortion correction circuit is selected and carries out optical distortion correction at a high accuracy only at a time of actually photographing a still image (i.e., when the still image photographing mode is selected and a release button is depressed fully). In other cases, control is carried out such that the first distortion correction circuit is selected.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an image control processing section in which a memory controller controls a video memory, a bus arbitrator, a display sequencer, and a timing adjusting section. Image data are read out of the video memory and fed to a data corrector. The display sequencer adjusts a sampling order in accordance with the combination of luminance data and color data constituting the image data, while varying a packet size. The bus arbitrator arbitrates access requests in accordance with priority to thereby reduce the occupation ratio of a bus. The data corrector restores and processes the image data and then delivers them to a buffer memory included in the timing adjusting section.

Abstract: Digital image signals in each small block of m.times.n picture elements are read out from a first image memory, which stores the digital image signals for one screen, to be stored in block memories BM1Y, BM2Y, BM1C and BM2C, and the electric zoom processing together with the interpolation operation for the digital image signals in each small block are carried out in a zoom block. A picture element in the horizontal direction in a small block partially overlaps a picture element in a small block which is next to the above-mentioned small block in the horizontal direction. As a result, the interpolation processing in the horizontal direction can be also carried out on the boundary of the small blocks. And, the order to read out the digital image signal from the first image memory and the order to write the digital image signal in the block memory are changed so that the longitudinal-lateral conversion and the right-left conversion of an image can be carried out.