Abstract: A photometric device includes a storage-type photometric sensor, a first control means that performs accumulation control on the photometric sensor based upon an average value of an output of the photometric sensor, a second control means that performs accumulation control on the photometric sensor based upon a maximum value of the output of the photometric sensor, and an accumulation control means that controls the second control means to perform next accumulation control, if the maximum value of the output of the photometric sensor on which the accumulation control is performed by the first control means exceeds a saturation output level of the photometric sensor, and controls the first control means to perform next accumulation control, if the maximum value of the output of the photometric sensor does not exceed the saturation output level of the photometric sensor.

Abstract: A recording device including: a recorder recording data onto a recording medium on which tracks as units of audio data are grouped and managed by management information; and a controller generating an image file in which image data associated with one of each track recorded on the recording medium and each group managed by the management information is collected, and recording the image file onto the recording medium by the recording means.

Abstract: Since pixel signals are not only added in the row direction but also averaged in the column direction, it is possible to sufficiently increase the frame rate even when the number of pixels increases. Additionally, since the spatial centers of gravity of the added or averaged signals are arranged at equal intervals in a Bayer array, it is possible to reduce false color (moiré) generation and suppress the decrease in the spatial resolution.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes: a plurality of image-capturing pixels, each equipped with a first micro-lens used to condense light; and a plurality of focus detection pixels engaged in focus detection, each equipped with a second micro-lens used to condense light; the plurality of image-capturing pixels and the plurality of focus detection pixels being disposed in a two-dimensional array. The first micro-lens and the second micro-lens are formed so that a light condensing position at which light is condensed via the second micro-lens is set further toward a micro-lens side than the light condensing position at which light is condensed via the first micro-lens.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes a system control section which determines an area with closest proximity as an AF area among AF evaluation areas in a central part of an image. In addition, a block with the same distance as the AF area is determined as a main subject block. Then the system control section calculates and memorizes an average brightness of an image data of a position corresponding to a main subject block. Then, the system control section determines a main subject area based on obtained information on the main subject block and a photographed image. Furthermore, based on information on a main subject area, an extraction processing of the main subject image, a blur processing of a background image and a composite processing are sequentially performed.

Abstract: In an imaging apparatus according to the present invention, the driving unit drives each of the pixels in the non-readout region in the first mode such that the setting unit sets the input unit to a third electric potential with the transfer unit being ready to transfer the electric charge to reset the photoelectric conversion unit in a first period and that the setting unit sets the input unit to a fourth electric potential for the pixel to be deselected in a second period later than the first period.

Abstract: An image-capturing apparatus includes an image-capturing unit configured to sequentially output image data in a RAW format related to each of captured images as a result of a continuous series of image capturing operations; a signal processor configured to perform a predetermined process on the image data in a RAW format and output processed image data; image processing circuits configured to perform a luminance/color-difference conversion process and a data compression process on the processed image data and output compressed image data; and a recording controller configured to cause compressed image data output from the image processing circuits to be recorded in a predetermined recorder. The signal processor includes a selection output unit configured to selectively output the processed image data related to each of the captured images to the image processing circuits and cause the image processing related to each captured image to be shared by the image processing circuits.

Abstract: In a digital camera (10), an imaging sensitivity setting circuit (61) selects a pair of distance range selection parameters “A” and “B” according to a zoom position of a zoom lens (41), to compare an in-focus position of a focusing lens (43) with these parameters “A” and “B”, wherein the parameters “A” and “B” correspond to a farther distance and a nearer distance respectively. If the in-focus position is farther than the parameter “A”, the imaging sensitivity is set to a high level. If the in-focus position is in between these parameters “A” and “B”, the imaging sensitivity is set to a middle level. If the in-focus position is nearer than the parameter “B”, the imaging sensitivity is set to a low level. Based on the set imaging sensitivity level and a measured subject brightness value, a system controller (41) controls the exposure value and the flashlight volume.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an image taking apparatus, comprising: a solid-state image sensor; and a taking lens including a lens barrel that houses a lens disposed in front of the solid-state image sensor, wherein a shielding member that blocks an electromagnetic wave radiated from the front surface of the solid-state image sensor is provided on an outer circumference of the lens barrel, and a metallic member electrically floating in the lens barrel is grounded.

Abstract: A microscope-use digital camera equipped with a sleep function includes an image pickup unit for picking up an image and a control unit for controlling so as to shift to a sleep state, or not shift thereto, based on an image picked up by the image pickup unit.

Abstract: There is provided a white balance control method. A color space coordinate expressing a color signal of each divided block is transformed into a white balance determination space coordinate. A light source estimation area and a high-saturation determination area are set in a white balance determination space to which the transformed white balance determination space coordinate belongs. A kind of the light source is estimated based on a white balance determination space coordinate distribution in the light source estimation area. A kind of the light source is determined based on the estimated kind of the light source and a white balance determination space coordinate distribution in the high-saturation determination area. White balance control information is calculated based on the determined kind of the light source. White balance control with respect to an image signal is carried out based on the calculated white balance control information.

Abstract: A printing system of the present invention connects an imaging device and a printing device logically, decides an amount of data of an image suitable for communication according to a speed of the communication; and changes the amount of data of the image to be transmitted and received according to the decision.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes: an image pickup optical system; an image pickup element; and a plurality of reflection members including first to n-th reflection members in order from the subject. The first reflection member is arranged at a position to bend an optical path of an incident light flux to enter the image pickup optical system. An (n?1)-th reflection member is arranged at a position to bend an optical path in a direction in a plane perpendicular to the optical path of the incident light flux. The n-th reflection member is arranged at a position closest to the image plane to bend an optical path in a direction parallel to the optical path of the incident light flux. The lens barrel further includes an actuator for moving the image pickup element in a plane perpendicular to an optical path bent by the n-th reflection member for stabilizing an image.

Abstract: A camera system including a camera having an image displaying unit that displays various images and an external flash device that is connected to the camera when in use. To the camera is connectable either a first external flash device whose light emission amount is settable according to an operation input to the first external flash device by a user or a second external flash device whose light emission amount is settable based on information on a light emission amount transmitted from the camera as the external flash device. The camera displays an image having a different content on the image display unit between when the first external flash device is connected thereto and when the second external flash device is connected thereto.

Abstract: For auto-focusing of a focusing lens within an image sensing system, an N-bin luminance histogram is generated by a digital signal processor from an image. A microprocessor determines a type of the image from the N-bin luminance histogram. The microprocessor also determines a focus position using a first set of at least one focus value if the image is determined to be of a first type. The microprocessor also determines the focus position using a second set of at least one focus value different from the first set if the image is determined to be of a second type.

Abstract: A semiconductor element comprises: two-dimensionally aligned pixels with a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions that photoelectrically converts incident light into a signal charge; a plurality of vertical transfer paths to which the signal charges are transferred from said plurality of photoelectric conversion portions; and read gates that amplify the signal charges read from the photoelectric conversion portions to transfer to said plurality of vertical transfer paths; wherein two or more of the read gates are formed for each of said plurality of photoelectric conversion portions, and amplification factors of the two or more of the read gates differ from each other.

Abstract: Basically, en electronic shutter function of a CMOS solid-state image pickup apparatus is implemented by a rolling shutter of which exposure timing sequentially shifts between pixel rows. The exposure period for one pixel row is from a time point when readout of the pixel row is started to a time point when next readout of the pixel row is started. Thus, in order to achieve exposure similar to that of a global shutter with the same exposure period applied to all of the pixel rows, there is set a blank period where no pixel signal is read out from any one of the pixel rows, and an LED is illuminated over a predetermined portion within the blank period. In this way, the CMOS solid-state image pickup apparatus having a rolling shutter function can achieve similar exposure to a global shutter.

Abstract: A flash accessory device readily adaptable to most compact digital camera models provides a hand grip with a mounting base for attachment to the bottom of a compact digital camera. The hand grip contains a multi-mode digital pre-flash detector circuit, a wireless transmitter and a battery power source. An articulating arm extends from the hand grip and is adjustably movable relative to the front of the camera in order to position a sensor on the end of the articulating arm directly in front of the camera's built-in flash. A cup member surrounding the sensor covers the built-in flash to block light emitted by the built-in flash. Light from the built-in flash is detected by the sensor which triggers transmission of a wireless signal from the transmitter to a receiver in a remote flash device to thereby activate illumination of the remote flash in synchronization with activation of the built-in camera flash.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic blurring compensation device applied to a digital camera that includes an angular rate sensor for detecting blurring of an image, an solid-state image pickup element for shooting continuously over time a plurality of images, compensating mutual blurring of the plurality of shot images in accordance with the amount of blurring detected by the angular rate sensor, and generating one image by synthesizing the plurality of compensated images, and a CPU for controlling the number of continuous shootings by the solid-state image pickup element such that the total amount of blurring over the plurality of continuously shot images falls within a previously set predetermined value.

Abstract: Imaging apparatuses, image data processing methods, and articles of manufacture are described. In one aspect, an imaging apparatus including an image sensor having a plurality of color sensor arrays is described. Individual sensor arrays include a plurality of sensors configured to provide image data for a plurality of pixels of a respective color component at an initial resolution. The plurality of color sensor arrays overlap and are offset with respect to one another to define a plurality of sub-pixels for individual ones of the pixels. The imaging apparatus includes processing circuitry configured to access the image data for at least one pixel from each of the plurality of color sensor arrays, and using the accessed image data, to determine sub-pixel image data for the respective sub-pixels to form an image of an increased resolution compared with the initial resolution of the color sensor arrays.