Abstract: This invention provides a metering method of automatic exposure for determining an exposure value of a picture having a subject, comprising a subject detecting step comprising using focus values of the picture to detect the subject, and an exposure value calculating step comprising using an auto exposure metering function to calculate an exposure value of the picture. The present invention can provide a simpler and smaller metering method.

Abstract: A focusing method is disclosed for moving a lens to a focal position when shooting a target object. According to the focusing method, the target object is photographed respectively with the lens at a plurality of initial testing positions to determine an initial sampling position and a sampling direction. And a plurality of candidate positions is determined according to the initial sampling position and the sampling direction. The target object is then photographed respectively at the candidate positions to generate a plurality of candidate images. For each of the candidate images, at least one focus value corresponding to the candidate image is calculated, and the focal position is determined according to the focus values corresponding to the candidate images.

Abstract: An auto focus method of a digital camera for moving a lens of the digital camera to the maximum focus value position is provided. According to certain criteria, the lens movement states are categorized into four states, i.e. an initial state, a coarse state, a mid state and a fine state. The numbers of search steps for the lens in different states are different.

Abstract: A white balance method for an image formed by a digital still camera is provided. The white balance method comprises steps of: removing a color cast over a white object of the image; detecting a reference white point from the image by extracting an a pixel information of the white object; and adjusting a white balance of the white object by determining a scale factor based on the color cast and the pixel information.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for transforming a high dynamic range image into a low dynamic range image. The method includes converting first luminance values associated with pixels into a plurality of second luminance values, and utilizing a film transfer function for mapping the second luminance values associated with the pixels into a plurality of third luminance values to generate the low dynamic range image. A second luminance range of the second luminance values is smaller than a first luminance range of the first luminance values, and the film transfer function adds no visual artifact to the low dynamic range image.