Abstract: At power-on, a digital camera starts to operate with a display unit off (state S1). At a subsequent half shutter press of a shutter button, a quick return mirror is flipped down and phase difference AF is performed with live view display off (state S3). At a subsequent full press of the shutter button, the digital camera enters an image capture operation. With a quick return mirror in the up position, a focusing lens is moved to its in-focus, front focus and rear focus positions, at each of which contrast in an AF area of predetermined partial portion of an image is obtained for comparison to select a position of the focusing lens with maximum contrast (state S4). Then, image data is obtained and recorded on a memory card (state S5). With the above processing, the digital camera can perform autofocusing, as circumstances demand, by a contrast AF method.

Abstract: A method and device are provided for correcting an amplitude of a synchronizing signal. A pedestal voltage, Vped, (i.e., a reference level) may be detected which repetitively occurs at the same period as a synchronizing signal of an input composite video signal. A reference voltage, Vsync, may be generated corresponding to an amplitude of the synchronizing signal which meets a standard for the input composite video signal. A DC voltage, Vh, may be generated having a voltage level corresponding to a tip or peak level of the synchronizing signal which meets the standard for the input composite video signal based on the pedestal voltage, Vped, and the reference voltage, Vsync. The DC voltage Vh and the composite video signal may be switchably output in synchronism with the synchronizing signal extracted from the composite video signal.

Abstract: Provides methods and apparatus to reduce effects on playback of moving picture data caused by variations in data transmission rate that occur on a communication line, a receiving and playing back apparatus includes a receiver for receiving moving picture data transmitted over a communication line; playback modules for playing back the received moving picture data; buffer B for temporarily storing the moving picture data received by the receiver and outputting the stored moving picture data at a desired speed; and buffer A for providing the playback modules with moving picture data required for playback processing.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing digital data, which is capable of recording digital broadcast data while reproducing previously-recorded digital broadcast data is provided. An apparatus 10 for recording and reproducing digital data, which is capable of recording MPEG2-PES data 42 generated from record control means 16 in recording means 20 by controlling the record control means 16 and reproduction control means 22 by time division control means 18 while reading the MPEG2-PES data 42 recorded in the recording means 20 by reproduction control means 22.

Abstract: An image taking apparatus includes an image sensor which picks up an image of a photographic object and a selector which selects a first photographing mode or a second photographing mode and a controller. The second photographing mode is a mode for composing a plurality of picked-up images to create a composite image. The controller makes the image sensor pickup a photographic object image on the first photographing condition when the first photographing mode is selected by the selector, and makes the image sensor pick up a plurality of images of photographic objects on the second photographing condition different from said first photographing condition when the second photographing mode is selected by the selector.

Abstract: A lens to be interchangeably attached to a camera body includes a first actuator which is appropriately used for a first camera body to which the lens is to be attached, and a second actuator which is appropriately used for a second camera body to which said lens is to be attached.

Abstract: This electronic camera changes display characteristics (such as brightness, contrast, and hue) of an image displayed on an electronic view finder (EVF) in accordance with characteristics (such as brightness and hue) of environment light. For example, as the brightness of environment light increases, the brightness of an image displayed on the EVF is reduced, or the hue of an image displayed on the EVF is changed in a direction opposite to that of changing the hue of the environment light. By the operation, the display characteristics of an image displayed on the EVF can be optimized in accordance with the characteristics of the environment light. By automatically displaying a live view on the EVF when the brightness of the environment light is high or displaying a pre-light emission image captured with a flash, the display states of the LCD and EVF are optimized.

Abstract: When short MPEG2 data transfer streams, such as those used for commercials, are sequentially distributed within a short period of time, a decoder method synchronizes the transfer and prevents accumulation of data in a buffer and data losses. The synchronization method extracts sync data originating at the transmission source from a received data stream; acquires sync data for a decoder based on a reference clock; compares the sync data originating at the transmission source with the sync data for the decoder in order to sequentially obtain control values, sequentially updates the frequency of the reference clock for transfer synchronization for the received data stream; determines whether or not a data stream that differs from the received data stream has been received; and employs, when a different data stream has been received, the reference clock obtained when the received data stream has been received, to initiate transfer synchronization for the different data stream.

Abstract: At power-on, a digital camera starts to operate with a display unit off (state S1). At a subsequent half shutter press of a shutter button, a quick return mirror is flipped down and phase difference AF is performed with live view display off (state S3). At a subsequent full press of the shutter button, the digital camera enters an image capture operation. With a quick return mirror in the up position, a focusing lens is moved to its in-focus, front focus and rear focus positions, at each of which contrast in an AF area of predetermined partial portion of an image is obtained for comparison to select a position of the focusing lens with maximum contrast (state S4). Then, image data is obtained and recorded on a memory card (state S5). With the above processing, the digital camera can perform autofocusing, as circumstances demand, by a contrast AF method.

Abstract: A digital camera is provided with a whole-frame recording mode in which image data covering an angle of view corresponding to an entire image sensor is recorded, a partial recording mode in which image data covering an angle of view corresponding to part of the image sensor is recorded, a unity-magnification display mode in which an image covering the same angle of view as image data for recording is displayed, and an enlarged display mode in which an image covering a smaller angle of view than image data for recording is displayed with enlargement. In the partial recording mode or enlarged display mode, electric charges are read out from rows of pixels located within a predetermined area on the image sensor, or from one out of a predetermined number of consecutive rows of pixels over the entire image sensor.

Abstract: Digital camera techniques improve the convenience of a live view display and the like. Image processing in a digital camera includes image processing (i.e., live view processing) for real-time display of a subject on a liquid crystal monitor and image processing performed on image signals followed by image capture for recording. Both the image processing is performed by a single common image processor. In image capture for recording, high-priority live view processing (Pc) is performed between writing (Pa) of image signals outputted from a CCD into memory and captured image processing (Pb). This shortens the time of not displaying a live view image, thereby preventing a shutter release opportunity from being missed and improving the convenience of a live view display.

Abstract: A digital camera reduces the possibility that a user's release operation is disabled and performs photographing operations at the appropriate times. The digital camera (1) can load a memory card (40a) and a magnetic disk card (40b) as a plurality of recording media, wherein a CPU (17) can independently make accesses to the memory card (40a) and the magnetic disk card (40b). The CPU (17) performs a plurality of tasks in parallel, whereby a captured image is recorded on either one of the memory card (40a) and the magnetic disk card (40b) while predetermined processing is performed on the other. In such a configuration, a captured image which is stored in image memory (21) through a photographing operation can be recorded at an early stage on one of the recording media. This enables continuous photographing and the like even in such a condition that recording on a recording medium which is selected as a subject of recording is not allowed.

Abstract: The CPU 17 accesses multiple slots 41a and 41b in a digital camera 1 at regular intervals to detect whether or not memory cards 40a and 40b are mounted in the slots 41a and 41b, respectively. Based on whether or not memory cards 40a and 40b are mounted in the slots 41a and 41b, respectively, the CPU 17 selects one slot as the slot to be accessed. There are three modes available as the mode from which to perform this selection, i.e., a fixed mode, a priority mode and a manual operation mode.

Abstract: When an instruction to record an image is provided while a live view is being displayed, the image shot immediately before the provision of the instruction is displayed while a half mirror is moving to retract from the optical path, and the image to be recorded shot immediately therebefore is displayed while the half mirror is moving to advance onto the optical path. To indicate that shooting, preparations and recording of the image to be recorded are in progress, the brightness of the displayed image is gradually changed.

Abstract: A digital camera in which two recording media such as memory cards may be mounted, wherein when an image 211 is reproduced in the monitor 21 on the rear side of the camera, the card name 212 for the memory card in which the data for the image 211 is recorded, as well as the image number 213, are also displayed. Further, by deeming the first image data item in the other memory card as the image data item following the last image data item in one memory card, all image data items recorded in both memory cards are handled as if they were recorded in a single large-capacity memory card. Consequently, the user may easily determine the memory card from which the displayed image was read, and at the same time, erroneous operation may be prevented, and accurate handling of the image data may be realized.

Abstract: An automatic exposure control apparatus comprises a skin color extracting circuit for extracting a skin-colored portion from an input video signal and a focus condition detecting circuit for detecting a focus condition of the skin-colored portion. Exposure is controlled based on outputs of the two circuits. That is, when a skin-colored portion is extracted and it is detected that the skin-colored portion is in an in-focus condition, exposure is controlled so as to be appropriate with respect to the skin-colored portion.

Abstract: A digital camera has a half mirror that splits the optical path from a taking lens to the image-sensing device and an optical viewfinder that offers the light reflected from the half mirror as a visible image. Inside the optical viewfinder, a photometric device is disposed. The amount of light measured by the photometric device is used for exposure control in ambient-light shooting and for automatic light adjustment in flash shooting.

Abstract: An automatic exposure control apparatus comprises a skin color extracting circuit for extracting a skin-colored portion from an input video signal and a focus condition detecting circuit for detecting a focus condition of the skin-colored portion. Exposure is controlled based on outputs of the two circuits. That is, when a skin-colored portion is extracted and it is detected that the skin-colored portion is in an in-focus condition, exposure is controlled so as to be appropriate with respect to the skin-colored portion. A skin color correction unit can correct colors corresponding to the skin color from the video signal.

Abstract: An image reproducing apparatus is adapted for reproducing a photographed image recorded on a film, the film having photographic information about the photographed image. The apparatus includes a reproducer for reproducing the photographed image recorded on the film, a reader for reading the photographic information from the film, a corrector for correcting the quality of the photographed image, a setter for setting a correction for the corrector based on the photographic information, and a controller for controlling the corrector to reproduce the photographed image in accordance with the set correction.

Abstract: The invention is a positive peak level comparator for generating a positive peak pulse when a TES (Tracking Error Signal) is higher than a predetermined positive level, a negative peak level comparator for generating a negative peak pulse when the TES is lower than a predetermined negative level, and a logic circuit for generating an output pulse when said positive peak pulse and said negative peak pulse have been alternately input thereto. The arrangement prevents the TES from being miscounted even if the TES is distrubed due to the occurrence of, for example, a noise at a level close to either said predetermined positive level or said predetermined negative level and either said peak pulse or said negative pulse is successively generated.