Abstract: Upon detecting the start of a panning operation, an adder-subtracter applies an offset from an offset change circuit to the output of an HPF (High-Pass Filter) representing the shake amount of an image capturing apparatus to decrease the shake amount. The offset value is set to be larger as the value of shake correction data output from a focal length calculation circuit is closer to the correction limit of a blur correction circuit. Upon detecting the end of the panning operation, the offset value is returned to zero. This invention provides a blur correction apparatus capable of suppressing degradation of a blur correction effect even when in a panning state.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises a shake detection unit configured to detect a shake, a motion vector detection unit configured to detect a motion vector indicating movement of an image from a captured image signal, a motion vector output control unit configured to selectively output an output of the motion vector detection unit and an output of the shake detection unit, a correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate a shake correction amount based on at least one of the output of the motion vector output control unit and the output of the shake detection unit; and a correction unit configured to correct the image blurring of the captured image based on the shake correction amount.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises: at least one vibration detection unit configured to detect a vibration applied to the image capturing apparatus and outputting a vibration signal; a calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the vibration signal output from the vibration detection unit, respective vibration correction signals for a plurality of correction units for performing a plurality of different correction processes, respectively; the correction units configured to correct the vibration based on the respective vibration correction signals calculated by the calculation unit; and a control unit configured to, when stopping the plurality of correction processes based on the vibration correction signals, shift the correction units to initial states serving as states of the correction units obtained when the vibration is not detected, wherein the control unit controls to simultaneously start moving the correction units to the initial states, and simultaneously stop moving the correction units.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises shake detection unit configured to detect a shake of the image capture apparatus translation component correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate, based on an output of the shake detection unit, a first correction amount configured to correct a translation component of image blurring generated in a captured image due to the shake, perspective component correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the first correction amount, a second correction amount for correcting a perspective component of the image blurring; and correction unit configured to correct the image blurring based on the first correction amount and the second correction amount.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises a shake detection unit configured to detect a shake, a translational motion correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate a first correction amount for correcting a translational motion component, a perspective component correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate a second correction amount for correcting a perspective component, an image stabilization unit configured to correct the image blurring of the captured image based on the first and second correction amount, and a control unit configured to restrict, if a panning state of the image capture apparatus is determined, the translational motion correction amount calculation unit and the perspective component correction amount calculation unit so as to decrease correction capability for the translational motion component and the perspective component.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises a first shake detection unit configured to detect a shake of the image capture apparatus, a rotational shake calculation unit configured to calculate a rotational shake amount, a second shake detection unit configured to detect the shake of the image capture apparatus, a translational shake calculation unit configured to calculate a translational shake amount, a correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the rotational shake amount and the translational shake amount, a correction amount for correcting image blurring, and a correction unit configured to correct the image blurring, wherein the rotational shake calculation unit calculates a first translational motion component and perspective component, and wherein the correction amount calculation unit calculates a second translational motion component.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises: at least one vibration detection unit configured to detect a vibration applied to the image capturing apparatus and outputting a vibration signal; a calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the vibration signal output from the vibration detection unit, respective vibration correction signals for a plurality of correction units for performing a plurality of different correction processes, respectively; the correction units configured to correct the vibration based on the respective vibration correction signals calculated by the calculation unit; and a control unit configured to, when stopping the plurality of correction processes based on the vibration correction signals, shift the correction units to initial states serving as states of the correction units obtained when the vibration is not detected, wherein the control unit controls to simultaneously start moving the correction units to the initial states, and simultaneously stop moving the correction units.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit configured to change, between lines, a timing to receive light of an object image formed by an imaging optical system and accumulate charges, a storage unit configured to store a captured image, a shake detection unit configured to detect a shake, an image stabilization unit configured to optically correct an image blur caused by the shake, a distortion correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the output of the shake detection unit, a distortion correction amount used to correct a distortion caused in the image by the shake during charge accumulation of the image capturing unit, and a correction unit configured to correct the image stored in the storage unit based on the distortion correction amount.

Abstract: A direction instructing operation unit instructs a control unit to change a direction of a change in the photographic screen range. First motor drives a compensation optical system and second motor drives a compensation optical system in accordance with the control command given by the control unit. When the direction along which framing adjustment has been instructed by the direction instructing operation unit matches neither the drive direction of the first motor nor the drive direction of the second motor for driving the compensation optical system, the control unit matches a drive start time and a drive end time of both the first motor and the second motor, and then controls the ratio of the speed of the second drive unit to the speed of the first drive unit at a constant level to thereby control the moving direction of the photographic screen range.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises an image capture unit which photo-electrically converts an object image, a shake detection unit which detects a shake of the image capture apparatus, a motion vector detection unit which detects a motion vector, a reference value calculation unit which calculates a reference value serving as an output from the shake detection unit when the image capture apparatus stands still, a correction amount calculation unit which calculates a shake correction amount, and an image blur correction unit which corrects a blur of the object image, wherein the reference value calculation unit calculates the reference value based on an integrated value of the output from the shake detection unit, an integrated value of an output from the motion vector detection unit, and a variation of the output from the correction amount calculation unit in a predetermined period.

Abstract: A frame is divided into blocks each having a predetermined size, and motion vectors are calculated for respective blocks. The blocks are classified into an object group including an object image and a background group as a background image based on the calculated motion vectors, and representative motion vectors of the respective groups are calculated. The number of blocks included in the object group is compared with a threshold. When the number of blocks is larger than the threshold, the representative motion vector of the object group is selected as a motion vector for the entire frame. On the other hand, when the number of blocks included in the object group is smaller than the threshold, the representative motion vector of the background group is selected as the motion vector for the entire frame.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a motion vector detecting unit configured to detect, for each field of a signal, a motion vector in each of a plurality of vector detection areas within the field, a determining unit configured to determine, for each field, a group area obtained by grouping the motion vector detection areas based on the motion vector detected by the motion vector detecting unit, a geometric center calculation unit configured to obtain, for each field, a geometric center of the group area, a determination unit configured to determine group areas that correspond to each other in fields that are in consecutive relation in terms of time by comparing the geometric centers of the group areas obtained for each field in consecutive relation.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises a shake detection unit which detects a shake of the image capture apparatus; a motion vector detection unit which detects a motion vector indicating a movement of an image; a first calculation unit which calculates a first shake correction amount; a second calculation unit which calculates a second shake correction amount; a shake correction unit which optically corrects a blur of a captured image; a panning determination unit which determines that the image capture apparatus performs a panning operation; a determination unit which determines whether or not the image capture apparatus is in a constant point capturing state; and a control change unit which changes the first threshold to a second threshold and amplifies the second shake correction amount when the determination unit determines the constant point capturing state.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image sensing unit arranged to sense an object image; a vibration detection unit arranged to detect a vibration applied to the image capturing apparatus; a vector detection unit arranged to detect a motion vector from an image sensed by the image sensing unit; a first calculation unit arranged to calculate a first correction amount from a signal obtained based on an output from the vibration detection unit and a signal based on the motion vector; a second calculation unit arranged to calculate a second correction amount based on the motion vector; a first correction unit arranged to optically correct the vibration based on the first correction amount; and a second correction unit arranged to correct the vibration by changing an image read region based on the second correction amount, wherein vibration correction is performed using both the first and second correction units.

Abstract: A direction instructing operation unit instructs a control unit to change a direction of a change in the photographic screen range. First motor drives a compensation optical system and second motor drives a compensation optical system in accordance with the control command given by the control unit. When the direction along which framing adjustment has been instructed by the direction instructing operation unit matches neither the drive direction of the first motor nor the drive direction of the second motor for driving the compensation optical system, the control unit matches a drive start time and a drive end time of both the first motor and the second motor, and then controls the ratio of the speed of the second drive unit to the speed of the first drive unit at a constant level to thereby control the moving direction of the photographic screen range.

Abstract: There is provided a shake correction apparatus having an image pickup optical system that includes a correction lens capable of moving in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis. The shake correction apparatus comprises: a detection unit that detects shake applied to the shake correction apparatus; a determination unit that determines a reference position of the correction lens; and a drive unit that drives the correction lens with the reference position serving as a center position, so as to correct the shake detected by the detection unit. The determination unit determines the reference position, in a range where a condition that a Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) of the image pickup optical system when the correction lens is positioned at the determined reference position is equal to or larger than a threshold is satisfied.

Abstract: An angular velocity sensor detects shake applied to an imaging apparatus. A HPF calculation unit attenuates low-frequency components in the output of the angular velocity sensor. An image blur compensation amount is calculated based on that output, and image blur compensation is executed by drive control of the compensation optical system. An intermediate value is retained as a calculation results for each sampling period by the digital filter that configures the HFP calculation unit. When the panning control unit that detects a panning operation by the imaging apparatus detects the completion of a panning operation, the intermediate value retained in the digital high pass filter is initialized by the panning control unit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a shake detector to detect a shake applied to the imaging apparatus, a first calculation unit to calculate a first shake correction amount, a vector detector to detect a motion vector on an imaging surface, a first integration unit to integrate an output of the vector detector, a second calculation unit to calculate a second shake correction amount, a shake correction unit to correct an image-shake based of the first shake correction amount and the second shake correction amount; and an angle-of-view change determination unit to detect an angle-of-view changing operation of the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises an image capture unit which photo-electrically converts an object image, a shake detection unit which detects a shake of the image capture apparatus, a motion vector detection unit which detects a motion vector, a reference value calculation unit which calculates a reference value serving as an output from the shake detection unit when the image capture apparatus stands still, a correction amount calculation unit which calculates a shake correction amount, and an image blur correction unit which corrects a blur of the object image, wherein the reference value calculation unit calculates the reference value based on an integrated value of the output from the shake detection unit, an integrated value of an output from the motion vector detection unit, and a variation of the output from the correction amount calculation unit in a predetermined period.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises a shake detection unit which detects a shake of the image capture apparatus; a motion vector detection unit which detects a motion vector indicating a movement of an image; a first calculation unit which calculates a first shake correction amount; a second calculation unit which calculates a second shake correction amount; a shake correction unit which optically corrects a blur of a captured image; a panning determination unit which determines that the image capture apparatus performs a panning operation; a determination unit which determines whether or not the image capture apparatus is in a constant point capturing state; and a control change unit which changes the first threshold to a second threshold and amplifies the second shake correction amount when the determination unit determines the constant point capturing state.