Abstract: A solid image taking apparatus includes a plurality of image taking portions which obtain a plurality of images at each sight point by taking a plurality of images of objects from different sight points, a distance measuring portion which measures object distances which are distances to the objects from the plurality of image taking portions, and a classifying portion which classifies the objects included in the images into a plurality of groups according to the object distances and outputs the result of classification.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging device including a photographic optical system having a zoom function, an auxiliary light irradiation device which includes an auxiliary light source emitting auxiliary light and which irradiates the auxiliary light towards a subject, a range finding device which makes the auxiliary light reflected by the subject incident on the photographic optical system to perform a focusing operation, and an auxiliary light control device which controls at least one of emitted light quantity of the auxiliary light and irradiation range of the auxiliary light in accordance with a zoom position of the photographic optical system.

Abstract: A digital camera has a shutter release button. A mode selector sets a selected one of a regular photographing mode and a macro photographing mode adapted to image pickup at a nearer distance of close-up than the regular photographing mode. An LCD display panel as a user interface has an alarm generating region which outputs an alarm signal visually as an enlarged alarm icon, and/or a sound source as a user interface audibly outputs sound of alarm message voice. A controller is responsive to depression of the shutter release button, for mode discernment by checking a state of the mode selector. The LCD and/or sound source is driven if the macro photographing mode is set selectively.

Abstract: A video outputting method is provided, in which a standard image is displayed, and has a standard aspect ratio. A widescreen (wide) image is displayed, and has a widescreen aspect ratio that is horizontally longer than the standard aspect ratio. Upper and lower blank masked regions are created along and outside upper and lower edges of the standard and widescreen images irrespective of the standard and widescreen aspect ratios. So first and second processed images are created by addition of the upper and lower blank masked regions, for outputting to a widescreen (wide) display device. A lateral blank masked region is created along and outside each one of two lateral edges of the standard image. The first processed image is created further by addition of the lateral blank masked region. The widescreen display device, when the processed images are input, cuts off the upper and lower blank masked regions.

Abstract: A multi-view imaging system which allows efficient and accurate adjustment of optical axes, and the like, of imaging units is disclosed. More than one images acquired with more than one cameras by imaging a subject are subjected to live view image processing to generate more than one live view images. The generated live view images are displayed in a superimposed manner on a display unit, and a vertical guideline extending in a vertical direction of the display unit and a horizontal guideline extending in a horizontal direction of the display unit are displayed on the display unit.

Abstract: A digital camera has a shutter release button. A mode selector sets a selected one of a regular photographing mode and a macro photographing mode adapted to image pickup at a nearer distance of close-up than the regular photographing mode. An LCD display panel as a user interface has an alarm generating region which outputs an alarm signal visually as an enlarged alarm icon, and/or a sound source as a user interface audibly outputs sound of alarm message voice. A controller is responsive to depression of the shutter release button, for mode discernment by checking a state of the mode selector. The LCD and/or sound source is driven if the macro photographing mode is set selectively.

Abstract: Moving pictures are played back and displayed in a “moving picture display area” of a liquid crystal monitor. If a menu/OK button is pressed and a still picture extract command is issued during playback of moving pictures, then a predetermined number of frames of the still picture data obtained immediately before, immediately after, and before and after the moment when the still picture extract command is input is extracted together with the still picture data obtained at the moment when the still picture extract command is input from the moving picture data at predetermined intervals. Then, it is played back and displayed in a “still picture display area” of the liquid crystal monitor, and is recorded as a still picture file in a memory card.

Abstract: A solid image taking apparatus includes a plurality of image taking portions which obtain a plurality of images at each sight point by taking a plurality of images of objects from different sight points, a distance measuring portion which measures object distances which are distances to the objects from the plurality of image taking portions, and a classifying portion which classifies the objects included in the images into a plurality of groups according to the object distances and outputs the result of classification.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging device including a photographic optical system having a zoom function, an auxiliary light irradiation device which includes an auxiliary light source emitting auxiliary light and which irradiates the auxiliary light towards a subject, a range finding device which makes the auxiliary light reflected by the subject incident on the photographic optical system to perform a focusing operation, and an auxiliary light control device which controls at least one of emitted light quantity of the auxiliary light and irradiation range of the auxiliary light in accordance with a zoom position of the photographic optical system.

Abstract: A digital still camera has a shutter release button for photographing an image upon being depressed. An image file of image data of the image being obtained is written to a memory card. There is a setting menu button operable externally. A read/write controller outputs security information for access locking in addition to the memory card if the shutter release button is depressed in depressing the setting menu button, to write the security information to the memory card. A controller checks whether the security information is added to the image data, and if the security information is not found added, authorizes access to the image data. If the security information is found added, the image data is locked by determining the image data as a locked image file of image data, for protection of the locked image data from an unauthorized access.

Abstract: A digital camera has a shutter release button. A mode selector sets a selected one of a regular photographing mode and a macro photographing mode adapted to image pickup at a nearer distance of close-up than the regular photographing mode. An LCD display panel as a user interface has an alarm generating region which outputs an alarm signal visually as an enlarged alarm icon, and/or a sound source as a user interface audibly outputs sound of alarm message voice. A controller is responsive to depression of the shutter release button, for mode discernment by checking a state of the mode selector. The LCD and/or sound source is driven if the macro photographing mode is set selectively.

Abstract: A video outputting method is provided, in which a standard image is displayed, and has a standard aspect ratio. A widescreen (wide) image is displayed, and has a widescreen aspect ratio that is horizontally longer than the standard aspect ratio. Upper and lower blank masked regions are created along and outside upper and lower edges of the standard and widescreen images irrespective of the standard and widescreen aspect ratios. So first and second processed images are created by addition of the upper and lower blank masked regions, for outputting to a widescreen (wide) display device. A lateral blank masked region is created along and outside each one of two lateral edges of the standard image. The first processed image is created further by addition of the lateral blank masked region. The widescreen display device, when the processed images are input, cuts off the upper and lower blank masked regions.

Abstract: Moving pictures are played back and displayed in a “moving picture display area” of a liquid crystal monitor. If a menu/OK button is pressed and a still picture extract command is issued during playback of moving pictures, then a predetermined number of frames of the still picture data obtained immediately before, immediately after, and before and after the moment when the still picture extract command is input is extracted together with the still picture data obtained at the moment when the still picture extract command is input from the moving picture data at predetermined intervals. Then, it is played back and displayed in a “still picture display area” of the liquid crystal monitor, and is recorded as a still picture file in a memory card.

Abstract: A movable power switch member mounted on the front face of a camera body is provided with a luminous display unit comprising any number (preferably a plurality) of illuminants, and light emission is so controlled as to realize different forms of displaying according to the operating state of the camera. For instance, the lighting, either continuous or intermittent, of the illuminants is controlled according to the remaining charge or the progress of charging of the battery. There are available a mode in which the luminous display unit is also used as a battery indicator, another mode in which the state of light is altered according to the initial mode (at the time of turning on power supply), still another mode in which the illuminants are used as a substitute for a tally lamp at the time of self-timed shooting and yet others, resulting in the achievement of an illumination effect in addition to the displaying of the operating state.

Abstract: Recording and playback of images and music independently of each other is made possible. To achieve this, it is so arranged that still-picture files, moving-picture files and music files can be recorded on a memory card. If a file selected from among files read out of the memory card is a still-picture file or a moving-picture file, an image represented by the read file is displayed on a liquid crystal display device and supply of voltage to circuits for music playback is cut off. If a selected file is a music file, then supply of voltage to circuits for image playback is cut off and music is played back.

Abstract: A movable power switch member mounted on the front face of a camera body is provided with a luminous display unit comprising any number (preferably a plurality) of illuminants, and light emission is so controlled as to realize different forms of displaying according to the operating state of the camera. For instance, the lighting, either continuous or intermittent, of the illuminants is controlled according to the remaining charge or the progress of charging of the battery. There are available a mode in which the luminous display unit is also used as a battery indicator, another mode in which the state of light is altered according to the initial mode (at the time of turning on power supply), still another mode in which the illuminants are used as a substitute for a tally lamp at the time of self-timed shooting and yet others, resulting in the achievement of an illumination effect in addition to the displaying of the operating state.

Abstract: Recording and playback of images and music independently of each other is made possible. To achieve this, it is so arranged that still-picture files, moving-picture files and music files can be recorded on a memory card. If a file selected from among files read out of the memory card is a still-picture file or a moving-picture file, an image represented by the read file is displayed on a liquid crystal display device and supply of voltage to circuits for music playback is cut off. If a selected file is a music file, then supply of voltage to circuits for image playback is cut off and music is played back.

Abstract: A film image capturing method of reading a continuous developed film with a line sensor. This method comprises the steps of: pre-scanning for determining exposed conditions, including brightness, of each of the plurality of frames on the film; index scanning for capturing rough image data from each of the plurality of frames on the film under capturing conditions being adjusted according to the exposed conditions of the frame which are determined in the pre-scanning, and producing an index image showing all or selected frames of the plurality of frames on the film; main scanning for capturing fine image data from a desired frame of the plurality of frames on the film under the capturing conditions being adjusted according to the exposed conditions of the desired frame which are determined in at least one of the pre-scanning and the index scanning.