Abstract: An image pickup apparatus sets focusing time for changing an in-focus state onto each in-focus point by the optical system in accordance with a plurality of in-focus points set by a setting unit and controls the change of the in-focus state by the optical system on the basis of the set focusing time and evaluation by a focus estimation unit in response to a recording instruction given to a recording unit, so that the plurality of set in-focus points are made intop the in-focus state in turn.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus sets focusing time for changing an in-focus state onto each in-focus point by the optical system in accordance with a plurality of in-focus points set by a setting unit and controls the change of the in-focus state by the optical system on the basis of the set focusing time and evaluation by a focus estimation unit in response to a recording instruction given to a recording unit, so that the plurality of set in-focus points are made intop the in-focus state in turn.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that has an optical zooming unit and an electronic zooming unit includes a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the image pickup apparatus, and a controller configured to move the electronic zooming unit along with an operation of the optical zooming unit, and to move a telephoto end for control of the optical zooming unit toward a wide-angle side according to the temperature detected by the temperature detector. Along with control to move the telephoto end of the optical zooming unit to the wide-angle end, the controller sets smaller than a change rate of a zoom magnification of an electronic zooming unit in a first zoom region a change rate of a zoom magnification of an electronic zooming unit in a second zoom region that is adjacent with and closer to the telephoto end than the first zoom region.

Abstract: In a period of time during which an image effect is being selected, a synthesized image in which the selected image effect is synthesized to an input image is generated and the operation of the image effect of the synthesized image is automatically and repeatedly displayed, thereby allowing the user to check what kind of operation the currently-selected fade function is before recording.

Abstract: In a period of time during which an image effect is being selected, a synthesized image in which the selected image effect is synthesized to an input image is generated and the operation of the image effect of the synthesized image is automatically and repeatedly displayed, thereby allowing the user to check what kind of operation the currently-selected fade function is before recording.

Abstract: In a period of time during which an image effect is being selected, a synthesized image in which the selected image effect is synthesized to an input image is generated and the operation of the image effect of the synthesized image is automatically and repeatedly displayed, thereby allowing the user to check what kind of operation the currently-selected fade function is before recording.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that has an optical zooming unit and an electronic zooming unit includes a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the image pickup apparatus, and a controller configured to move the electronic zooming unit along with an operation of the optical zooming unit, and to move a telephoto end for control of the optical zooming unit toward a wide-angle side according to the temperature detected by the temperature detector. Along with control to move the telephoto end of the optical zooming unit to the wide-angle end, the controller sets smaller than a change rate of a zoom magnification of an electronic zooming unit in a first zoom region a change rate of a zoom magnification of an electronic zooming unit in a second zoom region that is adjacent with and closer to the telephoto end than the first zoom region.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus has a continuous photographing mode for continuously photographing still images. The image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit, a pseudo shutter curtain generating unit, an image synthesizing unit, and a display unit. The image capture unit generates an image signal of an object. The pseudo shutter curtain generating unit generates a pseudo shutter curtain signal corresponding to a pseudo shutter curtain. The image synthesizing unit synthesizes the image signal generated by the image capture unit and the pseudo shutter curtain signal generated by the pseudo shutter curtain generating unit. The display unit displays the image signal and the pseudo shutter curtain signal. The pseudo shutter curtain generating unit sets the pseudo shutter curtain to be translucent, if the image capture apparatus is in the continuous photographing mode.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus includes: an enlarging processing unit for enlarging a desired area of an image displayed on a screen; and a control unit for changing operation characteristics of the enlarging processing means in accordance with whether the image is a moving image or a still image. The reproduction enlarging range can be quickly shifted during moving image reproduction, and can be finely shifted during moving image reproduction stop.

Abstract: The present invention improves the convenience of a still image check operation after recording when a still image is recorded by using a self-timer or remote controller. An image capturing apparatus capable of recording a still image by using a self-timer includes an image capturing device configured to capture an image of an object, a display panel configured to display a still image captured by the image capturing device, an operation key configured to operate the image capturing apparatus, a control unit configured to control the display panel to display a recorded still image on the display panel after still image recording using the self-timer is performed, and to continue to display the recorded still image on the display panel until the operation key is operated.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprising: an image capture unit adapted to generate an image signal of a object; a display unit adapted to display the image signal; a pseudo shutter curtain generation unit adapted to generate a pseudo shutter curtain signal for displaying a pseudo shutter curtain; an image synthesization unit adapted to synthesize the image signal generated by the image capture unit and the pseudo shutter curtain signal generated by the pseudo shutter curtain generation unit; and a control unit adapted to control operations of the image capture unit, the pseudo shutter curtain generation unit, and the image synthesization unit. The control unit controls the operations of the pseudo shutter curtain generation unit and the image synthesization unit in accordance with an image capture state of the image capture unit.

Abstract: In a period of time during which an image effect is being selected, a synthesized image in which the selected image effect is synthesized to an input image is generated and the operation of the image effect of the synthesized image is automatically and repeatedly displayed, thereby allowing the user to check what kind of operation the currently-selected fade function is before recording.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus includes: an enlarging processing unit for enlarging a desired area of an image displayed on a screen; and a control unit for changing operation characteristics of the enlarging processing means in accordance with whether the image is a moving image or a still image. The reproduction enlarging range can be quickly shifted during moving image reproduction, and can be finely shifted during moving image reproduction stop.

Abstract: There is disclosed an integrated circuit for focus control, which is obtained by integrating, on a single chip, a filter circuit for extracting a predetermined signal component, which changes in accordance with a focusing state, from an image pickup signal, a gate circuit for extracting a focus signal, corresponding to a portion in a focus detection region in a photographing frame, from a focus signal extracted by the filter circuit, an arithmetic circuit for generating an evaluation signal of the focusing state by performing predetermined signal processing for the focus signal extracted by the gate circuit and corresponding to the portion in the focus detection region, a region setting circuit for controlling the positions or the number of focus detection regions in the photographing field by controlling the gate circuit, and an interface for connecting the respective circuits to an external circuit, and allowing the circuits to be controlled by a command from the control circuit.

Abstract: In a video camera apparatus having a camera main-body unit and a lens unit detachably mounted on the camera main-body unit, a state of the lens unit attached to or detached from the camera main-body unit is determined. If the lens unit is not accurately attached to the camera main-body unit, a power supply is controlled and various driving units in the lens unit are disabled or set in a state of low power consumption. At the same time, picture recording is prohibited on the camera main-body unit side, and a nonmounting state of the lens is displayed.

Abstract: There is disclosed an integrated circuit for focus control, which is obtained by integrating, on a single chip, a filter circuit for extracting a predetermined signal component, which changes in accordance with a focusing state, from an image pickup signal, a gate circuit for extracting a focus signal, corresponding to a portion in a focus detection region in a photographing frame, from a focus signal extracted by the filter circuit, an arithmetic circuit for generating an evaluation signal of the focusing state by performing predetermined signal processing for the focus signal extracted by the gate circuit and corresponding to the portion in the focus detection region, a region setting circuit for controlling the positions or the number of focus detection regions in the photographing field by controlling the gate circuit, and an interface for connecting the respective circuits to an external circuit, and allowing the circuits to be controlled by a command from the control circuit.

Abstract: In a video camera apparatus having a camera main-body unit and a lens unit detachably mounted on the camera main-body unit, a state of the lens unit attached to or detached from the camera main-body unit is determined. If the lens unit is not accurately attached to the camera main-body unit, display of the picked up image is prohibited on the camera main-body unit side, and a nonmounting state of the lens is displayed by switching to a predetermined video signal pattern.

Abstract: A video camera is provided with a detection circuit for detecting a state in which an interchangeable lens is mounted and a control circuit for stopping recording when the detection circuit detects that the interchangeable lens has not been mounted.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting apparatus comprises: a focus detecting circuit for detecting a focusing state and generating a signal according to the focusing state; a speed control circuit to switch a focus adjusting speed to a plurality of stages on the basis of an output of the focus detecting circuit; a depth detecting circuit to detect a depth of field; and a control circuit to change a threshold value of a speed switching point in the speed control circuit on the basis of an output of the depth detecting circuit.

Abstract: This invention discloses an interchangeable lens type video camera for deciding lens specifications on a camera side and changing control data transmitted from the camera side to a lens unit in accordance with specifications of the lens unit, thereby performing optimal control. A video camera is also disclosed in which an adapter for mounting a lens unit on the video camera is arranged, and control data outputted from the video camera side to the lens unit is corrected in accordance with lens characteristics, thereby performing the same operation as in a case wherein a video camera lens is mounted on the video camera.