Abstract: An image-capturing apparatus includes: an image-capturing element that captures an image of a subject through a photographic lens and outputs the captured image of the subject as image data; a display device that displays the image of the subject; a recording device that records the image data at a recording medium; a display control device that displays a first image prepared based upon the image data output by the image-capturing element and a second image prepared based upon the image data recorded at the recording medium on the display device; and an instruction device that issues an instruction to the display control device to display the first image and the second image in response to a user instruction operation when the first image is on display at the display device.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus allows the change of sound recording time as needed using a simple operation. The information processing apparatus allows shooting and sound recording to be executed simultaneously. When a release switch is pressed, a photo image of an object entering from a shooting lens is converted by a Charge Coupled Device to electrical signals. A predetermined process is executed on the electrical signals, and the results are stored in memory. Sound signals that are output from a microphone are analog/digital converted and the results are successively stored in the memory. Furthermore, if a predetermined period of time has elapsed after pressing the release switch, the sound recording process is ended. If a sound recording switch is pressed between the pressing of the release switch and the elapse of the predetermined period of time, the sound recording process continues. If the sound recording switch is pressed again, the process is ended.

Abstract: An information processing method and apparatus reproduces predetermined information from a variety of information recorded by, for example, an electronic camera. The information may be reproduced in a predetermined order and with predetermined reproduction time. Reproduction information, for use during reproduction, is generated based on recording information. Reproduction times may be changed by changing a WAIT time between reproduction of each recording unit. A slide show mode may be selected after a series of information are recorded. If information is not being presently recorded in the electronic camera, all of the information previously recorded may be displayed as the slide show. Also, new information may be recorded even under unexpected conditions, for example. Information to be reproduced may be set during slide show mode by changing the order of reproduction if necessary. The new information is recognized as different information from the information that is set during the slide show mode.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus capable of receiving and processing a variety of types of input is shown with features that make it easy to add properly synchronized information as desired. A CCD photoelectrically converts into image signals the light of objects collected by a photographic lens. The image signals of the photographic images are digitized by an analog/digital (A/D) conversion circuit, and are compressed by a digital signal processor (DSP). A central processing unit (CPU) records on a memory card the photographic images along with their input date and time as header information. When sound information is received through a microphone during reproduction of the photographic images, the CPU 34 records on the memory card the sound information along with the input date and time header information of the photographic images.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to record image data having a wide dynamic range is a file together with image data having a narrow dynamic range. First, an image recording apparatus separately gradation-converts image data to be recorded into primary data having a narrow dynamic range and secondary data having a wide dynamic range. Then, the image recording apparatus calculates data that determines correlation between the primary data and secondary data and employs the calculated data as tertiary data. The image recording apparatus records the primary data and the tertiary data in a file. On the other hand, an image reproducing apparatus reads out primary data and tertiary data that were recorded in the above manner and reproduces secondary data having a wide dynamic range based on the primary data and the tertiary data.

Abstract: An electronic camera connected through a communication line to another electronic camera records an image that was transmitted from the other camera. When the electronic camera is connected to a public line from a modular jack, when a shooting lens faces opposite to a surface where an LCD is formed, the image of the user which was input by a CCD is transmitted to the other camera through the public line and is displayed on the LCD of the other camera. Furthermore, the image of the user of the other camera which was input by the other camera is transmitted through the public line and displayed on the LCD of the first camera. At this time, when a release switch to shoot an object is operated, the image which is displayed on the LCD is recorded. Furthermore, when a rotating part containing the shooting part is rotated by either electronic camera, the image which was input by the electronic camera in which the rotating part was rotated is displayed on both electronic cameras.

Abstract: In electronic camera and other applications, the reproduction of image or other data is controlled according to day and time information related to the time of taking a picture, or otherwise recording data. In reproduction, the reproduction images are reproduced in the order determined by the date of the recording data being contained in the reproduction object, for instance, with the latest date being reproduced first.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus capable of receiving and processing a variety of types of input is shown with features that make it easy to add properly synchronized information as desired. A CCD photoelectrically converts into image signals the light of objects collected by a photographic lens. The image signals of the photographic images are digitized by an analog/digital (A/D) conversion circuit, and are compressed by a digital signal processor (DSP). A central processing unit (CPU) records on a memory card the photographic images along with their input date and time as header information. When sound information is received through a microphone during reproduction of the photographic images, the CPU 34 records on the memory card the sound information along with the input date and time header information of the photographic images.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus can display an object image and a line drawing overlapping each other. An area of the object image can be zoomed (enlarged or reduced) while the line drawing is left the same size, or optionally the line drawing can be zoomed in proportion to the object image zooming, so that the information displayed by the relative positional relationship between the object image and the line drawing is maintained.

Abstract: A sound processing apparatus is provided with a sound information input device, a recording device to record the sound information, a converting device to convert the sound information into image information, and a display device to display the image information, the display device being such that the vertical and horizontal directions of the display device are time axes and the unit of one of the time axes is longer than the unit of the other time axis. The image information displayed on the display device can be selected by a selection device to display the sound information. The sound information can also be displayed as image information corresponding to a frequency component of the sound information within a predetermined time. The frequency component may be detected using discrete cosine transformation (DCT) for compressing the sound information.

Abstract: An electronic camera having an image sensor to receive the light rays of an object and convert them into the electrical image signals comprises an optical finder capable of varying its enlarging magnification or photographing area; a reading device to read the signals of a part of the area of the image the rays of which are received by the image sensor; a reading area modifying device to modify the size of the area read from the image sensor in accordance with the enlarging magnification of the finder or the displayed photographing area. Further, such an electronic camera comprises a metering device to measure the distance between an object and the taking lens, and the reading area modifying device modifies the size and position of the area read from the image sensor in accordance with the finder magnification or the displayed photographing area and the measured value by the metering device.

Abstract: An apparatus is capable of using a detachable recording medium. The apparatus has an electrical contact point that is electrically connected with the recording medium for a predetermined length in the recording medium insertion and ejection directions. An eject mechanism is incorporated to enable eject of the recording medium. A first detection device detects an ejecting movement of the recording medium at a first time. The first time is earlier than a break time when the electrical contact points is electrically disconnected from the recording medium. A second detection device detects the ejecting movement of the recording medium at a second time. The second time is earlier than the break time and later than the first time. The apparatus is capable of accomplishing necessary safety measures when the recording medium is ejected during data recording.

Abstract: An insertion and removal mechanism for recording media includes a door that can move between a closed position that covers a loading chamber by moving in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the recording medium is inserted and removed. In the open position, an opening is created, through which the recording medium can be inserted and removed, by the door separating from the loading chamber. A conversion mechanism converts the operating force of the door, acting in the direction of opening and closing of the door, into a force in the direction of inserting and removing the recording medium. A first driving unit is driven in the direction of insertion and removal of the recording medium through force converted by the conversion mechanism and engages with the recording medium when the door is closing so as to cause the recording medium to be moved toward the terminals of the information device.

Abstract: A photometric device, to measure light incident from a photographic lens of a camera, which can perform accurate photometry, independently of the direction of polarization of the incident light. The photometric device is provided with a first semi-transparent mirror, located between the photographic lens and an imaging plane of the camera, for dividing incident light from the photographic lens into a reflected beam and a transmitted beam. A second semi-transparent mirror is located in a position where the reflected beam from this first semi-transparent mirror is incident, and divides the incident light into a reflected beam and a transmitted beam. A photometric unit, for performing photometry, is located in a position to receive light of the transmitted beam from the second semi-transparent mirror.

Abstract: An information setting device for a camera which, according to various photographic modes of the camera, automatically sets either a valid mode in which changing of set information is permitted or an invalid mode in which changing of set information is not permitted.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprising imaging devices for converting the light of a subject into electric signals, an image forming device for forming an image of the light of the subject on the imaging devices and a connecting device for connecting the image forming device to the imaging devices. In the imaging apparatus, the connecting device has at least three pins so inserted in holes bored in either the imaging devices or the image forming device as to be vertically movable and a biasing device for making the pins contact with a confronting surface of the image device or the image forming device. Heads of the pins are formed in configuration adaptive to point-contact with the confronting surface. The hole is bonded to the pin, and the pin is bonded to the confronting surface, respectively.

Abstract: A camera having improved positioning of a variable aperture. A picture taking lens forms an image of a subject on an image forming plane. A picture taking optical system has a picture taking optical path which extends from the image forming plane to an image recording medium. The picture taking optical system receives the image formed on the image forming plane and projects the image to the image recording medium. A variable aperture is positioned in the picture taking optical path between the image forming plane and the image recording medium, and regulates light passing through the picture taking optical system without regulating light passing through a viewfinder optical system. Before an individual photograph is taken, the variable aperture is set to an aperture size which is approximately midway between the maximum aperture size and the minimum aperture size.

Abstract: An electronic still camera is equipped with a white balance sensor and a white balance adjustment circuit so that when photographs are taken underwater (whether only the subject or both the camera and subject are underwater) the white balance in the vicinity of the camera can be measured and then used by the adjustment circuit to provide pictures having properly balanced colors. In one embodiment, a control circuit calculates a gain amount to be applied to the different color signals detected by an image sensor, and then the adjustment circuit uses these gains to adjust the image signals. The camera also may be equipped with an underwater discrimination sensor to determine whether the camera is underwater.

Abstract: An electronic still camera for recording stationary images comprises a light metering device for light-metering a plurality of portions of an object to be photographed and outputting a plurality of signals corresponding to the quantities of light of the portions, an image pickup device for converting the image of the object to be photographed into an image signal, a contour enhancing device provided with a plurality of selectable contour enhancement degrees and enhancing the contour of the image signal, and a selecting device for effecting calculation on the basis of the outputs from the light metering device and selecting one of the plurality of contour enhancement degrees provided in the contour enhancing device on the basis of the result of the calculation.

Abstract: A still-picture imaging apparatus includes a manually operable photography starting switch to output a start-of-imaging signal. A control circuit operates dependent upon the start-of-imaging signal to actuate an image pick up device and a color measuring sensor, which measures color temperature for purposes of white-balancing. The control circuit may control an adjuster to adjust white-balance of an image signal from the image pick up device based on a color temperature signal from the color measuring sensor.