Abstract: An imaging apparatus having an imaging element for accumulating signal charge corresponding to an incident scene light flux in a photo-electric converting element section and transferring the accumulated signal charge through a vertical shifter to a horizontal shifter so as to be read out there from, and a shutter for selectively blocking the scene light flux to be incident on the imaging element is moved. The operating condition of the imaging apparatus is judged and the operation timings of the shutter and/or the imaging element are/is controlled on the basis of the judged operating condition. The operating condition judging function judges as the operating condition of the imaging apparatus at least one of the ambient temperature, the posture of the imaging apparatus, the power supply voltage level and the number of times of operation of the shutter.

Abstract: An operating condition judging circuit judges at least one of consumed whether or not a mechanically driven part is being operated, the supply voltage level, the ambient temperature, whether or not the lens stop device is operative, whether or not the strobo device is being charged, and whether or not access operation of a recording device is being performed. A controller controls a frequency of sweep-out of unnecessary charge in the imaging element on the basis of the output of the operating condition judging circuit. Thus, it is possible to effectively reduce the peak consumed current through the entire imaging apparatus, reduce the power consumption and extend battery life.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an interline type CCD image sensor having 1,000,000 or more pixels, which has a Bayer configuration color filter suitable for reading all pixel signals in a line-sequential scanning manner. The imaging apparatus drives the CCD image sensor in a high speed mode usually, and in a high quality image mode only for a trigger depression. In the high speed mode, the CCD image sensor outputs pixel signals for one line at intervals of three lines in the vertical direction. During the high speed mode operation of the CCD image sensor, images are displayed on a liquid crystal display portion at a frame rate of 60 frames/second, the images being recognized by the human eyes as a dynamic image, i.e., a motion picture.

Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus comprising a CCD image pickup device made up of a plurality of pixels constituted by photodiodes which are two-dimensionally arrayed, a vertical register and a horizontal register, and a CPU for driving and controlling the CCD image pickup device, the CPU has a driving function in an all-pixel read mode for reading pixel signals from all the pixels of the CCD image pickup device, a driving function in a thinning (skipping) read mode for reading pixel signals from all the pixels in a thinned-out fashion, and a device shutter function for extracting signal electric charges from each pixel to control an exposure time. In the thinning read mode, the operation of extracting the signal electric charges from each pixel is carried out one or more times for each read period of one frame.

Abstract: Image signals used in a camera from a CCD are sampled-and-held by a CDS circuit, subjected to an A/D conversion, stored in a DRAM, and stored in a recording medium after a compression process of data from an effective area and an optical black area of the CCD by a compressing/decompressing circuit. Image output is regenerating by decompressing the compressed data in the recording medium. A margin area is defined at a boundary area of the effective area and the OB area and the output from the margin area is not used for image data processing, so that noise does not affect the image output. In this camera, high quality image signals can be obtained and a black level can be accurately corrected.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an imaging element, an imaging optical system configured to input an image of an object to the imaging element, a non-volatile memory part for storing defect data concerning the imaging element, and includes a first memory area storing initial defect data concerning the imaging element, and a second memory area different from the first memory area, a defect detection part for detecting defect data concerning the imaging element, and a control part for controlling reading and writing of the defect data on the imaging element from and to the non-volatile memory part, the control part writing, to the second memory area, defect data detected by the defect detection part.

Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus comprising a CCD image pickup device made up of a plurality of photodiodes which are two-dimensionally arrayed, and vertical and horizontal shift registers, and a CPU for driving and controlling the CCD image pickup device, the CPU has a driving function in a mode for performing normal transfer of electric charges for reading in the vertical shift registers of the CCD image pickup device, and a driving function in a mode for performing high-speed sweep transfer to purge out useless electric charges, and sets the pulse width and cycle of vertical transfer pulses for driving the vertical shift register to be substantially the same in the above two modes.

Abstract: A CCD imaging element 12 has a two-dimensional array of a plurality of pixels in the horizontal and vertical directions. A read-out mode switching circuit switches a full read-out mode and a horizontal line thinning-out mode with respect to the imaging element 12 one over to the other. A read-out circuit reads out an image signal from the imaging element 12. A defective pixel compensation circuit 15 executes compensation for defective pixels on the basis of adjacent pixel signals thereto. In the full read-out mode, the defective pixel compensation is executed by using four normal pixels adjacent to the defective pixel in the horizontal and vertical line directions. In the thinning-out read-out mode, the defective pixel compensation is executed by using two normal pixels adjacent to a horizontal line defective pixel in the horizontal line direction.

Abstract: A camera comprises a beam splitter configured to divide an incident light from a subject through a photographing lens, an eyepiece lens configured to observe the incident light divided by the beam splitter with a viewfinder, a relay lens provided between the beam splitter and the eyepiece lens, and a shutter provided in a vicinity of the relay lens and configured to cut a reverse-incident light from the eyepiece lens.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus with electrical exposure time control function capable of high accuracy control of the electronic shutter and ensuring high exposure accuracy is disclosed. An imaging element accumulates signal charge corresponding to an incident scene light flux in a photo-electric converting element section. The accumulated signal charge is read out as a pixel signal. Charge accumulation control means controls the instant of ending of charge accumulation in the imaging element to an instant other than the horizontal blanking period and/or controls the instant of ending of charge accumulation in the imaging element in time units shorter than the horizontal sync signal interval.

Abstract: According to a driving method for an interline type CCD imaging device, the voltage level to be applied to a channel electrode in a vertical charge transfer line to which at least one photodiode is connected is controlled to form a shallower potential well just in the channel. At least the voltage levels applied to channel electrodes in the VCCD connected to the PDs are controlled such that potential wells formed within respective channels becomes shallower.

Abstract: An operating condition judging means judges at least one of consumed current, whether or not a mechanically driven part is being operated, the supply voltage level, the ambient temperature, whether or not the lens stop means is operative, whether or not the strobo means is being charged, and whether or not access operation of recording means is being performed. A control means controls a frequency of sweep-out of unnecessary charge in the imaging element on the basis of the output of the operating condition judging means. Thus, it is possible to effectively reduce the peak consumed current through the entire imaging apparatus, reduce the power consumption and extend the battery life.

Abstract: The image pickup apparatus of the present invention includes the following: a solid-state image pickup element that can be driven by splitting into a plurality of phases a charge transfer gate, which controls the transfer of a charge from a pixel part that forms part of a pixel array, to a perpendicular transmission path; a drive circuit that can supply a plurality of pulses for driving said charge transfer gate corresponding to the plurality of phases to the solid-state image pickup element; an exposure control circuit that ends exposure by outputting the pulse for driving said charge transfer gate when a prescribed exposure time has elapsed since the start of exposure; a circuit for reading output signals that reads signals output by the solid-state image pickup element; and a signal compensation circuit that adds, to an output signal read by said output signal reading means, a prescribed amount of signal compensation that is determined in correspondence with said exposure time and output signal level, when

Abstract: An operating condition judging means judges at least one of consumed current, whether or not a mechanically driven part is being operated, the supply voltage level, the ambient temperature, whether or not the lens stop means is operative, whether or not the strobo means is being charged, and whether or not access operation of recording means is being performed. A control means controls a frequency of sweep-out of unnecessary charge in the imaging element on the basis of the output of the operating condition judging means. Thus, it is possible to effectively reduce the peak consumed current through the entire imaging apparatus, reduce the power consumption and extend the battery life.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus includes a CCD having photodiodes, vertical shift registers, and a horizontal shift register; a signal generator supplying pulses for driving the CCD; a light shading element such as a mechanical shutter which shades incident light to the CCD; and a driver controlling the light shading element. The image sensing apparatus performs high-speed discharging of the vertical shift registers from the starting end of the frame next to a frame where a record trigger is generated, and performs charge storage operation into the photodiodes partially in parallel with high-speed discharging. Further, the image sensing apparatus stops high-speed discharging at the same time as completion of the charge storage operation, furthermore, and completely shades the CCD by performing a closing operation of the light shading element within a residual period of the same frame.