Abstract: The present invention is an image pickup apparatus provided with a pixel section in which pixels each including a photoelectric conversion section and a signal storage section that temporarily stores a signal charge of the photoelectric conversion section are two-dimensionally arrayed, that resets the signal storage sections before exposing a still image and reads reset data used to remove reset noise of a still image, configured to divide the pixel section into a plurality of pixel groups and sequentially reset the signal storage sections of the respective pixel groups by a transistor, sequentially read reset signals by a selection transistor and cause the selection transistor to read one or more times an LV signal charge generated by exposure of a predetermined pixel group within a time segment during which the signal storage sections are sequentially reset before the signal storage sections of the predetermined pixel group are reset.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an accumulation control section controlling an accumulation operation in an imaging section; an accumulation start timing setting section setting a timing of accumulation start in the imaging section; and a flash light emission control section controlling the start and stop of light emission in the flash light emission section, wherein the accumulation control section instructs the flash light emission control section to start the flash light emission and causes the imaging section to start the accumulation based on an output of the accumulation start timing setting section, and the flash light emission control section causes the flash light emission to be started in response to the flash light emission start instruction of the accumulation control section and causes the flash light emission section to stop the light emission based on an appropriate light emission amount output by an exposure calculation section.

Abstract: An imaging device of the present invention comprises an imaging section for photoelectrically converting a subject image, and outputting image data, an aperture control section for narrowing subject light flux at a first aperture value and a second aperture value, a shooting control section for, in response to a release instruction, imaging a first image at the first aperture value and, reading out first image data from the imaging section while simultaneously carrying out a stopping down operation to the second aperture value, imaging a second image at the second aperture value and, reading out second image data from the imaging section, and an image processing section for detecting an amount of variation in contrast value for each location in the first image data and the second image data, and carrying out processing to blur at an intensity of blurring according to the amount of variation between each location.

Abstract: The present invention is an image pickup apparatus provided with a pixel section in which pixels each including a photoelectric conversion section and a signal storage section that temporarily stores a signal charge of the photoelectric conversion section are two-dimensionally arrayed, that resets the signal storage sections before exposing a still image and reads reset data used to remove reset noise of a still image, configured to divide the pixel section into a plurality of pixel groups and sequentially reset the signal storage sections of the respective pixel groups by a transistor, sequentially read reset signals by a selection transistor and cause the selection transistor to read one or more times an LV signal charge generated by exposure of a predetermined pixel group within a time segment during which the signal storage sections are sequentially reset before the signal storage sections of the predetermined pixel group are reset.

Abstract: In a first exposure condition calculating operation, proper exposure conditions in imaging are calculated by the imaging element including the effective exposure time and ISO sensitivity without preliminary light emission from the strobo part. In a second exposure condition calculating operation, the exposure condition is determined by compensating at least the ISO sensitivity among the exposure conditions calculated in the first exposure condition calculating operation by dimmer or light control operation with preliminary light emission of the strobo part. Exposure of the imaging element is executed as a regular imaging operation under the exposure condition calculated and determined in the second exposure condition calculating operation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a constitution in which an area with strobe light rays dominant therein, which corresponds to strobe light dominant area, is extracted in accordance with various extraction conditions, and a white balance adjustment suitable for a property of the area is set in order to enhance a result of an indoor strobe photographing. Moreover, it is judged whether or not correction is appropriate for each white balance area in accordance with a result of evaluation exposure of a steady light amount.

Abstract: In a first exposure condition calculating operation, proper exposure conditions in imaging are calculated by the imaging element including the effective exposure time and ISO sensitivity without preliminary light emission from the strobo part. In a second exposure condition calculating operation, the exposure condition is determined by compensating at least the ISO sensitivity among the exposure conditions calculated in the first exposure condition calculating operation by dimmer or light control operation with preliminary light emission of the strobo part. Exposure of the imaging element is executed as a regular imaging operation under the exposure condition calculated and determined in the second exposure condition calculating operation.

Abstract: A camera apparatus, which performs a preliminary light emission before a main light emission for a photograph, comprising a photoelectric conversion part which output a photoelectric conversion data which corresponds to an incident luminous flux through a photograph lens, a preliminary light emission part which performs at least twice preliminary light emission of a first light emission which corresponds to the normal photographic region and a second preliminary light emission which corresponds to a close-up shot, a data acquisition part which acquires a photoelectric conversion data corresponding to the first preliminary light emission and the second preliminary light emission, respectively, a judgment part which judges whether it is a close-up shot or not based on the data obtained by the data acquisition part, and a setting part which sets a light emission condition of the main light emission based on a judgment result of the judgment part.

Abstract: A camera apparatus, which performs a preliminary light emission before a main light emission for a photograph, comprising a photoelectric conversion part which output a photoelectric conversion data which corresponds to an incident luminous flux through a photograph lens, a preliminary light emission part which performs at least twice preliminary light emission of a first light emission which corresponds to the normal photographic region and a second preliminary light emission which corresponds to a close-up shot, a data acquisition part which acquires a photoelectric conversion data corresponding to the first preliminary light emission and the second preliminary light emission, respectively, a judgment part which judges whether it is a close-up shot or not based on the data obtained by the data acquisition part, and a setting part which sets a light emission condition of the main light emission based on a judgment result of the judgment part.

Abstract: There is disclosed a constitution in which an area with strobe light rays dominant therein, which corresponds to strobe light dominant area, is extracted in accordance with various extraction conditions, and a white balance adjustment suitable for a property of the area is set in order to enhance a result of an indoor strobe photographing. Moreover, it is judged whether or not correction is appropriate for each white balance area in accordance with a result of evaluation exposure of a steady light amount.

Abstract: When the charging voltage across a main capacitor 29, as detected by a charging voltage detector 36, is below a predetermined level, the "on" period pulse duration of the strobo pulse signal from a strobo signal generator 35 for driving an oscillating transformer 13, is reduced compared to the case when the detected charging voltage is above the predetermined level. When a high current load is applied to a power supply 1 in such case as when driving a zoom motor, the CPU 101 tentatively stops the charging of the main capacitor by reducing the "on" period pulse duration of the strobo pulse signal from the strobo pulse signal generator 35 for driving the oscillating transformer 13 or extend the pulse cycle of the strobo pulse signal, or controlling a charging signal generator 34.

Abstract: A strobe device including a preparatory light radiator for generating a fixed amount of preparatory light a plurality of times to set an amount of actual light to be generated when radiating supplementary light onto a subject during photographing; an image pickup element for receiving a fixed amount of preparatory light, generated a plurality of times by the preparatory light radiator, and photoelectrically converting light reflected from the subject; an amplifier for amplifying the photoelectrically converted signal during the plurality of times of generating preparatory light, by an amplification factor which differs for each generation of preparatory light; a detector for detecting whether the average level of signals being output from the amplifier, for each generation of preparatory light, is within a predetermined range; and a calculator for calculating an amount of actual light to be generated based on signals output from the amplifier when the detector has determined that the average level of signals