Abstract: A method and apparatus for strobed image capture includes stroboscopic illumination synchronized with one or more cameras to improve a signal to noise ratio, reduce motion blur and avoid object damage in sensor systems used to analyze illumination sensitive objects.

Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling a digital imaging apparatus enabled to maintain a ready-to-capture state, with a shutter opened, the method comprising (a) displaying an image of a target subject in a live-view, with the shutter opened; (b) obtaining live-view information of the image; (c) when an imaging start signal is input, before a main exposure, metering a reflected light from the target subject by using a lighter sensor; (d) obtaining metering information; (e) determining a condition for the main exposure by using the live-view information and the metering information; and (f) performing an imaging operation while performing the main exposure by using the determined condition for the main exposure.

Abstract: An image pickup device and associated methodology are provided. The image pickup device is formed from a plurality of pixels, each of which can perform any of an exposure operation and a reading operation thereof at a timing different from that of the other, an imaging apparatus is provided, which can determine the amount of main-flashing light based on pre-flashing by a flash highly accurately. Before and during a preflash operation by a flash unit, an exposure operation is started simultaneously for all the pixels of the image pickup device 14 to form an image before and during the preflash to obtain a detected value by a detector before and during the preflash, respectively. A computation circuit computes a differential detected value obtained by subtracting the before-preflash detected value from the during-preflash detected value. The differential detected value is a detected value containing only pre-flashed light with ambient light excluded.

Abstract: A flash unit having a light emitting element, and a light condensing plate. The light condensing plate is provided with a surface on which a dimmed light-dispersing print is disposed near the light emitting element for equalizing intensity of the light emitted from the light emitting element. The other side of the light condensing plate contains a convexo-concave surface for condensing the light emitted from the light emitting element. The present invention provides a flash unit, a camera device, and a mobile terminal having a small dimension so as to provide a flash unit having an increased flash light.

Abstract: An image shooting device includes an image shooting component, a brightness detector, a flash component, a shift detector, a controller, and a flash amount determining component. The shift detector detects a shift amount of a subject position in a set of image data that has arisen due to shaking of the image shooting device. The controller corrects, on the basis of the detected shift amount, at least one of two sets of image data acquired within non-flash state and flash-emitting state, such that positions of a detection target region with respect to the subject position of the respective sets of image data are substantially matched. The flash amount determining component determines a flash amount of the flash component on the basis of the detected brightness level.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device, an imaging device deriving unit and a signal processing unit. Pixels of the imaging device include a first pixel group and a second pixel group. The imaging device driving unit exposes the first pixel group during a first exposure period, exposes the second pixel group during a second exposure period, and reads first image data captured by the first pixel group and second image data captured by the second pixel group separately. The signal processing unit performs image processing for the first and second image data. A first shooting mode and a second shooting mode are provided. In the first shooting mode, the signal processing unit performs the image processing for the first and second image data separately to generate two pieces of subject image data. In the second shooting mode, the signal processing unit combines the first and second image data.

Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus performs calculating flash-component image data based on a first image captured without flash emission and a second image captured with flash emission, and generating a finally-adjusted image by using an intensity-adjusted flash-component image generated by executing intensity adjustment on the flash-component image data. The method and apparatus can generate a high quality image in which saturated pixels in a nonlinear transformation image, that is, overexposed highlights are reduced.

Abstract: When flash photography is performed, an exposure time at the time of the preliminary light emission of a flash is set as short as possible so that the appropriate amount of light required for the main light emission of the flash can be accurately computed regardless of the amount of external light. Before the main light emission of the flash, an exposure operation prior to preliminary light emission and an exposure operation at the time of preliminary light emission are performed. When the exposure operation prior to preliminary light emission is performed, after the exposure operations of all pixels included in a solid-state image pickup device have been simultaneously started at a time T91, the pixel signals of individual pixels are intermittently read out at predetermined pixel intervals at a time T92.

Abstract: A mobile device including an image capturing unit, a flash unit and a control unit. The control unit may initiate the image capturing unit to capture an image with activating the flash unit.

Abstract: A mobile terminal can include a flash coupled to a mobile terminal housing and configured to provide light from the mobile terminal to illuminate a subject. An image sensor circuit is coupled to the flash and includes a plurality of first image sensing elements configured to provide image data representative of the subject. A flash sensing circuit is coupled to the image sensor circuit and is configured to measure the light provided by the flash using second image sensing element in image sensor circuit. Related cellular radiotelephones and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A mounting structure of an LED includes an LED unit including an LED, a lens element in front of the LED, and a collar around the lens element; a support member including a through-hole through which the lens element of the LED unit is exposed and an annular portion; an annular contacting surface formed on one of the annular portion as an annular concave surface and the collar as an annular convex surface; an annular contacting portion, formed on the other of the annular portion and the collar, wherein an orientation of the LED unit is adjusted by changing a relative contacting position between the annular contacting surface and the annular contacting portion; and a fixing device which fixes the LED unit to the support member while maintaining the contacting position of the annular contacting surface and the annular contacting portion after the adjustment.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an imaging unit for generating image data, an emission unit for emitting a flash, a face detection unit for detecting face information in the image data, and an emission amount control unit for controlling the emission amount of a flash. A plurality of time points is set in a period from the time when generation of image data is started to the time when a flash is emitted, each as a time point where a detection result of the face detection unit is supplied to the emission control unit. The emission amount for the flash is obtained by selectively referring to the plurality of detection results and performing one of a plurality of arithmetic operations selected based on the referenced detection result.

Abstract: A system and method are described for performing motion capture on a subject using fluorescent lamps. For example, a system according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: a synchronization signal generator to generate one or more synchronization signals; one or more fluorescent lamps configured to strobe on and off responsive to a first one of the one or more synchronization signals, the fluorescent lamps charging phosphorescent makeup, paint or dye applied to a subject for a motion capture session; and a plurality of cameras having shutters strobed synchronously with the strobing of the light source to capture images of the phosphorescent paint, wherein the shutters are open when the light source is off and the shutters are closed when the light source is on.

Abstract: An image control processing section sends a zoom control information of a camera section, and carries out image processing. A camera control section controls the camera section on the basis of the zoom information. A zoom ratio is changeable in the camera section. A light control section varies light illuminance on the basis of the zoom information and the image processing information. A light section can emit light with arbitrary illuminance. The image control processing section sends the zoom information to the light control section, simultaneously with sending the zoom information to the camera control section. The image control processing section sends the image processing information including shades and outlines of an image and digital zoom information to the light control section. These pieces of information are used for controlling the light illuminance in stages in the light control section to make the light illuminance appropriate to photography conditions.

Abstract: Systems and methods using polarized filtering for glare removal to improve the process of scanning documents, particularly bound documents with glossy content, are disclosed. The system may generally include a lighting source for illuminating a document, a lighting source polarizer attached to the lighting source to polarize light therefrom, a camera for capturing images of the document, and a camera polarizer attached to the camera. The camera polarizer and the lighting source polarizer may be positioned relative to each other so as to facilitate blocking light reflections causing glare off of the document resulting from the lighting source and arriving at the camera. The system may include multiple lighting sources, some or all of which may have a lighting source polarizer attached thereto.

Abstract: An auto-exposure algorithm for controlling a camera flash uses image processing to identify important areas of the image affected by the flash, while disregarding highly reflective/illuminated areas and uses a ND filter to linearize the flash triggering with highly reflective scenes. The camera flash is controlled by the auto-exposure algorithm in two stages: a pre-flash stage followed by a main-flash stage. In the pre-flash stage, two images are captured under the same camera settings regarding the exposure time, gain, iris and resolution. One image is captured with flash and one without. From the difference between the two images, a reference pixel is used to determine the flash intensity in the main-flash stage.

Abstract: An electronic still camera has first and second gain controller circuits and a gain storage memory. The gain storage memory includes a first gain table for storing gains for an R amplifier and a B amplifier of the first gain controller circuit; and a second gain table for storing gains for an R amplifier and a B amplifier of the second gain controller circuit, during auto white balance control using light emission of a strobe. The gains of the second gain table are sequentially set to the second gain controller circuit to carry out white detection. Based on a result of the detection, a gain to be set to the first gain controller circuit is selected from the first gain table, and the selected gain is set to the first gain controller circuit.

Abstract: A photographic light system, imaging device and method for providing different types of photographic light uses a single multifunctional light module to produce the different types of photographic light. The multifunctional light module includes a number of semiconductor light source devices, such as light emitting diodes (LED), which are controlled by a light module controller. The multifunctional light module can be used to produce an autofocus auxiliary light, a red-eye reducing light and a flash of light.

Abstract: A reflowable camera module is implemented using a Chip Scale Package (CSP). An image sensor is formed on one portion of the carrier. A light emitting diode (LED) is formed on another portion of the carrier. The LED serves as an integrated camera flash. Additional optical isolation is provided within the camera module to prevent stray light generated by the LED from degrading image quality.

Abstract: In a REC mode of an ordinary image pickup standby state, a main capacitor is connected to a side of a step-up/charging circuit via a switch, and the main capacitor is charged with electric power of a charging battery. When the REC mode is changed to other modes, the main capacitor is connected to a side of a step-down circuit by a switching operation of the switch. The step-down circuit steps down charging voltage of the main capacitor to 4.2 V to supply it to a power supply circuit of a camera, and steps down the charging voltage to 5 V to supply it to the charging battery which is a power supply of the camera. When it is no longer necessary to emit fill light, the electric power lost from the main capacitor due to natural discharge can automatically be utilized efficiently for operations other than the emission of the fill light.

Abstract: A system and method are described for performing motion capture on a subject. For example, a method according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: mixing phosphorescent makeup with a makeup base; applying the mixture of phosphorescent makeup and makeup base to surface regions of a motion capture subject; strobing a light source on and off, the light source charging phosphor within the phosphorescent makeup when on; and strobing the shutters of a first plurality of cameras synchronously with the strobing of the light source to capture images of the phosphorescent makeup, wherein the shutters are open when the light source is off and the shutters are closed when the light source is on.

Abstract: A reduced-component flash assembly for a digital image capturing apparatus, and a digital image capturing apparatus including the same are provided. The digital image capturing apparatus includes a frame; a flash module including a flash lamp which is capable of emitting a flash and a flash lamp housing which contains the flash lamp; a top PCB fitted with the flash module, which is disposed on a top part of the frame, on which a flash lamp control component controlling the flash lamp is mounted, and on which a button correspondence component corresponding to a button disposed on a top part of the digital image capturing apparatus is mounted; and a main PCB which is disposed in a side part of the frame, which is electrically connected to the top PCB, and on which a control component controlling the digital image capturing apparatus is mounted.

Abstract: An ornament plate of a ring-shape made of a metal with a high heat radiation effect, for instance, aluminum, is attached to an end surface on an object side of a lens barrel such that the ornament plate covers the whole front part of the lens barrel. Four kinds of LEDs of high luminance type constructing an LED light source are attached to the lens barrel through the ornament plate used as a substrate. A light diffusion cover made of a transparent resin is attached to the front of the ornament plate for covering the LEDs. When using the flash, a high voltage current is applied to the LEDs to emit flash light. Each LED generates heat. However, the heat is radiated through the ornament plate.

Abstract: An image-taking apparatus includes a LED emission section that irradiates a subject with light by causing a LED to emit the light and a xenon-tube emission section that irradiates a subject with light by causing a xenon tube to emit the light. The light from the xenon-tube emission section has higher intensity than the light from the LED emission section. The image-taking apparatus also includes a shake detection section that predicts a shake that will occur at shooting by detecting a shake before shooting. The image-taking apparatus also includes an emission control section that causes the xenon-tube emission section to irradiate a subject with light when the detected shake is above a predetermined level, and causes the LED emission section to irradiate a subject with light when the detected shake is equal to or below the predetermined level.

Abstract: The object is to provide an image capture device capable of carrying out good image capture in electronic viewfinder mode. When the electronic viewfinder mode is set in a single lens reflex digital camera a quick return mirror is driven so as to direct light from a photographic subject onto a CCD, and control is also carried out such that images captured by the CCD are displayed as a through image on a liquid crystal monitor at specific time intervals, with the through image display conditions being adjusted so that the image displayed as a through image is an image equivalent to an image that would be captured during main image capture with the set main image capture conditions.

Abstract: A camera comprises a lens and an LED array at its front. The LED array is composed of red, green and blue LEDs, which are individually turned on and off for light emitting purposes, as well as changeable in their quantities of red, green and blue lights to be emitted under control of an MPU. Thus, the LED array is capable of emitting light having any color having a different brightness by controlling the respective quantities of red, green and blue lights to be emitted by the corresponding LEDs. That is, the camera is capable of irradiating an object with light having a desired color for image pickup.

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: An apparatus and method for strobe charging is disclosed. The apparatus and method can dynamically adjust a charging current according to current power level of a battery, thereby stabilizing the operating voltage of the battery and thus using the battery power to the full. The apparatus and method employs a control circuit to detect the current power level of the battery, and dynamically adjusts the charging current, generated from the battery, according to the detected current power level.

Abstract: A studio light having first and second light output regimes, and adjustable color temperature. The color temperatures of the first and second light output regimes may be different. The light module includes one or more emitters of light of at least two different colors. An external signal causes the light module to switch from a first light output regime to a second, higher intensity light output regime, and back to the first light output regime.

Abstract: An electronic flash, imaging device and method for producing flashes of light uses a diffractive optical element to produce a flash of light having a rectangular radiation pattern. The diffractive optical element is configured to diffract light emitted from a light source such that the radiation pattern of the light emitted from the diffractive optical element is rectangular to produce the rectangular flash of light.

Abstract: A strobe pop-up device for moving a strobe assembly to pop-up, bounce, and closed positions includes: a strobe assembly having a strobe, and a strobe connecting link, a bottom end of which is rotatably supported by a main body of the camera to move the strobe assembly to the pop-up, bounce, or closed position; an elastic element that is located at a point where the strobe connecting link is connected to the main body of the camera, and biases the strobe assembly toward a direction the strobe assembly stands upright; and a bounce-position maintaining element which fixes the strobe assembly to be in an inclined position at a predetermined angle between the closed position and the pop-up position. The point where the main body of the camera is connected to the strobe connecting link is disposed closer to a subject to be photographed than the strobe when in the closed position.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus with a solid state light emitting device is provided that controls one or more exposure settings for an image recording in low light conditions in response to a level of light reflected from a scene illuminated with the solid state light emitting device.

Abstract: An efficient, large-area-detector and readout-system for combined sub-mm spatial imaging and time-of-flight spectrometry of fast and slow neutrons, as well as gamma-rays, capable of loss-free operation in mixed neutron-gamma fields of very high intensity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a digital camera that is capable of capturing a picture in which the brightness between a main subject and a nighttime background are well balanced. When an image capture instruction is received while a night scene portrait mode is set, in a pixel addition output mode, an image sensor 16 is set to a high sensitivity state by performing pixel addition, and outputs low resolution non-flash image data. Further, in an overall pixel output mode, the image sensor 16 outputs high resolution flash image data in a low sensitivity state without performing pixel addition. Next, a resolution conversion circuit 40 converts a resolution of non-flash image data to be equivalent to a resolution of flash image data. Then, an image combining circuit 60 adds respective pixel values of corresponding pixels in the non-flash image data and the flash image data having the same resolution and combines both sets of image data to generate image data for recording.

Abstract: The peak of a histogram in a first flash preemission and the peak of a histogram in a second flash preemission performed with a light emission amount different from that of the first flash preemission are obtained, and the change ratio of the histogram peak value with respect to a change in flash light emission amount is calculated. By taking this change ratio into consideration, a flash light emission amount for image sensing is calculated. Image sensing is performed by causing the flash to emit light with this image sensing light emission amount.

Abstract: A digital camera (10) includes a face detecting section (74), a color temperature detecting section (76) and a flash device (86) having an LED array in which RGB LEDs are regularly arranged as a light source. When a shutter button (18) is pressed halfway, the face detecting section (74) reads out image data of a through image from a memory (60) and detects a person's face in the image. A CPU (64) identifies a scene based on brightness values of face and surrounding areas as, for example, a backlit scene, and specifies a face peripheral area according to an exposure pattern corresponding to the backlit scene. When the shutter button (18) is fully pressed, the CPU (64) sends a flash projection command to an LED control circuit (87), thereby illuminating the LEDs corresponding to the face peripheral area. By controlling illumination of the RGB LEDs, the LED control circuit (87) directs to project the flash light having color temperature that corrects the person's face color into an appropriate skin color.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an imaging optical system, an image sensor, an image signal processing section and a light-amount characteristic giving section. The imaging optical system has a distortion in such a way as to form an image whose center part is stretched, and whose peripheral part is squeezed. The image sensor has a light reception surface at which a subject image is formed through the imaging optical system, and converts the formed subject image into image signals. The image signal processing section performs an image processing for correcting the image signals with respect to the distortion. The light-amount characteristic giving section gives the subject image a characteristic in which the amount of light at a center part of the subject image formed at the light-reception surface of the image sensor is larger than that at a peripheral part of the subject image.

Abstract: A lighting control apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a lighting device, a continuous imaging control processor, and a pulse-signal generating processor. The lighting device illuminates a photographic subject by receiving a pulse signal which has a certain cycle. The continuous imaging control processor performs a continuous imaging operation where a plurality of images of the photographic subject are continuously imaged. The pulse-signal generating processor supplies the pulse signal to the lighting device with a first duty ratio in the exposure time, and with a second duty ratio which is smaller than the first duty ratio in a post-exposure time which is the time between the exposure time termination and the next exposure time start.

Abstract: In a digital camera having a red-eye reduction bracket photographing mode, a plurality of bracket photographing operations are carried out at a predetermined second interval, in which a strobe unit pre-emits strobe flash emission and, after the lapse of a predetermined first time from the pre-emission, emits main strobe flash emission to pickup an image by an image pickup unit. The image data obtained by each bracket photographing operation is written in a cache memory. Upon completion of the writing of the image data, the latter is read from the cache memory and is indicated in an image displaying LCD unit. A user can observe the indicated image data while switching the same by a selection switch. Consequently, only the image data selected by the user using an OK switch can be recorded in an image recording medium.

Abstract: A pop-up flash unit (2) for a camera includes a mounting seat (30) disposed in the camera body, a flash member (20) rotatably mounted on the mounting seat between a projected position for operating and a retracted position for storage, a driving device (40) substantially disposed in the camera body for permitting movement of the flash member from the retracted position to the projected position, a pair of first torsion members (34, 35) for providing a resilient restoring force to the flash member to thereby permit movement of the flash member from the retracted position to the projected position, and a second torsion member (45) for reliably retaining the flash member in the retracted position. The flash member is retained in its retracted position via a latching engagement with the driving device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electronic camera for generating an image having a wide dynamic range by synthesizing two image pickup signals of different exposure amount generated by using an electronic shutter function and means for shutting off light, shading of image pickup signals resulting from difference in charge accumulating time among the pixels of image pickup device due to operation from opened state to closed state of the means for shutting off light being corrected by a shading correction means to form a synthesized image without an occurrence of false color due to shading.

Abstract: A camera system with function of automatically coordinating flash intensity includes a lens, an image sensor, a focus system, a focus sensor and a control unit. The lens controls light amount that entrance into camera. The focusing system drives the lens to focus thereby forming a clear image on the image sensor. The focus sensor senses first step information of the focusing system during the focusing process, and sending the information to a control unit. The control unit transforms the result of the focusing system to a distance that the object apart from the camera, and configures out the guide number with the aperture number thereby calculating the flash intensity. The present camera systems may measure the distance that the objects apart from the camera, and low down the cost and power consumption. The camera systems may also precisely control the flash intensity thereby coordinating the exposure effect.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the status of frame data transmission from an imaging device. According to one aspect of the invention, a graphics controller interfaces with a host and an imaging device, preferably a camera. A count value is specified, preferably by the host. Frame data received from the imaging device are counted to determine an actual count. A comparison is made between the actual count and the count value. Preferably, responsive to the comparison, an indication signal is generated for interrupting the host.

Abstract: An exemplary method for controlling a direction controllable flash unit of an imaging system is disclosed. The method includes: focusing the imaging system on a primary object; capturing an image having a focal point centered on a portion corresponding to the focused primary object; obtaining a number of position values of the focal point; calculating a number of orientation angle values using the obtained position values; orienting the direction controllable flash unit according to the calculated orientation angle values so as to direct the flash emitted from the direction controllable flash unit to the primary object.

Abstract: Various methods, apparatuses, and systems in which a digital photography device includes a global shutter to control exposure time, a sensor array, and a flash illumination are described. The global shutter is in the optical path of light going to the sensor. The flash illumination generates a pulsed illumination. The shutter speed of the global shutter during a pre-flash illumination substantially matches the shutter speed during the flash illumination during the taking of a picture using the flash illumination based on the global shutter receiving a trigger signal from a controller.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a display unit configured to display a setting item screen for displaying setting items regarding a photographic condition, and a setting value screen configured to display setting values regarding the setting item selected on the setting item screen; an operation unit configured to select one of the setting items on the setting item screen and to select one of the setting values on the setting value screen; and a control unit configured to set a setting item regarding the photographic condition according to the setting value selected on the setting value screen, wherein if a state of the image pickup apparatus is changed from a state in which the selected setting item is active to non-active, the display unit continuously displays information indicating that the selected setting item is currently selected even when the selected setting item is non-active.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus estimates a distance based on a reflectance value of a subject estimated with improved precision. An illumination unit illuminates a subject with illumination light. An imaging unit captures a plurality of images each under a different condition of the illumination unit. An illumination light element obtaining unit obtains an image formed with an element of the illumination light from the plurality of images. A reflectance estimation unit eliminates illumination variations from one of the plurality of images or from the image formed with the illumination light element, and estimates a reflectance of the subject corresponding to each pixel. A distance information estimation unit estimates a distance to the subject corresponding to each pixel based on the image formed with the illumination light element and the reflectance of the subject.

Abstract: In response to a release button being pushed, a system control section informs a timing generation section of the number of images to be shot to carry out high-speed continuous shooting. A first image obtained by continuous shooting is stored in a frame memory of an imaging section. While a superimposed image based on continuously shot images is generated by a camera-shake correction section, the first image stored in the frame memory is output to a preprocessing section so that the preprocessing section generates a high-sensitivity image by increasing the gain of an amplifying circuit in the preprocessing section. A signal processing section reads the superimposed image generated by the camera-shake correction section and the high-sensitivity image generated by the preprocessing section and applies image processing to these two images. The system control section causes a recording/reproducing section to record the two images in a recording medium.

Abstract: When a release button is pressed in the image adding mode and flash-on mode, a system control section instructs a timing generation section to continuously supply a timing signal to an imaging section, thereby causing the imaging section to perform high speed continuous shooting. A flash is caused to emit light in sync with taking the last one of images taken by the continuous shooting such that the amount of the emitted light results in underexposure for one image. The continuous images taken by the imaging section are sequentially output via a preprocessing section to a blurring correction section where the taken images are superimposed upon each other to obtain an image of appropriate exposure in which blurring has been corrected.

Abstract: A digital camera has an integral flash and stores and displays a digital image. Under certain conditions, a flash photograph taken with the camera may result in a red-eye phenomenon due to a reflection within an eye of a subject of the photograph. A digital apparatus has a red-eye filter which analyzes the stored image for the red-eye phenomenon and modifies the stored image to eliminate the red-eye phenomenon by changing the red area to black. The modification of the image is enabled when a photograph is taken under conditions indicative of the red-eye phenomenon. The modification is subject to anti-falsing analysis which further examines the area around the red-eye area for indicia of the eye of the subject. The detection and correction can be optimized for performance and quality by operating on subsample versions of the image when appropriate.