Imaging device, control method, and storage medium

Abstract

An imaging device, comprising: a display component for displaying a captured image; an output component for outputting the image to an external device; a processing component capable of switching and executing a plurality of operations including a first operation and a second operation, the first operation being for capturing an image in a shooting standby period with a shooting mode setting, and the second operation being for capturing an image in the same shooting mode setting whether in the shooting standby period or during shooting; and a control component for allowing the processing component to perform the first operation when there is no ongoing image output to the external device, and for prohibiting the processing component from performing the first operation when there is an ongoing image output to the external device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, a control method, and a storage medium regarding a technique capable of changing an operation mode during shooting. Background Art

[0002] When moving image shooting is performed in an image pickup device such as a digital camera, if the processing load of the image pickup unit and the power consumption of the battery increase, these devices may generate heat and the temperature inside the device may be higher. For this reason, there is an image pickup device such as a digital camera that is equipped with a temperature increase mitigation function that suppresses the processing load of the image pickup unit and the power consumption of the battery so that the temperature inside the device does not become higher.

[0003] The temperature rise mitigation function (Eco mode) is a function for suppressing the processing load of the imaging unit and the power consumption of the battery by reducing the frame rate and resolution of images during shooting standby to lower than the frame rate and resolution during shooting (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] Citation List

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-165373

[0007] [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-333315 Summary of the invention

[0008] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0009] However, when the camera outputs an image to an external device, the image may be recorded in the external recording device or the details of the image quality may be checked in the external display device even during shooting standby, and in this case, if the image quality, etc. may deteriorate, an image that the user does not expect may be recorded or the user may not be able to check the details of the image quality.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and realizes a technique for alleviating the temperature rise inside the apparatus and suppressing the quality degradation of an image to be output to an external device.

[0011] Solutions for solving problems

[0012] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a camera device, comprising: a display component for displaying an image obtained by the camera component; an output component for outputting the image to an external device; a processing component capable of switching and executing multiple operations including a first operation and a second operation, the first operation being used to capture the image during shooting standby with a camera mode setting different from a camera mode setting during shooting, and the second operation being used to capture the image with the same camera mode setting both during shooting standby and during shooting; and a control component for allowing the processing component to perform the first operation when the output component is not outputting the image to the external device, and prohibiting the processing component from performing the first operation when the output component is outputting the image to the external device.

[0013] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a camera device, characterized in that it includes: a camera component; a display component for displaying the image obtained by the camera component; an output component for outputting the image to an external device; and a control component for causing the camera component to perform a first operation for obtaining the image whose frame rate during shooting standby is lower than the frame rate during shooting when the output component is not outputting the image to the external device, and causing the camera component to perform a second operation for obtaining the image whose frame rate is equal both during shooting standby and during shooting when the output component is outputting the image to the external device.

[0014] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a camera device, characterized in that it includes: a camera component; a display component for displaying an image obtained by the camera component; an output component for outputting the image to an external device; and a control component for causing the camera component to perform a first operation for obtaining an image whose image quality during shooting standby is lower than that during shooting when the output component is not outputting the image to the external device, and causing the camera component to perform a second operation for obtaining an image whose image quality is equal both during shooting standby and during shooting when the output component is outputting the image to the external device.

[0015] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a camera device, characterized by comprising: a camera component; a display component for displaying an image obtained by the camera component; an output component for outputting the image to an external device; and a control component for, when the output component is not performing the output of the image to the external device, causing the camera component to execute a first operation for obtaining the image by using a reading method different from that during shooting during a shooting standby period, and for, when the output component is not performing the output of the image to the external device, causing the camera component to execute a second operation for obtaining the image by using the same reading method both during the shooting standby period and during shooting.

[0016] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a control method for a camera device, wherein the camera device has a display component for displaying an image obtained by a camera component and an output component for outputting the image to an external device, and the camera device is capable of switching and executing a plurality of operations including a first operation and a second operation, the first operation being for shooting the image with a camera mode setting different from that during shooting during a shooting standby period, and the second operation being for shooting the image with the same camera mode setting both during the shooting standby period and during shooting. The control method is characterized by including: allowing the camera device to execute the first operation when the output component is not performing the output of the image to the external device; and prohibiting the camera device from executing the first operation when the output component is performing the output of the image to the external device.

[0017] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as the camera device according to the present invention.

[0018] Effects of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, the temperature rise inside the device can be slowed down and the quality deterioration of the image to be output to the external device can be suppressed.

[0020] According to the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent. Note that in all the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The drawings incorporated in the specification and constituting a part of the specification illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, are used to explain the principles of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 1Ais a front perspective view showing the device configuration according to the present embodiment.

[0023] Figure 1B is a rear perspective view showing the device configuration according to the present embodiment.

[0024] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the device configuration according to the present embodiment.

[0025] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the switching process of the heating rate reduction function according to the present embodiment.

[0026] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the setting process of the shooting mode according to the present embodiment.

[0027] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the switching process of the heating rate reduction mode according to the present embodiment.

[0028] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the moving image recording process according to the present embodiment.

[0029] Figure 7 is an example of a shooting mode setting screen according to the present embodiment.

[0030] Figure 8 is an example of a shooting mode that switches between shooting standby and shooting in the heating rate reduction mode according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention. In the embodiments, multiple features are described, but the invention is not limited to an invention that requires all such features, and multiple such features can be appropriately combined. In addition, in the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar configurations, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0032] [Embodiment 1]

[0033] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings when the present invention is applied to an imaging device such as a digital single-lens reflex camera capable of shooting still images or moving images.

[0034] <Device Configuration>

[0035] Hereinafter, reference will be made to Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 2 to describe the configuration and functions of the digital camera according to the present embodiment.

[0036] Figure 1A is a front perspective view of the digital camera 100, andFigure 1B is a rear perspective view of the digital camera 100.

[0037] In Figure 1A and Figure 1B , the rear display unit 101 is a display device (such as an LCD provided on the rear surface of the camera body) for displaying images and various types of information. In addition, the rear display unit 101 has a function of reproducing a still image after a still image has been captured, a function of displaying a moving image being recorded, and a live view display function. The external viewfinder display unit 243 is a display device such as an LCD provided on the upper surface of the camera body, and displays various setting values of the camera (such as shutter speed and aperture).

[0038] The shutter release button 102 is an operation unit for giving a shooting instruction. The mode selection switch 103 is a dial-type operation unit for switching between various modes. The terminal cover 104 is a cover member for protecting a connector (not shown) that is used to connect an external device 300 and the digital camera 100 via a cable such as a USB cable. The main electronic dial 105 is a rotary operation member included in the operation unit 270 that will be described later with reference to Figure 2 , and by rotating the main electronic dial 105, setting values such as shutter speed and aperture can be changed.

[0039] The power switch 106 is an operation member for turning on / off the power of the digital camera 100. The sub-electronic dial 107 is also a rotary operation member included in the operation unit 270 that will be described later with reference to Figure 2 , and can move a selection box and scroll an image, etc. The cross key 108 is also a movement instruction member included in the operation unit 270 that will be described later with reference to Figure 2 , and operations corresponding to the pressed portion of the cross key 108 can be performed by pressing one of the four-way buttons composed of up, down, left, and right.

[0040] The setting button 109 is also a push button included in the operation unit 270 that will be described later with reference to Figure 2 , and is mainly used to determine selection items, etc. The live view button 110 is also a push button included in the operation unit 270 that will be described later with reference to Figure 2 , and is used to turn on / off the live view (hereinafter, it may be referred to as "LV") display in the still image shooting mode, and to give an instruction to start or stop moving image shooting (recording) in the moving image recording mode. The zoom button 111 is also included in the operation unit 270 that will be described later with reference to Figure 2The push button in the operation unit 270 described, and is an operation member for turning on / off the magnified display during live view and changing the magnification during the magnified display. Additionally, the zoom-in button 111 is an operation member for magnifying a reproduced image and increasing the magnification in the reproduction mode. The zoom-out button 112 is also a push button included in the operation unit 270 to be described later with reference to Figure 2 The push button in the operation unit 270 described, and is an operation member for reducing the magnification of the magnified reproduced image and displaying the screen in a reduced state. The reproduction button 113 is also included in the operation unit 270 to be described later with reference to Figure 2 The push button in the operation unit 270 described, and is an operation member for switching between the shooting mode and the reproduction mode. When the reproduction button 113 is pressed during the shooting mode, the operation mode changes to the reproduction mode, and the latest image among the images recorded on the recording medium 250 can be displayed on the rear display unit 101.

[0041] According to an instruction from the system control unit 201 to be described later with reference to Figure 2 The quick return mirror 212 is driven to the upward position (exposure position) or the downward position (live view position) by an actuator (not shown). The communication terminal 210 includes electrical contacts for the digital camera 100 to communicate with the lens unit 200 ( Figure 2 ). The peephole type eyepiece viewfinder 216 is an optical member for checking the focus and composition of the subject image obtained through the lens unit 200 by observing the focusing screen 213 ( Figure 2 ). The cover 116 is a member for opening or closing the slot for mounting the recording medium 250 to the digital camera 100 or removing the recording medium 250 from the digital camera 100. The grip portion 115 has a shape that can be easily grasped by the user's right hand when the user stably holds the digital camera 100.

[0042] Next, the internal configurations of the digital camera 100 and the lens unit 200 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 2 In Figure 2 The same configurations as those in Figure 1A and Figure 1B are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0043] In Figure 2In it, the lens unit 200 is equipped with a photographing lens 207 and is detachable from the digital camera 100. The photographing lens 207 is usually composed of multiple lenses, but here it is simplified and shown as only one lens. The communication terminal 206 includes electrical contacts for communication between the lens unit 200 and the digital camera 100. The communication terminal 210 includes electrical contacts for communication between the digital camera 100 and the lens unit 200. The lens unit 200 communicates with the system control unit 201 via the communication terminal 206, and the built-in lens control unit 204 controls the aperture drive circuit 202 to drive the aperture 205 and controls the AF drive circuit 203 to shift the position of the photographing lens 207 so as to focus the subject image.

[0044] The AE sensor 217 performs photometry to obtain the brightness of the subject acquired through the lens unit 200. The focus detection unit 211 outputs the defocus amount to the system control unit 201, and the system control unit 201 communicates with the lens unit 200 and performs control for autofocus processing using the phase difference detection method based on the defocus amount.

[0045] The quick return mirror (hereinafter referred to as "mirror") 212 receives instructions from the system control unit 201 during exposure, live view display, and moving image shooting and is driven to the up position or the down position by an actuator (not shown). The quick return mirror 212 switches the light beam entering the photographing lens 207 to the eyepiece viewfinder 216 or the imaging unit 222. The quick return mirror 212 is normally biased toward the down position to reflect the light beam and direct the light beam to the eyepiece viewfinder 216, but for exposure and live view display, the quick return mirror 212 jumps up and retracts (to the up position) with respect to the light beam to direct the light beam to the imaging unit 222. In addition, the central portion of the quick return mirror 212 is a semi-transmissive semi-reflective mirror such that a part of the light beam passes through and enters the focus detection unit 211. The photographer can check the focus and composition of the subject image acquired through the lens unit 200 by observing the focusing screen 213 via the pentaprism 214 and the eyepiece viewfinder 216.

[0046] The focal plane shutter 221 can freely control the exposure time of the imaging unit 222 according to instructions from the system control unit 201. The imaging unit 222 is an image sensor composed of an imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS for converting a subject image into an electrical signal. The A / D converter 223 converts the analog signal output from the imaging unit 222 into a digital signal.

[0047] The image processing unit 224 performs size adjustment processing such as predetermined pixel interpolation and reduction, and color conversion processing on the data from the A / D converter 223 or the data from the memory control unit 215. In addition, the image processing unit 224 performs predetermined arithmetic processing using the captured image data, and the system control unit 201 performs exposure control and focus control based on the arithmetic result. Therefore, TTL (through the lens) type AF (automatic focusing) processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, and EF (flash pre-flash) processing are performed. In addition, the image processing unit 224 performs predetermined arithmetic processing using the captured image data, and performs TTL type AWB (automatic white balance) processing based on the arithmetic result.

[0048] The digital data from the A / D converter 223 is directly written into the memory 232 via both the image processing unit 224 and the memory control unit 215 or via the memory control unit 215. The memory 232 stores the image data obtained from the imaging unit 222 and the A / D converter 223, the display data for display on the rear display unit 101, or the display or recording data for output to the external device 300. The memory 232 has a storage capacity sufficient to store a predetermined number of still images, moving images, and audio for a predetermined period of time. The memory 232 also serves as a memory (video memory) for image display.

[0049] The D / A converter 219 converts the image display data stored in the memory 232 into an analog signal and supplies the analog signal to the rear display unit 101. The image display data written in the memory 232 is displayed by the rear display unit 101 via the D / A converter 219. The rear display unit 101 performs display according to the analog signal from the D / A converter 219. In this way, the digital signal stored in the memory 232 is converted into an analog signal, and the analog signal is continuously sent to the rear display unit 101 for display on the rear display unit 101, which enables the realization of the electronic viewfinder (EVF) function and real-time viewfinder display (through the lens image display).

[0050] On the viewfinder internal display unit 241, a frame indicating the focus detection point (AF position) where the current AF processing is being performed and icons indicating the setting state of the camera are displayed via the viewfinder internal display unit drive circuit 242. Therefore, the user can check the AF position and the camera setting state through the optical viewfinder (OVF), which enables viewing of the subject image obtained by the lens unit 200 through the eyepiece viewfinder 216.

[0051] On the external viewfinder display unit 243, various setting values of the camera (such as shutter speed and aperture) are displayed via the external viewfinder display unit driving circuit 244.

[0052] The external output I / F 290 supplies the display or recorded video data (still image data or moving image data) stored in the memory 232 to the external device 300 as it is in the form of a digital signal. For example, an image signal, an audio signal, and a control signal are output according to a communication protocol compliant with the HDMI (registered trademark) (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) standard. In this way, the display or recorded video data written in the memory 232 is displayed in the external device 300. The external device 300 is, for example, a 4K or 8K compatible display or recording device. The external output I / F 290 is not limited to HDMI (registered trademark), and SDI or USB is also applicable.

[0053] The non-volatile memory 256 is, for example, an electrically erasable and recordable EEPROM. In the non-volatile memory 256, constants and programs for the operating system control unit 201 and the like are stored. In this context, the "program" may refer to a program for executing various flowcharts to be described later.

[0054] The system control unit 201 has a CPU or MPU for overall control of the entire digital camera 100, and realizes each process of the flowchart to be described later by executing the program stored in the non-volatile memory 256. The system memory 252 is, for example, a RAM, and also serves as a working memory for loading constants and variables for the operating system control unit 201 and the program read out from the non-volatile memory 256. The system control unit 201 controls the memory 232, the D / A converter 219, the rear display unit 101, the external output I / F 290, etc. to perform display control. The system timer 253 is a time measurement unit for measuring the time period of various types of control and the time of the integrated clock.

[0055] The mode selection switch 103, the first shutter switch 261, the second shutter switch 262, and the operation unit 270 are operation members for inputting various types of instructions into the system control unit 201. The mode selection switch 103 switches the operation mode of the system control unit 201 to any one of the still image shooting mode, the moving image recording mode, and the playback mode. The still image shooting mode includes an automatic shooting mode, an automatic scene determination mode, a manual mode, an aperture-priority AE mode (Av mode), a shutter-speed-priority AE mode (Tv mode). The still image shooting mode also includes various scene modes, a program AE mode, a custom mode, etc. in which specific shooting settings for each scene are made.

[0056] Using the mode selection switch 103, the mode is directly switched to any one of a plurality of modes included in the still image shooting mode. Alternatively, the mode selection switch 103 can also be used to switch to the still image shooting mode, and then other operation members can be used to switch to any one of a plurality of modes included in the still image shooting mode. Similarly, the moving image recording mode and the reproduction mode may also include a plurality of modes. The moving image recording mode also includes a temperature rise mitigation mode (Eco mode) for mitigating the temperature rise caused by the heat generated by the internal processing of the digital camera 100.

[0057] Compared with the processing for shooting an image during shooting, the temperature rise mitigation function reduces this processing during the shooting standby period. Specifically, when the temperature rise mitigation mode is turned on, the frame rate and resolution of the moving image output from the imaging unit 222 during the shooting standby period are reduced to be lower than the frame rate and resolution during shooting (moving image recording). When the shutter release button 102 provided on the digital camera 100 is being operated, that is, when the shutter release button 102 is half-pressed (shooting preparation indication), the first shutter switch 261 is turned on, and the first shutter switch signal SW1 is generated. When receiving the first shutter switch signal SW1, the system control unit 201 causes the image processing unit 224 to start AF processing, AE processing, AWB processing, EF processing, etc.

[0058] When the operation of the shutter release button 102 is completed, that is, when the shutter release button 102 is fully pressed (shooting indication), the second shutter switch 262 is turned on, and the second shutter switch signal SW2 is generated. When receiving the second shutter switch signal SW2, the system control unit 201 starts a series of shooting processes from reading the signal from the imaging unit 222 until the image data is directly written into the recording medium 250.

[0059] By selecting an item for setting various functions or an item indicating a set value displayed on the rear display unit 101, an appropriate function for each situation is assigned to the operation unit 270, and thus the operation unit 270 serves as various function buttons. Examples of these function buttons include a menu button 270e, an end button, a back button, an image scroll button, a skip button, a reduction button, and an attribute change button. For example, by pressing the menu button 270e, a menu screen capable of performing various settings is displayed on the rear display unit 101. The user can intuitively perform various settings by using the cross keys 108, the setting button 109, and the menu screen displayed on the rear display unit 101.

[0060] The operation unit 270 includes operation members such as various switches, buttons, or touch panels that accept various operations from the user, and at least includes the following operation members. The operation members are the shutter release button 102, the main electronic dial 105, the power switch 106, the sub-electronic dial 107, the cross key 108, the setting button 109, the live view button 110, the zoom in button 111, the zoom out button 112, and the playback button 113. The cross key 108 is a direction button where the upper, lower, right, and left parts of the cross key 108 can be pushed down. Although in this embodiment, a description of an integrated operation unit is given, the up button, down button, right button, and left button can be independent buttons. Hereinafter, the upper and lower parts are referred to as the up key and down key, and the left and right parts are referred to as the left key and right key. In addition, the operation unit 270 includes operation members such as a dedicated connection button for starting data communication with an external device 300 via the external output I / F 290.

[0061] The power control unit 280 is composed of, for example, a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, and a switching circuit for converting the blocks to be powered, and detects whether a battery has been inserted, the type of the battery, and the remaining battery power. In addition, the power control unit 280 controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection result and the instruction of the system control unit 201, and supplies necessary voltage to each component including the recording medium 250 during a necessary time period.

[0062] The power supply unit 230 includes a primary battery such as an alkaline battery or a lithium battery, a secondary battery such as a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, or a lithium-ion battery, or an AC adapter, etc. The recording medium I / F 218 is an interface with a recording medium 250 such as a memory card or a hard disk drive. The recording medium 250 is a recording medium such as a memory card for recording captured images, and is composed of a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like.

[0063] The communication unit 254 is wirelessly connected or connected by a cable, and transmits and receives image signals and audio signals. The communication unit 254 can also be connected to a wireless LAN (local area network) and the Internet. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) is envisaged as the communication protocol. Since known technologies are envisaged to be used, the protocol is not specifically limited in this embodiment. The communication unit 254 can send the images (including images through the lens) captured by the imaging unit 222 and the image files recorded in the recording medium 250 to the external device 300, and can receive image files and various types of information from the external device 300.

[0064] The posture detection unit 255 detects the posture (orientation) of the digital camera 100 with respect to the direction of gravity. In this case, based on the posture detected by the posture detection unit 255, it is possible to distinguish whether the image captured by the imaging unit 222 is captured with the digital camera 100 set in the landscape orientation or the portrait orientation. The system control unit 201 can add information related to the orientation information corresponding to the posture detected by the posture detection unit 255 to the image file of the image captured by the imaging unit 222, and rotate and record the captured image. An acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, etc. can be used as the posture detection unit 255.

[0065] In addition, the rear display unit 101 is provided with a touch panel 270a having a touch sensor capable of detecting a touch operation on the display screen. The touch panel 270a is an input device that is arranged in a plane so as to overlap the display screen of the rear display unit 101 and outputs coordinate information corresponding to the touched position. The system control unit 201 can detect the following operations of the touch panel 270a. Touching (touch-down) the touch panel 270a with a finger or a pen. The state in which the touch panel 270a is in contact with a finger or a pen (touch-on). Moving while a finger or a pen is in contact with the touch panel 270a (movement). Releasing a finger or a pen that has been in contact with the touch panel 270a (touch-up). The state in which the touch panel 270a is not touched (touch-off). A continuous touch or touch-up on the touch panel 270a with a finger or a pen is called a tap. These operations and the position coordinates of the touch panel 270a touched by a finger or a pen are communicated to the system control unit 201, and the system control unit 201 determines which operation (touch operation) has been performed on the touch panel based on the information communicated in this way. Regarding "movement", it is also possible to judge the movement direction of a finger or a pen moving on the touch panel 270a for each vertical component and horizontal component based on the change in the coordinate position. In addition, when the touch panel 270a is touched down, moved a predetermined distance or more, and then touched up, the touch panel 270a is dropped by dragging (drag and drop). The touch panel 270a can adopt a method depending on any one of the following: a resistive film, capacitive touch, surface acoustic wave, infrared radiation, electromagnetic induction, image recognition, and optical sensing.

[0066] The present invention is not limited to the imaging device main body, and can also be applied to a control device that communicates with an imaging device (including a network camera) through wired or wireless communication and remotely controls the imaging device. As an example of a device for remotely controlling an imaging device, devices such as a smartphone (of the mobile phone type), a tablet PC, a desktop PC, etc. can be given. Based on operations performed on the control device side and processes executed on the control device side, etc., commands for performing various types of operations and settings are communicated from the control device side to the imaging device, etc., and the imaging device can be remotely controlled. In addition, a live view image captured by the imaging device can be received and displayed by the control device side through wired or wireless communication.

[0067] Note that, in the present embodiment, an example of applying the present invention to a digital camera has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this example. That is, the present invention can be applied to devices including a display unit and capable of transmitting data to an external device (such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone terminal, a mobile image viewer, a printer device including a display, a digital photo frame, a music player, a game console, or an e-book reader, etc.).

[0068] <Control Processing>

[0069] Next, reference will be made to Figures 3 to 8 describe the control processing of the digital camera 100 according to the present embodiment.

[0070] The processing of each flowchart is implemented by loading a program recorded in the non-volatile memory 256 into the system memory 252 and executing the program by the system control unit 201. When the power of the digital camera 100 is turned on and the moving image recording mode is set, the Figures 3 to 6 processing starts. Figure 3 processing.

[0071] First, reference will be made to Figure 3 describe the switching processing of the warming slowdown function in the moving image recording mode of the present embodiment with reference to the flowchart of

[0072] The warming slowdown function is a function that, in the moving image recording mode, reduces the processing during the shooting standby period compared to the processing for shooting an image during shooting, in order to suppress the processing load of the imaging unit 222 of the digital camera 100 and the power consumption of the battery, and to slow down the temperature rise caused by heat generation inside the device. Specifically, when the warming slowdown mode is on, the image quality (resolution) and frame rate of the moving image output from the imaging unit 222 during the shooting standby period, the reading method of the image signal, etc. are reduced to be lower than those during the shooting period (during moving image recording), such as the image quality (resolution) and frame rate, the reading method of the image signal, etc.

[0073] In S301, the system control unit 201 determines whether the operation unit 270 has accepted a user operation and has given an indication for setting the imaging mode. When the indication for setting the imaging mode has been given, it proceeds to S302, and when the indication for setting the imaging mode has not been given, it proceeds to S303.

[0074] In S302, the system control unit 201 performs the imaging mode setting process that will be described later Figure 4 in the following.

[0075] In S303, the system control unit 201 determines whether the operation unit 270 has accepted a user operation and has given an indication for setting the heating rate reduction function. When the indication for setting the heating rate reduction function has been given, it proceeds to S304, and when the indication for setting the heating rate reduction function has not been given, it proceeds to S306.

[0076] In S304, the system control unit 201 determines whether display data or recording data is being output to the external device 300 through the external output I / F 290. When data is being output, it proceeds to S306, and when data is not being output, it proceeds to S305.

[0077] In the present embodiment, by prohibiting the change of the heating rate reduction setting during the data output from the digital camera 100 to the external device 300, adverse factors during the external output for displaying or recording a moving image in the external device 300 can be prevented. Note that even in the single-screen setting where the image is only displayed on the display device of the output destination, or even in the dual-screen setting where the image is displayed on both the display device of the output destination and the rear display unit 101 of the digital camera 100, the change of the heating rate reduction setting during the external output will also be prohibited.

[0078] In S305, the system control unit 201 changes the setting of the heating rate reduction function to on or off according to the user operation accepted by the operation unit 270, and stores the changed setting in the system memory 252.

[0079] In S306, the system control unit 201 changes the operation setting of the imaging unit 222 according to the imaging mode setting set in S302, and displays a live view image on the rear display unit 101.

[0080] In S307, the system control unit 201 determines the setting state of the heating rate reduction function. When the heating rate reduction function is on, it proceeds to S308, and when the heating rate reduction function is off, it proceeds to S310.

[0081] In S308, the system control unit 201 determines whether display data or recording data is being output to the external device 300 via the external output I / F 290. When data is being output, the process proceeds to S310, and when data is not being output, the process proceeds to S309.

[0082] In this embodiment, by prohibiting switching to the temperature rise slowdown mode during external output, adverse factors during external output for displaying or recording a moving image in the external device 300 can be prevented. Note that even when the image is displayed in a single-screen setting only on the display device of the output destination, or even when the image is displayed in a dual-screen setting on both the display device of the output destination and the rear display unit 101 of the digital camera 100, switching to the temperature rise slowdown mode during external output will be prohibited.

[0083] In S309, the system control unit 201 performs the temperature rise slowdown mode switching process that will be described later in Figure 5 .

[0084] In S310, the system control unit 201 determines whether the operation unit 270 has received a user operation and has given an instruction to start recording a moving image, such as by pressing the live view button 110. When an instruction to start recording a moving image has been given, the process proceeds to S311, and when an instruction to start recording a moving image has not been given, the process proceeds to S312.

[0085] In S311, the system control unit 201 performs the moving image recording process that will be referred to later in Figure 6 .

[0086] In S312, the system control unit 201 determines whether the operation unit 270 has received a user operation and has given an instruction to end the process, such as by turning off the power switch 106. When an instruction to end the process has been given, the process ends, and when an instruction to end the process has not been given, the process returns to S301 and repeats the process.

[0087] <Imaging mode setting process>

[0088] Next, the imaging mode setting process in S302 will be described with reference to Figure 4 . Figure 3 of S302.

[0089] In S401, the system control unit 201 displays the imaging mode setting screen 700 shown in Figure 7 on the rear display unit 101. The user can operate the operation unit 270 or touch the touch panel 270a of the rear display unit 101 to Figure 7On the shooting mode setting screen, any setting can be selected from each of the image quality setting item 701, frame rate setting item 702, image compression method setting item 703, and signal reading method setting item 704. The image quality setting item 701 includes image resolution options such as 4K, 8K, and FHD. The frame rate setting item 702 includes options such as 120 FPS (frames per second), 60 FPS, and 30 FPS. The image compression method setting item 703 includes options of All-I and IPB for each image quality setting item 701. The signal reading method setting item 704 includes options such as the oversampling method (oversampling) and the dot-by-dot method (dot). The oversampling method is a method for converting an image to the set image quality after reading all pixels from the imaging element, and the dot-by-dot method is a method for reading only the pixels in the area of the set image quality from the imaging element.

[0090] In S402, the system control unit 201 determines whether the operation unit 270 has accepted a user operation and given an image quality setting change instruction. When an image quality setting change instruction has been given, it proceeds to S403, and when no image quality setting change instruction has been given, it proceeds to S404. The user can select any setting from the image quality setting item 701 in the shooting mode setting screen 700 Figure 7 .

[0091] In S403, the system control unit 201 changes the image quality setting according to the image quality setting change instruction accepted in S402 and stores the image quality setting in the system memory 252.

[0092] In S404, the system control unit 201 determines whether the operation unit 270 has accepted a user operation and given a frame rate setting change instruction. When a frame rate setting change instruction has been given, it proceeds to S405, and when no frame rate setting change instruction has been given, it proceeds to S406.

[0093] In S405, the system control unit 201 changes the frame rate setting according to the frame rate change instruction accepted in S404 and stores the frame rate setting in the system memory 252.

[0094] In S406, the system control unit 201 determines whether the operation unit 270 has accepted a user operation and given a signal reading method setting change instruction. When a signal reading method setting change instruction has been given, it proceeds to S407, and when no signal reading method setting change instruction has been given, it proceeds to S408.

[0095] In S407, the system control unit 201 changes the signal reading method setting according to the signal reading method setting change instruction received in S406, and stores the signal reading method setting in the system memory 252.

[0096] In S408, the system control unit 201 determines whether the operation unit 270 has received a user operation and has given an indication to end the shooting mode setting. When the indication to end the shooting mode setting has been given, the process ends. When the indication to end the shooting mode setting has not been given, the process returns to S401 and repeats the process.

[0097] <Temperature Rise Slowdown Mode Switching Process>

[0098] Next, the temperature rise slowdown mode switching process in S309 will be described with reference to Figure 5 description Figure 3 in S309.

[0099] In S501, the system control unit 201 determines whether the image quality setting stored in the system memory 252 is 8K. When the image quality setting is 8K, the process proceeds to S502. When the image quality setting is not 8K, the process proceeds to S503.

[0100] In S502, the system control unit 201 switches the operation setting of the imaging unit 222 to the setting of 4K.

[0101] In S503, the system control unit 201 determines whether the frame rate setting stored in the system memory 252 is 30P. When the setting is 30P, the process proceeds to S505. When the setting is not 30P, the process proceeds to S504.

[0102] In S504, the system control unit 201 switches the operation setting of the imaging unit 222 to the setting of 30P.

[0103] In S505, the system control unit 201 determines whether the signal reading method setting stored in the system memory 252 is the oversampling method. When the setting is the oversampling method, the process proceeds to S506. When the setting is not the oversampling method, the process ends.

[0104] In S506, the system control unit 201 switches the operation setting of the imaging unit 222 to the setting of the point-to-point method.

[0105] Figure 8 is an example showing a part of the shooting mode setting for switching between shooting standby and shooting in the temperature rise slowdown mode. In Figure 8In [the above], when the temperature rise mitigation function is set to ON, during shooting standby, at least one of the image quality setting, frame rate setting, and signal read method setting changes in a decreasing direction. As a result, the internal temperature of the digital camera 100, which would otherwise become higher, can be reduced.

[0106] <Moving image recording process>

[0107] Next, the moving image recording process in S311, which will be described Figure 6 will be Figure 3 described.

[0108] In S601, the system control unit 201 determines whether the operation mode has been switched to the temperature rise mitigation mode. When the operation mode has been switched to the temperature rise mitigation mode, it proceeds to S602, and when the operation mode has not been switched to the temperature rise mitigation mode, it proceeds to S603.

[0109] In S602, the system control unit 201 switches the operation settings of the imaging unit 222 according to the imaging mode settings stored in the system memory 252.

[0110] In S603, the system control unit 201 performs a moving image recording start process such as starting to read a signal from the imaging unit 222.

[0111] In S604, the system control unit 201 generates a moving image file based on the signal read from the imaging unit 222 and performs a moving image recording process for writing the moving image file to the recording medium 250.

[0112] In S605, the system control unit 201 determines whether the operation unit 270 has received a user operation and has given a moving image recording stop instruction such as by pressing the live view button 110. When a moving image recording stop instruction has been given, it proceeds to S606, and when no moving image recording stop instruction has been given, it proceeds to S604.

[0113] In S606, the system control unit 201 performs a moving image recording stop process such as stopping to read a signal from the imaging unit 222.

[0114] When an abnormal operation such as rotation of the mode dial occurs Figures 3 to 6 during the process of [the above], the process can be interrupted in the middle of the process.

[0115] As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the digital camera 100 can be operated by switching to the temperature-rise mitigation mode, the setting of the temperature-rise mitigation function and the switching to the temperature-rise mitigation mode are permitted when not during external output, in order to reduce the internal temperature of the digital camera 100 that would otherwise become higher. Further, when during external output, the setting of the temperature-rise mitigation function and the switching to the temperature-rise mitigation mode are prohibited, in order to suppress degradation of the quality of the image to be externally output and to reduce the adverse factors in recording an image in the recording device and displaying an image in the display device.

[0116] [Other Embodiments]

[0117] The present invention can be implemented by the following process: supplying a program for implementing one or more functions of the above-described embodiment to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and causing one or more processors in a computer of the system or device to read out and execute the program. The present invention can also be implemented by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) for implementing one or more functions.

[0118] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the appended claims are made to inform the public of the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising: A display component for displaying the image obtained by the imaging component; An output component for outputting the image to an external device; A processing component capable of switching and executing a plurality of operations including a first operation and a second operation. The first operation is used to capture the image in a first imaging mode setting during shooting and in a second imaging mode setting during shooting standby. The second operation is used to capture the image in the first imaging mode setting both during shooting standby and during shooting. In the second imaging mode setting, compared with the processing of capturing the image in the first imaging mode setting during shooting, the processing for capturing the image is reduced; A control component for allowing the processing component to execute the first operation when the output component is not performing the output of the image to the external device, and for prohibiting the processing component from executing the first operation when the output component is performing the output of the image to the external device; A first operation component for accepting a first user operation for setting to execute the first operation; And A second operation component for accepting a second user operation for setting the first imaging mode setting, wherein when the output component is not performing the output of the image to the external device, the control component allows the setting for executing the first operation according to the first user operation and the change of the first imaging mode setting set according to the second user operation to the second imaging mode setting, and when the output component is performing the output of the image to the external device, the control component prohibits the setting for executing the first operation according to the first user operation and the change of the first imaging mode setting set according to the second user operation to the second imaging mode setting.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, The first imaging mode setting and the second imaging mode setting include at least one of the quality of the image, the frame rate of the image, and the reading method of the image.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, The second imaging mode setting is an imaging mode setting in which the heat generation caused by the processing for capturing the image is reduced to be lower than the heat generation caused by the processing in the first imaging mode setting.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, When the output component is performing the output of the image to the external device, even when setting the screen for displaying the image only on the external device which is the output destination of the image, and even when setting the screen for displaying the image on both the external device which is the output destination of the image and the imaging device, the control component prohibits the processing component from executing the first operation.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, The display component displays the image obtained by the imaging component as a live view.

6. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a recording component for recording the image obtained by the imaging component.

7. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The processing component includes the imaging component.

8. A control method for an imaging device, wherein, The imaging device has a display component for displaying an image obtained by an imaging component, an output component for outputting the image to an external device, a processing component capable of switching and executing a plurality of operations including a first operation and a second operation, a first operation component for accepting a first user operation for setting to execute the first operation, and a second operation component for accepting a second user operation for setting a first imaging mode setting. The first operation is for capturing the image in the first imaging mode setting during shooting and in the second imaging mode setting during shooting standby, and the second operation is for capturing the image in the first imaging mode setting both during shooting standby and during shooting. In the second imaging mode setting, processing for capturing the image is reduced compared to processing for capturing the image in the first imaging mode setting during shooting. The control method is characterized by including: When the output component is not performing the output of the image to the external device, allowing setting for executing the first operation according to the first user operation and changing the first imaging mode setting set according to the second user operation to the second imaging mode setting; and When the output component is performing the output of the image to the external device, prohibiting setting for executing the first operation according to the first user operation and changing the first imaging mode setting set according to the second user operation to the second imaging mode setting.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 8.

10. A computer program product comprising a program for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 8.

Images