Imaging apparatus

Abstract

To provide an imaging apparatus that includes a rear display and an electronic viewfinder and is excellent in operability to a touch panel when an electronic viewfinder is used.SOLUTION: When a user performs a touch manipulation on a touch panel 21 incorporated in a rear display 11 in order to set a focus area, an effective detection area 60 for detecting a touch position is different between when the rear display 11 is used and when the electronic viewfinder 12 is used. The effective detection area 60 when the rear display is used, is set to coincide with the entire display screen, and when the electronic viewfinder 12 is used, the effective detection area is set to be reduced to an area of a part of the display screen of the rear display 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for performing autofocus (AF) operations using a touch panel in an imaging device equipped with two display sections, a rear display and a viewfinder. [Background technology]

[0002] In imaging devices such as digital cameras that use imaging elements such as CCD and CMOS sensors to capture images of subjects, a rear display that can be viewed from a predetermined distance is generally installed to display the captured image and operation menus to the user. This rear display is configured by integrating a touch panel with a liquid crystal panel, so that the user can specify the position to which the focus is to be adjusted while viewing the image of the subject being captured. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a focus frame used for controlling the focus, which is set at an arbitrary position on an image displayed on a liquid crystal panel, is controlled in response to a user's operation of the touch panel, and the focus is controlled based on the image inside the focus frame among the images displayed on the liquid crystal panel.

[0003] Furthermore, in addition to the above-mentioned rear display, imaging devices such as digital cameras may be equipped with a display (electronic viewfinder (EVF)) that allows the user to peer into and visually view the image being captured. The electronic viewfinder has high light-blocking properties and makes it easy to identify images even in bright environments such as outdoors, but it is not possible to incorporate a touch panel, and it is less user-friendly than a rear display integrated with a touch panel. In this regard, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration (EVF operation mode) that enables the user to perform various touch operations using a touch panel installed in front of the rear display (liquid crystal monitor) when it is recognized that the electronic viewfinder is in use. In this EVF operation mode, a focus function is realized by associating a position on the image displayed on the electronic viewfinder with a position on the touch panel of the rear display. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-19685 A [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2012 / 001749 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] We consider an operation method for an imaging device such as a digital camera when operating a touch panel while viewing a subject through an electronic viewfinder to take a picture as in Patent Document 2. A typical user supports the camera body from below with their left hand and holds the camera grip or the right side of the body with their right hand to hold the body in place, while operating the shutter button with the index finger of their right hand. At the same time, they touch the touch panel on the rear display with the thumb of their right hand. This allows the user to quickly focus on the desired subject position and take a picture.

[0006] However, as camera bodies become larger, there is a problem that when trying to operate the touch panel with the thumb of the right hand in the manner described above, the thumb has difficulty reaching the left area of ​​the rear display (touch panel), deteriorating operability. In this case, the user can operate the touch panel by removing their right hand from the body, but this will delay the operation of the shutter button, and there is a risk of missing the shutter opportunity.

[0007] Furthermore, in addition to the rear display, the rear face of the camera is provided with user operation input buttons and the like, and it is required to effectively utilize the rear face area while ensuring these functions.

[0008] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device that provides good operability of the touch panel when an electronic viewfinder is used. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The imaging device of the present invention includes an imaging element that converts an optical image of a subject input through a focus lens into an imaging signal, a lens control unit that controls the position of the focus lens to perform a focus operation on a set focus area, a signal processing circuit that generates a video signal from an output signal of the imaging element, a first display that displays an image of the subject using the video signal output by the signal processing circuit, a second display that displays the image of the subject using the video signal output by the signal processing circuit, a display switching means that switches whether the image of the subject is displayed on the first display or the second display, and a touch panel that detects a user's touch operation position in order to set a focus area for the image of the subject displayed on the first display or the second display. The touch panel is characterized in that an effective detection area that detects a user's touch operation position is set corresponding to the entire display screen of the first display or the second display, and the size of the effective detection area is different between when an image is displayed on the first display and when an image is displayed on the second display.

[0010] Alternatively, an imaging device of the present invention may include an imaging element that converts an optical image of the subject input via a focus lens into an imaging signal, a lens control unit that controls the position of the focus lens to perform a focus operation on a set focus area, a signal processing circuit that generates a video signal from an output signal of the imaging element, a first display that displays an image of the subject using the video signal output by the signal processing circuit, a second display that displays the image of the subject using the video signal output by the signal processing circuit, display switching means that switches whether the image of the subject is displayed on the first display or the second display, a first touch panel that detects a user's touch operation position in order to set a focus area for the image of the subject displayed on the first display, and a second touch panel that detects a user's touch operation position in order to set a focus area for the image of the subject displayed on the second display. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, when a focus area is set using a touch panel built into a rear display while checking a subject through an electronic viewfinder, the user can easily operate the rear display even if the rear display is large, thereby providing a user-friendly imaging device.

[0012] Alternatively, according to the present invention, a dedicated touch panel for use when using the electronic viewfinder is provided on the rear of the imaging device, making it easy for the user to perform touch operations even if the rear display is large, thereby providing an imaging device that is easy to use. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional structure of a rear display. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is an external view showing an imaging device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4]6 is an explanatory diagram of a method for setting a focus area on the display screen of the rear display. [Diagram 5] 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams of a method for setting a focus area for an image displayed on an electronic viewfinder. [Figure 6] 4 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between an image display screen and a detection area of ​​a touch panel. [Figure 7] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing an example of a method for changing an effective detection area by a user. [Figure 8] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing an example of a display of a menu screen related to a focus operation. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of setting of a focus area when switching between landscape and portrait shooting (Example 2). [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a method for setting a focus area using a focus candidate frame (Example 3). [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is an external view showing an imaging device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams of a method for setting a focus area for an image displayed on an electronic viewfinder. [Figure 14] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing an example of a display of a menu screen related to a focus operation. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is an external view showing an imaging device according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 17A] 3A to 3C are diagrams showing examples of images displayed on the electronic viewfinder and the first and second rear displays. [Figure 17B] 3A to 3C are diagrams showing examples of images displayed on the electronic viewfinder and the first and second rear displays. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is an external view showing an imaging device according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 20A] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of images displayed on an electronic viewfinder and a multi-rear display. [Figure 20B]1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of images displayed on an electronic viewfinder and a multi-rear display. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. EXAMPLES

[0015] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device according to Example 1. The imaging device 1 of this embodiment has two display units, namely, a rear display 11 and an electronic viewfinder 12, and the rear display 11 is configured by integrating a touch panel 21 and a liquid crystal panel 22. The configuration of each unit in the device will be described below.

[0016] The lens unit 2 is composed of a plurality of lenses including a focus lens, and a lens control unit 14 controls the position of the focus lens to perform a focusing operation.

[0017] The imaging element 3 is an imaging element of a type such as CMOS or CCD. The imaging element 3 has photoelectric conversion elements such as photodiodes arranged two-dimensionally on the imaging surface, and photoelectrically converts the optical image of the subject input through the lens unit 2 and formed on the imaging surface into an imaging signal. The imaging element 3 has a built-in AD conversion circuit that converts an analog signal into a digital signal, and outputs a digitized imaging signal. In addition, pixels for phase difference AF (autofocus) can be arranged in the imaging element 3 to speed up AF. When an imaging element that does not have a built-in AD conversion circuit is used, the AD conversion circuit can be provided outside the imaging element 3. The driving circuit 15 drives the imaging element 3 according to the operation mode.

[0018] The signal processing circuit 4 performs various signal processing such as filtering, amplification according to the sensitivity setting, and white balance correction on the output signal from the imaging element 3. The signal processing circuit 4 also generates a video signal for display or a video signal for recording (moving image, still image) according to the operation mode. The signal processing circuit 4 also instructs the OSD circuit 17 to generate an OSD (on-screen display) signal for display. This OSD signal includes a display signal for a focus frame, which will be described later.

[0019] In addition to the signal processing circuit 4, the bus 5 is connected to a memory 6 such as a DRAM or a flash memory, an encoding / decoding circuit 7, a recording / reproducing circuit 8, etc., allowing high-speed cooperative processing and control of each part connected to the bus 5. The encoding / decoding circuit 7 performs encoding processing for recording on the signal-processed video signal, and performs decoding processing on the reproduced image data. The recording / reproducing circuit 8 records the captured image data on a recording medium 16, and reproduces the image recorded on the recording medium 16. The control unit 9 controls each part of the lens control unit 14, the drive circuit 15, the signal processing circuit 4, the memory 6, the encoding / decoding circuit 7, the recording / reproducing circuit 8, the rear display 11, the electronic viewfinder 12, and the entire imaging device 1.

[0020] The operation input unit 10 receives operation input from the user, and is assigned operations that are frequently used by the user among the settings for the imaging device 1. Specifically, as will be described later, these correspond to a mode setting dial, a shutter button, a mode setting button, etc.

[0021] The rear display 11 is an integrated configuration of a touch panel 21 and a liquid crystal panel 22, the details of which will be described later. The electronic viewfinder 12 is a display through which the user peers at the image being shot. The user uses either the rear display 11 or the electronic viewfinder 12 to monitor the image being shot or to check the playback image. Usually, it is sufficient to selectively use one of the display units, and the display units are automatically switched based on the detection result of the detection unit 13.

[0022] The detection unit 13 is, for example, configured with an infrared emitting element and a light receiving element, and detects the reflected light of infrared light output by the infrared emitting element with the light receiving element, thereby detecting the presence of an object (for example, a user's face) in front of the detection unit 13. Alternatively, the detection unit 13 may be configured with an ultrasonic transmitter and a receiver, and the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic transmitter may be detected by the receiver.

[0023] When a user uses the electronic viewfinder 12, the detection unit 13 detects the approach of the user's face, head, etc., and controls so that an image is displayed only on the electronic viewfinder 12, and not on the rear display 11. Conversely, when the detection unit 13 cannot detect an object, control is performed so that an image is displayed only on the rear display 11. By switching the image display unit in this way, the power consumption of the device is reduced.

[0024] The display on the rear display 11 and the electronic viewfinder 12 is automatically switched in accordance with the detection result of the detection unit 13. However, for example, an on / off setting for the automatic switching function may be provided so that when the automatic switching is turned off, the user can manually switch between the display on the rear display 11 and the electronic viewfinder 12.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cross-sectional structure of the rear display 11. The rear display 11 integrates a touch panel 21 and a liquid crystal panel 22, and has a protective cover 20 such as glass and a backlight 23 arranged on the outside. In this case, the touch panel 21 detects capacitance through the protective cover 20, so the touch panel 21 is arranged to be in close contact with the protective cover 20 to improve detection accuracy. The backlight 23 irradiates illumination light from the rear of the liquid crystal panel 22 to display an image. In this case, if the user does not use the device for a certain period of time, the backlight 23 may be controlled to be turned off to reduce power consumption. The display type is not limited to liquid crystal, and any type such as organic electroluminescence (EL) may be used. In addition, when a light-emitting element such as organic electroluminescence (EL) is used, a backlight is not necessary.

[0026] The touch panel 21 is, for example, of a capacitance type, with transparent electrodes arranged two-dimensionally in the horizontal and vertical directions. When the user's finger or touch pen touches or approaches the display screen of the rear display 11, the capacitance between the finger or touch pen and the transparent electrode changes, and the horizontal and vertical positions on the screen where the touch is made are detected. This touch panel 21 allows the user to perform various inputs and operations on the imaging device. In particular, this embodiment has a function of adjusting the focus to any position on the screen by operating the touch panel. Note that the touch panel 21 may be of a pressure-sensitive type or the like in addition to the capacitance type.

[0027] 3 is an external view showing an imaging device according to Example 1, where (a) is a view of the imaging device as seen from the back, and (b) is a view of the imaging device as seen from the right side. In the imaging device 1, a rear display 11 with an integrated touch panel is disposed on the rear side, and an electronic viewfinder 12 is disposed on the top side. Furthermore, a detection unit 13 that detects the approach of an object is provided on the display side of the electronic viewfinder 12. The detection unit 13 detects that a user is using (looking into) the electronic viewfinder 12, for example, by using infrared light or the like.

[0028] The operation input unit 10 of the imaging device 1 is provided with a mode setting dial 31, a shutter button 32, and operation buttons 33. The mode setting dial 31 is used to select the operation mode of the imaging device 1 (shooting mode / playback mode, etc.). The shutter button 32 is provided on the upper right side of the main body, and is pressed to perform shooting operations. The operation buttons 33 have a central button and four direction buttons (up, down, left, right), and are used to display and select menu screens.

[0029] When using the electronic viewfinder 12, the user can, for example, operate the shutter button 32 with the index finger of his right hand while looking through the electronic viewfinder 12, and operate the touch panel 21 built into the rear display 11 with the thumb of his right hand.

[0030] The operation modes of the imaging device are the <shooting mode> and the <playback mode>, and the operation of these modes will be described below. The operation modes may be switched using the mode setting dial 31, or a dedicated playback mode button may be provided to switch the operation modes.

[0031] <Shooting mode> When the control unit 9 detects that the shooting mode has been set by the operation input unit 10, it controls the image sensor 3, the signal processing circuit 4, the encoding / decoding circuit 7, the recording / playback circuit 8, the rear display 11, the electronic viewfinder 12, etc. according to the shooting mode. In the shooting mode, still image shooting and video shooting are possible.

[0032] An imaging signal is read out from the imaging element 3 at a predetermined cycle, and the signal is processed as required by the signal processing circuit 4. The signal is converted into a display format and a moving image is displayed in real time on the rear display 11 or electronic viewfinder 12. At that time, the display unit is switched according to the detection result of the detection unit 13. The user monitors the moving image displayed on the rear display 11 or electronic viewfinder 12.

[0033] When taking a still image, the user presses the shutter button 32. The control unit 9 detects that the shutter button 32 has been pressed from the output of the operation input unit 10, and controls the driving circuit 15 of the image sensor 3, such as the aperture value and shutter speed, according to the shooting conditions set by the user. The imaging signal of the still image taken by the image sensor 3 is passed through the memory 6 and subjected to a predetermined still image signal processing by the signal processing circuit 4, and then encoded for still images by the encoding / decoding circuit 7. The encoding method used is, for example, the JPEG method, but recording may be performed in a high-quality RAW format other than JPEG. The encoded still image data is passed through the memory 6 and recorded on the recording medium 16 by the recording / reproducing circuit 8.

[0034] When shooting a moving image, a moving image shooting button (not shown) is pressed to start shooting, and pressed again to stop shooting. The moving image may be encoded in any format for moving images, such as MPEG, such as H264 or H265. In the case of shooting a moving image, the image is also encoded in a predetermined format by the encoding / decoding circuit 7, and the encoded moving image data is passed through the memory 6 and recorded on the recording medium 16 by the recording / reproducing circuit 8.

[0035] <Playback mode> When the control unit 9 detects that playback mode has been set by the operation input unit 10, it causes the recording and playback circuit 8 to read out still images and videos recorded on the recording medium 16. Then, after decoding by the encoding and decoding circuit 7, it controls so that they are displayed on the rear display 11 or electronic viewfinder 12. The display unit is switched according to the detection result of the detection unit 13, just as in the shooting mode. In the playback operation, first, thumbnail images of each of the multiple images are displayed on a multi-screen, and then an image selected by operating the touch panel or the like is played back and displayed on the selected display unit.

[0036] Next, the operation of setting the focus area by operating the touch panel, which is a feature of this embodiment, will be described. This operation is applied when taking a still image in the shooting mode. The focus area can be set while looking at the rear display 11 or while looking at the electronic viewfinder 12, and each will be described below. In either case, the setting is performed by touching the touch panel 21 built into the rear display 11 with a finger.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a method for setting a focus area on the display screen of the rear display 11, and (a) to (d) show the setting procedure.

[0038] (a) is the display screen 40 of the rear display 11 before touch panel operation, and displays a captured moving image in real time. Here, a subject 41 is displayed as an example. As shown in (b), when a user touches the subject 41 on the screen with a finger 42, the touch panel 21 built into the rear display 11 detects the touched screen position. The control unit 9 sets the position detected by the touch panel 21 as the focus area, and controls the OSD circuit 17 to display a focus frame 43 indicating the focus area superimposed on the image. This allows the user to easily confirm the set focus area. Note that the focus frame 43 is not displayed in (a), but if the position of the focus area is set to a default, the default set focus frame may be displayed from the beginning.

[0039] Once the focus area is set, as shown in (c), a focus frame 43 is continuously displayed on the display screen 40. If the user wishes to change the focus area, the user can simply touch a new focus position on the screen with a finger 42. For example, as shown in (d), when a touch operation is performed on another subject 41', the control unit 9 changes the setting of the touched position as a new focus area, erases the focus frame 43 currently being displayed, and displays a new focus frame 43'.

[0040] In this way, when setting a focus area while looking at the rear display 11, the user can touch the position of the subject on which the user wants to focus, and a focusing operation can be performed on the position of the touched subject.

[0041] Next, an operation for setting a focus area while monitoring an image using the electronic viewfinder 12 will be described.

[0042] 5 is a diagram for explaining a method for setting a focus area on the touch panel 21 of the rear display 11 for an image displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12. (a) shows the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12, and (b) shows the touch surface of the touch panel 21 built into the rear display 11. As shown in FIG. 3 above, the screen size of the electronic viewfinder 12 in (a) is significantly smaller than the screen size of the rear display 11 in (b), but here they are shown at an arbitrary size.

[0043] When the user looks into the electronic viewfinder 12, the detection unit 13 detects that the user's face has approached the electronic viewfinder 12, and the control unit 9 outputs a video signal to the electronic viewfinder 12 and stops the video output to the rear display 11. The backlight 23 of the rear display 11 is also turned off to reduce power consumption. At this time, the detection operation of the touch panel 21 built into the rear display 11 is enabled, and a focus area is set for the image displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12 using this. However, in this embodiment, the area for detecting touch operations on the touch panel 21 (hereinafter referred to as the effective detection area) is reduced and set. That is, the effective detection area of ​​the touch panel 21 is changed depending on whether the image is displayed on the rear display 11 or the electronic viewfinder 12.

[0044] As shown in (a), a subject 51 is displayed on a display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12. Also, as shown in (b), in the touch panel 21 of the rear display 11, an effective detection area 60 for detecting a user's touch operation is reduced and set in the upper right part of the touch surface. That is, when an image is displayed on the rear display 11 as shown in FIG. 4, almost the entire surface of the touch panel 21 is the effective detection area, but when an image is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12, detection is possible only in the reduced effective detection area 60. Then, by making the reduced effective detection area 60 correspond to the entire display screen 50 of (a), any position within the display screen 50 can be set as the focus area.

[0045] For example, the user operates right thumb 52 to touch focus position 54 within effective detection area 60 of touch panel 21. Control unit 9 sets a focus area for a corresponding position within display screen 50 of electronic viewfinder 12 (the display position of subject 51 in this example) and displays focus frame 53 indicating the focus area. In this case, even if the user touches a position outside effective detection area 60, this is not reflected in the setting operation of the focus area.

[0046] When setting the focus area while looking through the electronic viewfinder 12, the user generally supports the camera body with the left hand, grasps the grip of the body with the right hand, operates the focus position with the right thumb 52, and operates the shutter button with the index finger. By reducing and setting the effective detection area 60 of the touch panel 21 to the upper right corner as in this embodiment, it becomes easy to operate the touch panel 21 with the right thumb 52 even if the rear display 11 is large. In other words, the user can perform a touch operation at a desired position within the effective detection area 60 without removing his / her right hand from the body. As a result, the coordinated operation of focus positioning and the shutter button can be performed quickly, and usability is greatly improved.

[0047] In this manner, in this embodiment, the effective detection area of ​​the touch panel 21 is made different when an image is displayed on the rear display 11 and when an image is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12. This will be explained by comparing the two.

[0048] 6 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the image display screen and the detection area of ​​the touch panel. Here, (a) shows the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12, and the screen size is a rectangular area A'B'C'D'. Meanwhile, (b) shows the display screen 40 of the rear display 11, and the screen size is a rectangular area ABCD. The rear display 11 has a built-in touch panel 21, and the size of the touch surface is also approximately equal to the rectangular area ABCD. Note that the size ratio between the display screen 40 and the display screen 50 is arbitrary, but for simplicity, the aspect ratio is assumed to be equal here (AB:BC=A'B':B'C').

[0049] First, when an image is displayed on the rear display 11, the effective detection area of ​​the touch panel 21 becomes the entire surface of the rear display 11, and substantially coincides with the rectangular area ABCD. In other words, the touch position (coordinates (F, E)) on the touch panel 21 becomes the display position on the display screen 40 as is, and a focus frame 43 is displayed at the touch position.

[0050] On the other hand, when an image is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12, the effective detection area of ​​the touch panel 21 becomes a reduced effective detection area 60 (rectangular area abcd) as shown in Fig. 5. As a result, the coordinates (f, e) of the touch position 54 in the effective detection area 60 and the corresponding focus position on the display screen 50, i.e., the coordinates (F', E') at which the focus frame 53 is to be displayed, generally do not match.

[0051] Therefore, coordinate conversion is necessary, and in order to easily perform the conversion, it is desirable to set the shape of the effective detection area 60 so as to substantially satisfy the relationship ab:bc=AB:BC=A'B':B'C', that is, to reduce and set the aspect ratio of the effective detection area 60 so as to be substantially the same as the aspect ratio of the display screen 40 (i.e., the aspect ratio of the display screen 50). This makes it possible to easily convert the coordinates (f, e) of the touch position 54 in the effective detection area 60 of the touch panel 21 to the coordinates (F', E') of the focus frame 53 on the display screen 50 with one conversion coefficient k (f / F'=e / E'=k). Furthermore, by making the aspect ratio the same, the user can perform positioning operations in the vertical and horizontal directions with a more natural feeling.

[0052] The reduction ratio of the effective detection area 60 is, for example, ab:AB=1:2, and the effective detection area 60 of the touch panel 21 is set to a quarter of the area in the upper right corner of the rear display 11. In this case, the conversion coefficient k is 0.5.

[0053] The size of the effective detection area 60 can also be changed and set by the user according to the size of the rear display 11 and the user's usage state as follows.

[0054] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a method for changing the effective detection area 60 by the user. The currently set effective detection area 60 of the touch panel 21 is displayed on the display screen 40 of the rear display 11. The user can set a new effective detection area 61 by dragging, for example, a portion P of the lower left corner of the effective detection area 60 in a lower left direction (indicated by an arrow) (moving the finger 52 while touching the screen), moving the finger 52 to a desired position, and then releasing the finger 52 from the screen. This causes the touch panel 21 to detect the touch position based on the new effective detection area 61 set by the user. The control unit 9 changes the conversion coefficient k based on the area size of the new effective detection area 61, and performs a coordinate conversion process from the touch detection position to a position on the display screen of the electronic viewfinder 12.

[0055] In the above example, the aspect ratio of the effective detection area 60 is set to be equal to the aspect ratio of the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12, but it may be different. For example, when focus positioning operations are mainly performed only in the horizontal direction of the screen, setting the effective detection area 60 to a horizontally elongated shape may actually improve user operability. In this case, the reduction ratio of the effective detection area 60 differs between the vertical and horizontal directions, and the vertical and horizontal conversion coefficients may be determined accordingly.

[0056] In the above example, the effective detection area 60 of the touch panel 21 when using the electronic viewfinder 12 is set to the upper right corner of the screen, but this is not limited to this. For example, in the case of a left-handed user, setting it to the lower left corner or the upper left corner allows the touch panel to be easily operated using the left finger. In this way, even when changing the location of the effective detection area 60, this can be achieved by adding an operation to move the effective detection area 60.

[0057] Next, an operation for actually adjusting the focus on the focus area on the screen that has been set as described above will be described. As an autofocus method in an imaging device, video AF (autofocus) and phase difference AF can be used.

[0058] Video AF is a method of adjusting the focus while controlling the focus lens so that the image signal of the focus area is in focus. For this purpose, the high-frequency components of the image signal of the set focus area are extracted, and the position of the focus lens is controlled so that the high-frequency components are maximized. Information about the set focus area is transmitted by the control unit 9 to the signal processing circuit 4, which detects the high-frequency components in the set focus area. By controlling the lens control unit 14 so that the detected high-frequency components are maximized, the focus can be adjusted to the set focus area.

[0059] On the other hand, phase-difference AF is performed by using an image sensor with pixels for phase-difference AF or by providing a dedicated sensor for phase-difference AF. When providing a dedicated phase-difference AF, a half mirror or the like is provided on the path between the lens and the image sensor to split the incident light from the lens into two directions, and an image sensor is provided on one side and a sensor for phase-difference AF on the other side. Phase-difference AF is a method of adjusting the focus by detecting the phase difference between images that have passed through two different paths, and since the focus can be adjusted from the phase difference, it is possible to adjust the focus quickly. When using a dedicated phase-difference AF sensor or an image sensor with pixels for phase-difference AF, the focus lens can be controlled so that the focus is set on the pixels of the phase-difference AF sensor in the area set by the user.

[0060] Comparing the two methods, video AF is slower than phase-difference AF because it searches for the focus position while moving the lens. However, because focus control can be performed using the image sensor, there is no need for a dedicated phase-difference AF sensor or an optical system for it, and the AF detection area can be set at any position on the image sensor, making it easier to focus on any position.

[0061] The timing of the focus operation is linked to the operation of the shutter button 32. The shutter button generally has a half-pressed state and a full-pressed state, and the focus operation is performed when the button is half-pressed. That is, the control unit 9 sets the position touched by the user using the touch panel 21 as the focus area, and performs control so that the focus is set to this area by detecting the half-press of the shutter button.

[0062] In this way, the user can quickly adjust the focus to a position specified on the touch panel. Then, by quickly pressing the shutter button after adjusting the focus (full press), an image in which the desired subject is in focus can be captured and recorded. Note that in order to perform the focus operation quickly, a focus area may be set when the user touches the screen, and focus control may be performed immediately without pressing the shutter button halfway.

[0063] 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a menu screen related to the focus operation. For example, by pressing the center of the operation button 33, a menu screen 80 is displayed on the rear display 11, and the user selects and sets the menu by touch operation. Here, of the displayed menu screens, those related to the focus operation are shown.

[0064] Touch panel AF 81 is a setting menu for using the autofocus (AF) function by touch panel operation. Touching the ON / OFF display area on the right toggles between ON and OFF. When set to ON, the AF area can be set by touch panel operation, and when set to OFF, the AF area setting operation is disabled. Therefore, if you want to set the focus area by touch panel operation as described above, set this to ON.

[0065] EVF / LCD automatic switching 82 is a setting menu for automatically switching the image display between the electronic viewfinder (EVF) 12 and the rear display 11 (liquid crystal display (LCD) 22) based on the detection result of the detection unit 13. To switch automatically, this setting is turned ON. This enables automatic exclusive control of switching between the electronic viewfinder 12 and the rear display 11, which is effective for reducing power consumption. When this setting is turned OFF, switching between the electronic viewfinder 12 and the rear display 11 is performed manually. The method of manual switching is arbitrary, but for example, the electronic viewfinder 12 and the rear display 11 can be toggled by operating the lower button of the operation button 33. Note that a mode in which both the electronic viewfinder 12 and the rear display 11 are turned ON and a mode in which both are turned OFF may be added.

[0066] As shown in Fig. 7, touch panel effective area setting 83 is a menu that allows the user to set the effective detection area of ​​the touch panel when using the EVF. When this is touched and selected, the screen shown in Fig. 7 is displayed, and the user can perform an operation to change the effective detection area. Note that the initial setting (default setting) of the effective detection area when using the EVF is an area reduced to a predetermined size in the upper right corner of the rear display. Alternatively, the initial setting of the effective detection area may be set to the entire area of ​​the rear display, and the user may change it by selecting the panel effective area setting 83 menu.

[0067] The focus area size setting 84 is a menu for changing the size of the focus area (focus frame), which allows the size of the area to be focused on to be changed and set according to the size of the subject, etc.

[0068] The AF area reset when changing between vertical and horizontal orientation 85 and the initial AF area setting when changing between vertical and horizontal orientation 86 are menus related to setting the focus area in accordance with a change in the shooting posture (horizontal shooting state / vertical shooting state) during shooting. The AF area reset when changing between vertical and horizontal orientation 85 is a menu for setting whether or not to reset the focus area when shooting is changed from horizontal shooting in which the imaging device is held horizontally to vertical shooting in which it is held vertically during shooting, or vice versa. The initial AF area setting when changing between vertical and horizontal orientation 86 is a setting related to the initial value when resetting. These functions will be described in the following Example 2.

[0069] In the above description, the focus area is set at the position where the user performs a touch operation, but the set position may be changed by a flick operation. A flick operation is an operation in which the user touches and then quickly sweeps the finger in a predetermined direction while still touching. In this case, the focus setting area is moved in the direction of the flick operation, and a focus frame indicating the moved focus area is displayed on the screen.

[0070] In the above description, the position of the focus area on the screen set by the user through a touch operation is maintained as is, but it may be possible to further track the movement of the subject. That is, when the focus area is set on a desired subject, the image of the subject is recognized, so that even if the subject moves on the screen, the focus area moves and tracks it. This allows reliable focusing even on a moving subject.

[0071] According to this embodiment, when monitoring an image with the electronic viewfinder 12, by reducing and setting the effective detection area of ​​the touch panel 21, the user can easily operate the focus area even if the rear display 11 incorporating the touch panel 21 is large. As a result, the user can quickly perform coordinated operations between focus positioning and the shutter button, greatly improving usability. EXAMPLES

[0072] When an imaging device such as a digital camera is held horizontally (horizontally) to take a photograph (horizontal shooting) and then held vertically (vertically) to take a photograph, so-called vertical shooting, the user usually changes the framing, which moves the position of the subject on the screen, and the focus area shifts from the desired position. That is, in the first embodiment, the position of the focus area on the screen once set is maintained as it is and remains in the horizontal shooting state. Therefore, in this embodiment, a function is added to detect a change in the shooting posture from horizontal to vertical shooting or from vertical to horizontal shooting, reset the set focus area, and further automatically set the focus area to a predetermined position for horizontal or vertical shooting.

[0073] Incidentally, detection of whether the shooting attitude is landscape or portrait can be achieved by using a geomagnetic sensor, a gyro sensor, an angular velocity sensor, or the like, and can be easily provided in the imaging device.

[0074] This function uses the AF area reset when changing between portrait and landscape orientation 85 and the initial AF area setting when changing between portrait and landscape orientation 86 in the setting menu described above with reference to Fig. 8. If the AF area reset when changing between portrait and landscape orientation 85 is set to ON, when the shooting posture is changed from landscape to portrait or vice versa, the change between landscape and portrait orientation is automatically detected, and the currently set focus area is reset and the initial value is set again. In the initial AF area setting when changing between portrait and landscape orientation 86, the initial value of the focus area to be reset after reset is set in advance. As the initial setting, the focus area is generally set to the center of the screen, but any different initial value may be set for landscape and vertical shooting.

[0075] 9 shows an example of the focus area setting when changing between landscape and portrait shooting, where (a) is when shooting in landscape shooting mode, and (b) is when changing to portrait shooting mode. Here, the case of the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12 is shown, but the case of the display screen 40 of the rear display 11 is exactly the same.

[0076] On display screen 50 in landscape mode (a), focus frame 53 (coordinates X1, Y1) is shown at the position of subject 51. If the imaging device is then rotated 90° left to change to portrait mode (b), focus frame 53 set in (a) on display screen 50' is set to position 53' (coordinates X1, Y1 shown by the dashed line), and is shifted from subject 51.

[0077] Therefore, in this embodiment, the AF area reset when changing the vertical / horizontal orientation 85 is set to ON, and the initial value (X2, Y2) of the focus area when shooting vertically is set to the position indicated by the focus frame 55 by the initial AF area setting when changing the vertical / horizontal orientation 86. The position of this initial value (X2, Y2) is set to, for example, near the center of the upper part of the screen. This is because, for example, when shooting a person in vertical shooting, the subject 51 is often located near the center of the upper part of the screen. As a result, when the shooting posture is changed from horizontal to vertical shooting, the focus area set when shooting horizontally is reset and automatically switched and set to the position of the initial value (X2, Y2) of the focus area when shooting vertically, improving user convenience. Or, even if the user needs to correct the focus area by touch operation, it is expected that the amount of correction will be small. EXAMPLES

[0078] According to the first and second embodiments, the focus frame indicating the focus area is displayed on the display screen of the subject after the user touches the touch panel. When the display unit is integrated with the touch panel 21 like the rear display 11, the user can instantly set the focus area to the desired subject position. However, when the display unit is the electronic viewfinder 12, it is separated from the touch panel 21 and the screen sizes of the two are different (the touch panel is a reduced effective detection area 60), so it is expected that it will be difficult for the user to instantly set the focus area to the desired subject position. Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to assist the user in setting the focus area, the positions where the focus area can be set are displayed as focus candidate frames on the display screen of the subject in advance.

[0079] 10 is a diagram for explaining a method for setting a focus area in Example 3. (a) shows the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12, and (b) shows the touch surface of the touch panel 21 built into the rear display 11. The detectable area of ​​the touch panel 21 is reduced to an effective detection area 60.

[0080] As shown in (a), frames (candidate frames) 70 indicating candidate regions are displayed in positions that can be set in advance as focus regions on the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12. In this example, a plurality of rectangular candidate frames 70 are arranged in a matrix on the display screen 50, and the frame lines are displayed as dotted lines to indicate that they are candidates.

[0081] In response, as shown in (b), the user touches a desired position within effective detection area 60 of touch panel 21 with finger 62 to specify it as focus position 54. Then, on display screen 50 in (a), a position corresponding to touched focus position 54 is selected from candidate frame 70 and set as the focus area, and is displayed with solid-line setting frame 71 to indicate that it has been set. This allows the user to easily confirm the set position of the focus area from solid-line setting frame 71.

[0082] Furthermore, if the position of the setting frame 71 that was once set as the focus area is touched again, the focus area setting is cancelled and the frame returns to the candidate frame 70, and the user can change the focus area setting. In this example, the frame of the candidate frame 70 is shown with a dotted line and the frame of the setting frame 71 is shown with a solid line, but the display form of these is arbitrary as long as the two can be easily distinguished.

[0083] According to this embodiment, since the candidate positions of the focus area are displayed in advance, the user can set the focus position based on the candidate positions, and the setting work can be expedited. Although the above example describes a case where an image is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a case where an image is displayed on the rear display 11 with an integrated touch panel, and by displaying the candidate positions of the focus area in advance, there is an effect of assisting the user in the setting work. EXAMPLES

[0084] Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a fourth embodiment. The imaging device 1 of this embodiment has two display units, namely, a rear display 11 and an electronic viewfinder 12, similar to the first embodiment (Fig. 1), and the rear display 11 has a configuration in which a touch panel 21 and a liquid crystal panel 22 are integrated together. What differs from the first embodiment is that a dedicated touch panel 19 corresponding to the electronic viewfinder 12 is provided. Hereinafter, the touch panel 21 built into the rear display 11 is referred to as the "first touch panel," and the dedicated touch panel 19 corresponding to the electronic viewfinder 12 is referred to as the "second touch panel." The differences from the first embodiment (Fig. 1) will be described.

[0085] The rear display 11 is configured by integrating a first touch panel 21 and a liquid crystal panel 22, and the first touch panel 21 is used to input touch operations for the image displayed on the liquid crystal panel 22. The electronic viewfinder 12 is a display through which the image to be shot is peered at, and the second touch panel 19 is a dedicated touch panel used for inputting operations when the electronic viewfinder 12 is used. The user uses either the rear display 11 or the electronic viewfinder 12 to monitor shooting and check playback images. Usually, it is sufficient to selectively use one of the display units, and switching is automatically performed based on the detection result of the detection unit 13.

[0086] The structures of rear display 11 and first touch panel 21 are as described in Example 1 (FIG. 2). The second touch panel 19 has a similar structure to the first touch panel 21, and detects a position touched or approached by a user's finger or a touch pen. However, unlike the rear display 11, there is no liquid crystal panel. That is, except for the liquid crystal panel 22 and backlight 23, the rear display 11 shown in FIG. 2 is composed of the touch panel and its protective cover.

[0087] 12 is an external view showing an imaging device according to Example 4, where (a) is a rear view of the imaging device and (b) is a right side view of the imaging device. A second touch panel 19 added to the configuration of Example 1 (FIG. 3) is used for touch operation input when using the electronic viewfinder 12. The second touch panel 19 is disposed to the right of the rear display 11 and is smaller in size than the rear display 11.

[0088] When using the electronic viewfinder 12, the user can, for example, operate the shutter button 32 with the index finger of his / her right hand while looking through the electronic viewfinder 12, and can easily operate the second touch panel 19 provided on the right side of the rear display 11 with the thumb of his / her right hand.

[0089] Next, the operation of setting the focus area by operating the touch panel, which is a feature of this embodiment, will be described. The focus area can be set while looking at the rear display 11 or while looking at the electronic viewfinder 12. When setting the focus area while looking at the rear display 11, it is the same as in the first embodiment (FIG. 4), and is performed by touching the first touch panel 21 provided on the rear display 11 with a finger. On the other hand, when setting the focus area while looking at the electronic viewfinder 12, it is performed by touching the second touch panel 19, which is dedicated to use when the electronic viewfinder is used, with a finger.

[0090] Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining a method of setting a focus area on the second touch panel 19 for the image displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12. It shows the relationship between the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12 and the touch surface of the second touch panel 19. As shown in Fig. 12, the screen size of the electronic viewfinder 12 is generally smaller than the screen size of the rear display 11, and the electronic viewfinder 12 and the second touch panel 19 are arranged with a shift in the left-right direction.

[0091] When the user looks into the electronic viewfinder 12, the detection unit 13 detects that the user's face has approached the electronic viewfinder 12, and the control unit 9 outputs a video signal to the electronic viewfinder 12, stops video output to the rear display 11, and stops the detection operation of the first touch panel. The backlight 23 of the rear display 11 is also turned off to reduce power consumption. Meanwhile, the operation of the second touch panel 19 is enabled, and a focus area is set for the image displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12 using this.

[0092] A subject 51 is displayed on a display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12. When setting a focus area while looking through the electronic viewfinder 12, the user generally supports the camera body with his / her left hand, grasps the grip of the body with his / her right hand, operates the focus position with his / her right thumb 52, and operates the shutter button with his / her index finger. By disposing the second touch panel 19 on the right side of the imaging device as in this embodiment, it is easy to operate the second touch panel 19 with the right thumb 52 even if the device is large. In other words, the user can perform a touch operation at a desired position on the second touch panel 19 without removing his / her right hand from the body.

[0093] For example, the user operates right thumb 52 to touch focus position 54 on second touch panel 19. Control unit 9 sets a focus area for a corresponding position on display screen 50 of electronic viewfinder 12 (the display position of subject 51 in this example) and displays focus frame 53 indicating the focus area. As a result, focus positioning and the coordinated operation of the shutter button can be performed quickly, greatly improving usability.

[0094] In this embodiment, the first touch panel 21 integrated with the rear display 11 and the second touch panel 19 dedicated to the electronic viewfinder 12 are switched and used exclusively when displaying an image on the rear display 11 and when displaying an image on the electronic viewfinder 12. This makes it possible to improve usability without impairing user operability even if the rear display 11 is enlarged. A grip section may be provided on the right side of the rear of the main body to make it easier to hold the imaging device 1 in the hand, and in this case the second touch panel may be disposed on the grip section.

[0095] Fig. 14 is a diagram showing a display example of a menu screen related to focus operation. Items added to the first embodiment (Fig. 8) will be described. In the menu screen 80, the main touch panel 87 is a setting menu for turning on / off the operation of the first touch panel 21 integrated with the rear display 11. Moreover, the sub-touch panel 88 is a setting menu for turning on / off the operation of the second touch panel 19 dedicated to the electronic viewfinder 12. Note that the ON / OFF switching of the main touch panel 87 and the sub-touch panel 88 may be linked to the EVF / LCD automatic switching 82.

[0096] According to this embodiment, when monitoring an image with the electronic viewfinder 12, the focus area can be set using the dedicated second touch panel 19, facilitating user operation for setting the focus area. As a result, the user can quickly perform coordinated operation between focus positioning and the shutter button, greatly improving usability. EXAMPLES

[0097] In the fifth embodiment, a liquid crystal panel is additionally integrated with the second touch panel in the fourth embodiment to form a second rear display.

[0098] Fig. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device according to a fifth embodiment. The first rear display 91 corresponds to the rear display 11 in the fourth embodiment (Fig. 11), and integrates the first touch panel 21a and the first liquid crystal panel 22a. The second rear display 92 integrates the second touch panel 21b and the second liquid crystal panel 22b. The second rear display 92 has a smaller screen size than the first rear display 91, but has the same internal configuration. The second rear display 92 allows a user to perform a touch operation, and displays an image other than the subject on the second liquid crystal panel 22b, as described later. Other configurations and operations are the same as those of the fourth embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0099] FIG. 16 is an external view showing an imaging device according to a fifth embodiment, and is a view of the imaging device as seen from the back. The side view is the same as FIG. 12(b). The second rear display 92 is disposed on the right side of the rear of the imaging device 1, that is, on the right side of the first rear display 91. In this example, the second rear display 92 is disposed on the lower right side of the rear, but it may be disposed on the upper right side. In this way, by disposing the second rear display 92 on the right side of the imaging device 1, when the user supports the imaging device with his / her right hand, the second touch panel 21b in the second rear display 92 can be easily operated with the thumb of the right hand.

[0100] 17A and 17B are diagrams showing examples of images displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12, the first rear display 91, and the second rear display 92 when photographing.

[0101] 17A shows a case where a subject is displayed using the first rear display 91. An image of the subject 41 being photographed is displayed on the first rear display 91, and the display on the electronic viewfinder 12 is stopped. The user can set a focus frame 43 for the subject 41 by performing a touch operation with a finger 42 on the display screen of the first rear display 91.

[0102] At this time, for example, an operation button 33a is displayed on the second rear display 92. This operation button 33a corresponds to the operation button 33 in Fig. 12, and although it is configured as hardware in Fig. 12, the operation button 33a here is a displayed image. By performing a touch operation on the operation button 33a, it has the same function as the operation button 33 in Fig. 12 (displaying and selecting a menu screen).

[0103] 17B shows a case where a subject is displayed using the electronic viewfinder 12. An image of the subject 51 being photographed is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12, and the second rear display 92 stops displaying the image and accepts a touch operation by the user. Then, in response to the touch operation of the finger 52 (focus position 54), a focus frame 53 is set for the subject 51 in the electronic viewfinder 12.

[0104] Meanwhile, the first rear display 91 displays various information 95 relating to shooting. This information 95 includes shooting-related settings such as shutter speed, aperture value, ISO sensitivity, etc. This information display allows the user to easily check various settings during shooting. Note that if the display of the first rear display 91 and the electronic viewfinder 12 is set to automatically switch, the display of the first rear display 91 may be stopped when the electronic viewfinder 12 is used.

[0105] In this embodiment, when the first rear display 91 is used, the operation buttons 33a are displayed on the second rear display 92, enabling the user to input operations. This allows the second touch panel 19 in the fourth embodiment (FIG. 12(a)) to be arranged in a combined manner and the operation buttons 33, thereby streamlining the configuration of the imaging device. EXAMPLES

[0106] In the sixth embodiment, the first rear display 91 and the second rear display 92 in the fifth embodiment are integrated together to form a multi rear display 100 that displays a plurality of images simultaneously.

[0107] Fig. 18 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device according to Example 6. The multi rear display 100 is an integrated version of the first rear display 91 and the second rear display 92 in Example 5 (Fig. 15), and is configured with a common touch panel 21c and liquid crystal panel 22c. Other configurations and operations are the same as those in Example 5, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0108] Fig. 19 is an external view showing an imaging device according to Example 6, as seen from the back of the imaging device. Note that the side view is the same as Fig. 12(b). A single multi-rear display 100 is arranged on the back, and the screen size is made large to simultaneously display multiple images.

[0109] 20A and 20B are diagrams showing examples of images displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12 and the multi-rear display 100 when photographing.

[0110] FIG. 20A shows a case where a subject is displayed using the multi-rear display 100. When the multi-rear display 100 is used, the screen is divided into three areas 101, 102, and 103. The first area 101 on the left corresponds to the first rear display 91 in the fifth embodiment, and displays an image of the subject 41 and the like and accepts a touch operation by the user. The second area 102 on the lower right corresponds to the second rear display 92 in the fifth embodiment, and displays, for example, the operation button 33a. Furthermore, the third area 103 on the upper right displays the shooting information 95 shown in the fifth embodiment (FIG. 17B). This allows the user to easily check shooting-related settings such as the shutter speed and aperture value while displaying the subject image on the multi-rear display 100.

[0111] 20B shows a case where a subject is displayed using the electronic viewfinder 12. In this case, image display in the first area 101 of the multi rear display 100 is stopped, and the second area 102 accepts a user's touch operation on the image displayed in the electronic viewfinder 12. In addition, shooting information 95 is displayed in the third area 103.

[0112] It should be noted that the split screen display of the multi rear display 100 shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B is merely an example, and images may be displayed and touch operation input may be performed in any other combination.

[0113] In this embodiment, a multi-rear display is used that divides the screen to display multiple images simultaneously, and the display contents and operation contents of each divided area of ​​the multi-rear display are switched between when the subject image is displayed on the multi-rear display and when it is displayed on the electronic viewfinder, thereby further streamlining the configuration of the imaging device.

[0114] In the above-mentioned embodiments, the setting of the focus area has been described as an operation using a touch panel, but the touch operation input is not limited to this and may be used for setting an area for exposure control, setting an area on a screen when performing focus and exposure control simultaneously, etc. It may also be applied to setting targets for subject recognition and person recognition, and to input settings such as shutter speed, aperture value, ISO sensitivity, etc., which are shooting conditions.

[0115] Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and includes various modified examples. For example, the above-mentioned embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those having all of the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 1: Imaging device, 2: Lens section, 3: Image sensor, 4: signal processing circuit, 7: Encoding and decoding circuit, 8: Recording and playback circuit, 9: control unit, 10: Operation input section, 11,91,92: Rear display, 12: Electronic viewfinder, 13: detection unit, 14: Lens control unit, 15: drive circuit, 16: Recording medium, 17: OSD circuit, 19, 21, 21a to 21c: Touch panel, 22, 22a to 22c: liquid crystal panel, 31: Mode setting dial, 32: Shutter button, 33, 33a: operation button, 40: Display screen of rear display, 41, 51: Subject image, 42, 52: User's finger, 43, 53, 55, 71: Focus frame (focus position), 50: Electronic viewfinder display screen, 60, 61: effective detection area of ​​the touch panel; 70: Candidate frame for focus area, 80: Menu screen, 95: Shooting information, 100: Multi-rear display, 101~103: Divided area.

Claims

1. 1. An imaging device, comprising: An imaging element; a signal processing circuit for generating a video signal from an output signal of the imaging element; a first display capable of displaying an image based on the video signal; a second display capable of displaying an image based on the video signal, the second display being different from the first display; a first touch panel capable of detecting a touch operation related to capturing an image displayed on the first display; a second touch panel different from the first touch panel, capable of detecting a touch operation related to capturing an image displayed on the second display; a control unit capable of switching between displaying an image based on the video signal on the first display and displaying the image on the second display; The control unit is An imaging device characterized by switching between a first state in which detection of operations on the first touch panel is disabled and detection of operations on the second touch panel is enabled, and a second state in which detection of operations on the first touch panel is enabled and detection of operations on the second touch panel is disabled, depending on whether an image based on the video signal is to be displayed on the first display or the second display.

2. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, When an image based on the video signal is displayed on the first display, The imaging device, wherein the control unit controls the imaging device to be in the second state.

3. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, When an image based on the video signal is displayed on the second display, The imaging device, wherein the control unit controls the imaging device to be in the first state.

4. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, The control unit is 13. An imaging device comprising: an imaging unit that performs control for enabling or disabling detection of operations on the second touch panel regardless of a display state of the second display.

5. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, The control unit is In the first state, an image based on the video signal is displayed on the second display, and detection of an operation on the second touch panel is enabled; An imaging apparatus characterized in that, in the second state, control is performed to display information related to shooting on the second display and to disable detection of operations on the second touch panel.

6. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, The control unit is An imaging device characterized in that when a flick operation on the first touch panel is detected while an image based on the video signal is being displayed on the first display, control is performed in accordance with the detected flick operation.

7. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, An imaging device, wherein a size of the second touch panel is smaller than a size of the first display.

8. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, An imaging device, wherein the first touch panel is integral with the first display.

9. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, 13. An imaging device, wherein the first display and the second display are organic electroluminescence (EL) displays.

10. A method for controlling an imaging device having first and second displays capable of generating a video signal from an output signal of an imaging element and displaying an image based on the video signal, and first and second touch panels capable of detecting a touch operation related to capturing an image displayed on each of the first and second displays, the method comprising the steps of: A control method for an imaging device, characterized by switching between a first state in which detection of operations on the first touch panel is disabled and detection of operations on the second touch panel is enabled, and a second state in which detection of operations on the first touch panel is enabled and detection of operations on the second touch panel is disabled, depending on whether an image based on the video signal is to be displayed on the first display or the second display.

11. A method for controlling an imaging device according to claim 10, comprising: A method for controlling an imaging apparatus, comprising controlling the imaging apparatus so that the second state is achieved when an image based on the video signal is displayed on the first display.

12. A method for controlling an imaging device according to claim 10, comprising: A method for controlling an imaging apparatus, comprising controlling the imaging apparatus so that the first state is achieved when an image based on the video signal is displayed on the second display.

13. A method for controlling an imaging device according to claim 10, comprising: A control method for an imaging device, comprising: performing control for enabling or disabling detection of an operation on the second touch panel regardless of a display state of the second display.

14. A method for controlling an imaging device according to claim 10, comprising: In the first state, an image based on the video signal is displayed on the second display, and detection of an operation on the second touch panel is enabled; A control method for an imaging apparatus, comprising the steps of: in the second state, displaying information relating to shooting on the second display; and disabling detection of operations on the second touch panel.

15. A method for controlling an imaging device according to claim 10, comprising: A control method for an imaging device, characterized in that when a flick operation on the first touch panel is detected while an image based on the video signal is being displayed on the first display, control is performed in accordance with the detected flick operation.

Images