Electronic device, electronic device control method, program, and storage medium

Abstract

To provide an electronic device capable of performing specific processing related to capturing in a range desired by a user.SOLUTION: An electronic device includes display control means for controlling a first auxiliary line that divides an image into at least a first area and a second area to be superimposed on the image and displayed on display means, and control means for controlling not to perform specific processing related to capturing for the first area, and perform the specific processing for the second area in a first mode for capturing a first type of images, and for controlling to perform the specific processing for an area including the first area and the second area in a second mode for capturing a second type of images different from the first type of images.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device having an imaging unit. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known that when capturing still images or videos, a digital camera or smartphone displays an aspect marker to divide the image (live view image) into areas. The aspect marker indicates to the user the approximate range for trimming the image during shooting.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a technique for displaying aspect markers appropriate for both still image mode and video mode. Patent Document 2 describes a technique for an electronic camera capable of simultaneously recording two types of images, a still image and a video, in which an icon indicating which of the still image and the video will remain as a record is displayed together with a guide frame indicating the shooting range for each image. These techniques enable a user to take a photo while viewing auxiliary lines and a GUI that are appropriately displayed according to the type of image desired (for example, a still image or a video). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-123033 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-160966 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] On the other hand, when performing a specific process related to shooting (for example, AF or AE), the user may not want to perform the specific process in any of the multiple areas into which the aspect marker divides the image. For example, when shooting a still image, the user may not want to perform AF in areas separated by the aspect marker that are far from the center of the image.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device that can perform specific processing related to photography within a range desired by a user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a medicament for the treatment of a pulmonary arthritis. a display control means for controlling a display means to display a first auxiliary line indicating a first region in an image so as to be superimposed on the image; in a first mode for recording a first type of image, a specific process related to photography is performed on the first area, and the specific process is not performed on a second area outside the first area; a control means for controlling, in a second mode for recording a second type of image different from the first type of image, to execute the specific processing on an area including the first area and the second area; With death, The specific process is one of autofocus, a process for displaying a guide indicating the focus state, and a process for setting the center position when enlarging an image. The electronic device is characterized by the above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, an electronic device that is highly convenient for users can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart of a camera startup process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart of a shooting mode process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart of a display-related process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart of a playback mode process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a screen of a display unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a screen for a shooting mode process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a screen for a shooting mode process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a screen for a playback mode process according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In electronic devices that display aspect markers (auxiliary lines), when performing specific processing related to photography, the user may not want the specific processing to be performed in any of the multiple regions into which the aspect markers divide the image. On the other hand, in certain cases, the user may want the specific processing to be performed in a region that includes the multiple regions into which the aspect markers divide the image.

[0011] For example, consider a case where a user wants to upload a video they have shot to multiple social networking sites. Specifically, the user may want to upload a video with a 16:9 aspect ratio as the main video to a first social networking site and a video with a 1:1 aspect ratio as a promotional video to a second social networking site, based on a single video file. In this case, the user expects various imaging functions, such as AF and AE, to be performed within the range of the aspect ratio (16:9) for the main video. However, in this case, the area in which these imaging functions can be performed is limited depending on the position of the aspect marker (for example, AF is only performed in one of the areas divided by the aspect marker), which may hinder efficient video production.

[0012] Therefore, the following embodiment will describe an electronic device that can perform specific processing related to photography within a range desired by the user.

[0013] [Embodiment] <External view of digital camera 100> Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Figures 1A and 1B show external views of a digital camera 100 as an example of an apparatus to which the present invention can be applied. Figure 1A is a front perspective view of the digital camera 100, and Figure 1B is a rear perspective view of the digital camera 100.

[0014] The display unit 28 is a display unit provided on the back surface of the digital camera 100, and displays images and various information. The touch panel 70a can detect touch operations on the display surface (touch operation surface; touch operation member) of the display unit 28. The outside-finder display unit 43 is a display unit provided on the top surface of the digital camera 100, and displays various settings of the digital camera 100, including the shutter speed and aperture. The shutter button 61 is an operation member for issuing a shooting instruction (image capture instruction). The mode selector switch 60 is an operation member for switching between various modes. The terminal cover 40 is a cover that protects a connector (not shown) that connects the digital camera 100 to an external device.

[0015] The main electronic dial 71 is a rotary operation member, and by turning the main electronic dial 71, , and can change settings such as shutter speed and aperture. The power switch 72 is an operating member that switches the power of the digital camera 100 on and off. The sub electronic dial 73 is a rotary operating member that can be turned to move the selection frame (cursor) or advance through images. The four-way key 74 is configured so that the up, down, left, and right portions can each be pressed, and processing can be performed according to which portion of the four-way key 74 is pressed. The SET button 75 is a push button that is mainly used to confirm a selection item. The multi-controller (hereinafter referred to as MC) 65 can accept directional instructions in eight directions and pressing the center portion.

[0016] The movie button 76 is used to start or stop movie shooting (recording). The AE lock button 77 is a push button; by pressing the AE lock button 77 in shooting standby mode, the exposure state can be fixed. The enlarge button 78 is an operation button for switching the enlargement mode on and off in the live view display (LV display) of the shooting mode. By turning the enlargement mode on and operating the main electronic dial 71, the live view image (LV image) can be enlarged or reduced. In the playback mode, the enlargement button 78 functions as an operation button for enlarging the playback image or increasing its magnification. The playback button 79 is an operation button for switching between the shooting mode and the playback mode. Pressing the playback button 79 in the shooting mode transitions to the playback mode, and the most recent image recorded on the recording medium 200 (described below) can be displayed on the display unit 28. The menu button 81 is a push button used to issue an instruction to display a menu screen; when the menu button 81 is pressed, a menu screen on which various settings can be made is displayed on the display unit 28. The user can intuitively make various settings using the menu screen displayed on the display unit 28, the four-way key 74, the SET button 75, or the MC 65. The line-of-sight confirmation button 82 is an operating member included in the operation unit 70, and is a push button that instructs the user to select or cancel a subject based on the position of the line-of-sight pointer, which will be described later. The line-of-sight confirmation button is located in a position that allows it to be easily operated even when the user is looking through the viewfinder (with the eye placed in the eyepiece 16), and is located in a position that allows it to be operated with the thumb of the right hand holding the grip unit 90.

[0017] The communication terminal 10 is a communication terminal through which the digital camera 100 communicates with the lens unit 150 (described later; detachable). The eyepiece 16 is the eyepiece of an eyepiece finder (a peer-type finder), and the user can view an image displayed on an internal EVF 29 (described later) through the eyepiece 16. The eyepiece detection unit 57 is an eyepiece detection sensor that detects whether the user (photographer) has placed their eye on the eyepiece 16. The cover 202 is a cover for a slot that stores a recording medium 200 (described later). The grip unit 90 is a holding unit shaped to be easily held in the user's right hand when holding the digital camera 100. The shutter button 61 and main electronic dial 71 are positioned so that they can be operated with the index finger of the right hand when the digital camera 100 is held by gripping the grip unit 90 with the little finger, ring finger, and middle finger of the right hand. In the same state, the sub electronic dial 73 and the line of sight confirmation button 82 are arranged in a position that can be operated with the thumb of the right hand.

[0018] <Block diagram of the digital camera 100> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the digital camera 100. The lens unit 150 is a lens unit equipped with an interchangeable photographic lens. The lens 103 is usually composed of multiple lenses, but FIG. 2 shows only one lens for simplicity. The communication terminal 6 is a communication terminal through which the lens unit 150 communicates with the digital camera 100, and the communication terminal 10 is a communication terminal through which the digital camera 100 communicates with the lens unit 150. The lens unit 150 communicates with the system control unit 50 via these communication terminals 6 and 10. The lens unit 150 controls the aperture 1 via the aperture drive circuit 2 using the lens system control circuit 4 inside. In addition, the lens unit 1 The lens system control circuit 4 controls the lens 103 via the AF drive circuit 3 to adjust the focus.

[0019] The shutter 101 is a focal plane shutter that can freely control the exposure time of the imaging unit 22 under the control of the system control unit 50.

[0020] The imaging unit 22 is an imaging element configured by a CCD, CMOS element, etc. that converts an optical image into an electrical signal. The imaging unit 22 may have an imaging surface phase difference sensor that outputs defocus amount information to the system control unit 50.

[0021] The image processing unit 24 performs predetermined processing (pixel interpolation, resizing such as reduction, color conversion, etc.) on data from the A / D converter 23 or data from the memory control unit 15. The image processing unit 24 also performs predetermined arithmetic processing using the captured image data, and the system control unit 50 performs exposure control and distance measurement control based on the arithmetic results obtained by the image processing unit 24. This allows TTL (through-the-lens) type AF (autofocus) processing, AE (autoexposure) processing, EF (flash pre-flash) processing, etc. to be performed. The image processing unit 24 also performs predetermined arithmetic processing using the captured image data, and performs TTL type AWB (auto white balance) processing based on the arithmetic results obtained.

[0022] The memory control unit 15 controls the transmission and reception of data between the A / D converter 23, the image processing unit 24, and the memory 32. The output data from the A / D converter 23 is written to the memory 32 via the image processing unit 24 and the memory control unit 15. Alternatively, the output data from the A / D converter 23 is written to the memory 32 via the memory control unit 15 without going through the image processing unit 24. The memory 32 stores image data obtained by the imaging unit 22 and converted into digital data by the A / D converter 23, as well as image data to be displayed on the display unit 28 and the EVF 29. The memory 32 has a storage capacity sufficient to store a predetermined number of still images and a predetermined period of moving images and audio.

[0023] The memory 32 also serves as a memory (video memory) for displaying images. The display image data written to the memory 32 is displayed on the display unit 28 or the EVF 29 via the memory control unit 15. The display unit 28 and the EVF 29 each perform display on a display device such as an LCD or an organic EL display in accordance with a signal from the memory control unit 15. A live view display (LV) can be performed by sequentially transferring and displaying data that has been A / D converted by the A / D converter 23 and stored in the memory 32 to the display unit 28 or the EVF 29. Hereinafter, an image displayed in live view display will be referred to as a live view image (LV image).

[0024] The gaze detection unit 160 (reception unit) detects the gaze of the user's eye placed in the eyepiece unit 16 as they look at the EVF 29. The gaze detection unit 160 is composed of a dichroic mirror 162, an imaging lens 163, a gaze detection sensor 164, a gaze detection circuit 165, and an infrared light emitting diode 166.

[0025] The infrared light emitting diode 166 is a light emitting element for detecting the position of the user's line of sight within the viewfinder screen, and irradiates the user's eyeball (eye) 161 with infrared light. The infrared light emitted from the infrared light emitting diode 166 is reflected by the eyeball (eye) 161, and the reflected infrared light reaches the dichroic mirror 162. The dichroic mirror 162 reflects only the infrared light and transmits visible light. The reflected infrared light, whose optical path has been changed, forms an image on the imaging surface of the line of sight detection sensor 164 via the imaging lens 163. The imaging lens 163 is an optical component that constitutes the line of sight detection optical system. The line of sight detection sensor 164 is composed of an imaging device such as a CCD image sensor.

[0026] The gaze detection sensor 164 photoelectrically converts the incident reflected infrared light into an electric signal and outputs it to the gaze detection circuit 165. The gaze detection circuit 165 detects the gaze position of the user from the movement of the user's eyeball (eye) 161 based on the output signal of the gaze detection sensor 164, and outputs the detection information to the system control unit 50 and the gaze determination unit 170.

[0027] The gaze determination unit 170 determines that the user is gazing at a certain area when the period during which the user's gaze is fixed on that area exceeds a predetermined threshold, based on the detection information received from the gaze detection circuit 165. Therefore, the area can be considered to be the gaze position (gaze area), where the gaze is observed. Note that "the gaze is fixed on a certain area" means, for example, that the average position of the gaze movement is within the area for a predetermined period of time, and the variance (dispersion) is less than a predetermined value. Note that the predetermined threshold can be arbitrarily changed by the system control unit 50. Alternatively, the gaze determination unit 170 may not be provided as an independent block, and the system control unit 50 may execute the same function as the gaze determination unit 170 based on the detection information received from the gaze detection circuit 165.

[0028] In this embodiment, the gaze detection unit 160 detects the gaze using a method called the corneal reflex method. The corneal reflex method is a method of detecting the direction and position of the gaze from the positional relationship between the light reflected by the eyeball (eye) 161 (particularly the cornea) of the infrared light emitted from the infrared light emitting diode 166 and the pupil of the eyeball (eye) 161. Note that the method of detecting the gaze (direction and position of the gaze) is not particularly limited, and methods other than those described above may also be used. For example, a method called the scleral reflex method may be used, which utilizes the difference in light reflectance between the black and white of the eye.

[0029] Various camera settings such as shutter speed and aperture are displayed on the outside viewfinder display 43 via an outside viewfinder display drive circuit 44 .

[0030] The nonvolatile memory 56 is an electrically erasable and recordable memory, such as a flash ROM. Constants, programs, etc. for the operation of the system control unit 50 are recorded in the nonvolatile memory 56. The programs referred to here are programs for executing various flowcharts described later in this embodiment.

[0031] The system control unit 50 is a control unit made up of at least one processor or circuit, and controls the entire digital camera 100. The system control unit 50 executes programs recorded in the nonvolatile memory 56 described above to realize each process of this embodiment, which will be described later. The system memory 52 is, for example, a RAM, and the system control unit 50 loads constants and variables for operation of the system control unit 50, programs read from the nonvolatile memory 56, and the like into the system memory 52. ​​The system control unit 50 also performs display control by controlling the memory 32, the display unit 28, etc.

[0032] The system timer 53 is a timekeeping unit that measures the time used for various controls and the time of a built-in clock.

[0033] The power supply control unit 80 is composed of a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, a switch circuit for switching between powered blocks, etc., and detects whether a battery is installed, the type of battery, and the remaining battery power. The power supply control unit 80 also controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection results and instructions from the system control unit 50, and supplies the required voltage for the required period to each unit, including the recording medium 200. The power supply unit 30 is composed of primary batteries such as alkaline batteries or lithium batteries, secondary batteries such as NiCd batteries, NiMH batteries, or Li batteries, an AC adapter, etc.

[0034] The recording medium I / F 18 is an interface with a recording medium 200 such as a memory card or a hard disk. The recording medium 200 is a memory card or the like for recording captured images. It is a recording medium and consists of semiconductor memory, magnetic disks, etc.

[0035] The communication unit 54 transmits and receives image signals and audio signals to and from external devices connected wirelessly or via a wired cable. The communication unit 54 can also be connected to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. The communication unit 54 can also communicate with external devices via Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Bluetooth Low Energy. The communication unit 54 can transmit images (including LV images) captured by the imaging unit 22 and images recorded on the recording medium 200, and can receive image data and various other information from external devices.

[0036] The orientation detection unit 55 detects the orientation of the digital camera 100 with respect to the direction of gravity. Based on the orientation detected by the orientation detection unit 55, it is possible to determine whether an image captured by the imaging unit 22 was captured with the digital camera 100 held horizontally or vertically. The system control unit 50 can add orientation information corresponding to the orientation detected by the orientation detection unit 55 to the image file of the image captured by the imaging unit 22, or rotate and record the image. An acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, or the like can be used as the orientation detection unit 55. The acceleration sensor or gyro sensor of the orientation detection unit 55 can also be used to detect movement of the digital camera 100 (panning, tilting, lifting, whether the digital camera 100 is stationary, etc.).

[0037] The eyepiece detection unit 57 is an eyepiece detection sensor that detects (approach detection) whether the eye (object) 161 approaches (approach) or moves away (away from) the eyepiece 16 of the eyepiece finder (hereinafter simply referred to as the "finder"). The system control unit 50 switches the display unit 28 and the EVF 29 between on (display state) and off (non-display state) depending on the state detected by the eyepiece detection unit 57. More specifically, at least in a shooting standby state and when the display destination switching is automatic, when the eye is not in contact with the camera, the display is turned on with the display on the display unit 28 and the EVF 29 is hidden. When the eye is in contact with the camera, the display is turned on with the display on the EVF 29 and the display on the display unit 28 is hidden. For example, an infrared proximity sensor can be used as the eyepiece detection unit 57, and it can detect the approach of an object to the eyepiece 16 of a finder incorporating the EVF 29. When an object approaches, infrared light emitted from a light-emitting unit (not shown) of the eyepiece detection unit 57 is reflected by the object and received by a light-receiving unit (not shown) of the infrared proximity sensor. The amount of received infrared light can also determine the distance the object is approaching the eyepiece 16 (eyepiece distance). In this way, the eyepiece detection unit 57 performs eyepiece detection, which detects the proximity of an object to the eyepiece 16. When an object approaching within a predetermined distance from the eyepiece 16 is detected from a non-eyepiece state (non-approach state), it is detected as being in eye contact. When an object detected as approaching moves away from the eyepiece state (approach state) by more than a predetermined distance, it is detected as being away from the eye. The threshold for detecting eye contact and the threshold for detecting eye separation may be different, for example, by providing hysteresis. Furthermore, after eye contact is detected, the eyepiece remains in the eye contact state until eye separation is detected. After eye separation is detected, the eyepiece remains in the non-eye contact state until eye contact is detected. The infrared proximity sensor is just one example, and other sensors may be used for the eye proximity detection unit 57 as long as they can detect the approach of an eye or an object that can be considered as an eye proximity.

[0038] By controlling the gaze detection unit 160, the system control unit 50 can detect the following gaze states toward the EVF 29: A gaze that was not directed toward the EVF 29 is now directed toward the EVF 29. In other words, the start of gaze input. A state in which gaze input toward the EVF 29 is being performed. A state in which the gaze is fixed on a position on the EVF 29. A gaze that was directed toward the EVF 29 is shifted away. In other words, the end of gaze input. A state in which no gaze input is being performed toward the EVF 29 (a state in which the EVF 29 is not being looked at).

[0039] These operation states and the position (direction) of the gaze toward the EVF 29 are notified to the system control unit 50 via the internal bus, and the system control unit 50 determines what kind of gaze input is being performed based on the notified information.

[0040] The operation unit 70 is an input unit that accepts operations from the user (user operations) and is used to input various operational instructions to the system control unit 50. As shown in Fig. 2, the operation unit 70 includes a mode selector switch 60, a shutter button 61, a power switch 72, a touch panel 70a, etc. The operation unit 70 also includes other operation members 70b, such as a main electronic dial 71, a sub electronic dial 73, a four-way key 74, a SET button 75, a video button 76, an AE lock button 77, a magnification button 78, a playback button 79, a menu button 81, an MC65, etc.

[0041] The mode selector switch 60 switches the operating mode of the system control unit 50 to one of still image capture mode, video capture mode, playback mode, etc. Modes included in the still image capture mode include auto capture mode, auto scene determination mode, manual mode, aperture priority mode (Av mode), shutter speed priority mode (Tv mode), and program AE mode (P mode). There are also various scene modes and custom modes that provide capture settings for specific capture scenes. The mode selector switch 60 allows the user to directly switch to one of these modes. Alternatively, after first switching to a list screen of capture modes with the mode selector switch 60, the user may selectively switch to one of the displayed modes using another operating member. Similarly, the video capture mode may also include multiple modes.

[0042] The shutter button 61 includes a first shutter switch 62 and a second shutter switch 64. The first shutter switch 62 is turned on when the shutter button 61 is pressed halfway (a shooting preparation command) and generates a first shutter switch signal SW1. The system control unit 50 starts shooting preparation operations such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (auto exposure) processing, AWB (auto white balance) processing, and EF (pre-flash) processing in response to the first shutter switch signal SW1. The second shutter switch 64 is turned on when the shutter button 61 is pressed fully (a shooting command) and generates a second shutter switch signal SW2. The system control unit 50 starts a series of shooting processing operations in response to the second shutter switch signal SW2, from reading out a signal from the imaging unit 22 to writing the captured image to the recording medium 200 as an image file.

[0043] The touch panel 70a and the display unit 28 can be configured as an integrated unit. For example, the touch panel 70a is configured so that its light transmittance does not interfere with the display of the display unit 28, and is attached to the upper layer of the display surface of the display unit 28. Input coordinates on the touch panel 70a are associated with display coordinates on the display surface of the display unit 28. This provides a GUI (Graphical User Interface) that allows the user to directly operate the screen displayed on the display unit 28. The system control unit 50 can detect the following operations or states on the touch panel 70a:

[0044] A finger or pen that has not been touching the touch panel 70a touches the touch panel 70a again, that is, the start of touching (hereinafter referred to as touch-down). A state in which the touch panel 70a is touched with a finger or a pen (hereinafter referred to as Touch-On). A finger or a pen is moved while touching the touch panel 70a (hereinafter referred to as Touch-Move). The finger or pen that was touching the touch panel 70a is removed from the touch panel 70a (removed The touch is terminated (hereinafter referred to as Touch-Up). A state in which nothing is touching the touch panel 70a (hereinafter referred to as Touch-Off).

[0045] When a touch down is detected, a touch on is also detected at the same time. After a touch down, a touch on is usually continued to be detected unless a touch up is detected. If a touch move is detected, a touch on is also detected at the same time. Even if a touch on is detected, a touch move is not detected unless the touch position moves. Once it is detected that all fingers or pens that were touching have touched up, a touch off occurs.

[0046] These operation states and the position coordinates of the finger or pen touching the touch panel 70a are notified to the system control unit 50 via the internal bus. The system control unit 50 then determines what kind of operation (touch operation) was performed on the touch panel 70a based on the notified information. Regarding touch moves, the movement direction of the finger or pen moving on the touch panel 70a can also be determined for each vertical and horizontal component on the touch panel 70a based on changes in the position coordinates. If a touch move of a predetermined distance or more is detected, it is determined that a slide operation has been performed. An operation in which a finger is touched on the touch panel 70a, moved quickly for a certain distance, and then released is called a flick. In other words, a flick is an operation in which a finger is quickly traced across the touch panel 70a as if flicking it. If a touch move of a predetermined distance or more at a predetermined speed or faster is detected and a touch up is then detected, it is determined that a flick has been performed (it can be determined that a flick occurred following a slide operation). Furthermore, a touch operation in which multiple points (for example, two points) are touched together (multi-touch) and the touch positions are brought closer together is called a pinch in, and a touch operation in which the touch positions are moved farther apart is called a pinch out. Pinch out and pinch in are collectively called a pinch operation (or simply a pinch). The touch panel 70a may be of any of a variety of touch panel types, including resistive film type, capacitive type, surface acoustic wave type, infrared type, electromagnetic induction type, image recognition type, and optical sensor type. There are types that detect a touch by contact with the touch panel, and types that detect a touch by the approach of a finger or pen to the touch panel, and either type is acceptable.

[0047] The digital camera 100 may also be provided with an audio input unit (not shown) that transmits audio obtained from a built-in microphone or an audio input device connected via an audio input terminal to the system control unit 50. In this case, the system control unit 50 selects the input audio signal as needed, performs analog-to-digital conversion, and performs level optimization processing, specific frequency reduction processing, etc. to generate an audio signal.

[0048] In this embodiment, the user can select either an absolute position designation method or a relative position designation method as the method for designating the position of a position indicator (e.g., an AF frame) when a touch-move operation is performed with the eyepiece in close proximity. The absolute position designation method is a method in which input coordinates on the touch panel 70a are associated with display coordinates on the display surface of the EVF 29. With the absolute position designation method, when there is a touch-down on the touch panel 70a, the AF frame is set at a position associated with the touched position (the position where the coordinates were input) even without a touch-move (moving from its position before the touch-down). The position set with the absolute position designation method is based on the touch-down position, regardless of the position set before the touch-down. Furthermore, when there is a touch-move after the touch-down, the position of the AF frame also moves based on the touched position after the touch-move. The relative position designation method is a method in which there is no association between input coordinates on the touch panel 70a and display coordinates on the display surface of the EVF 29. With the relative position designation method, when there is a touch-down on the touch panel 70a but no touch-move, the position of the AF frame does not move from its position before the touch-down. So If there is a Touch Move after the Touch Down, regardless of the Touch Down position, the position of the AF frame will move in the direction of Touch Move from the currently set position of the AF frame (the position set before Touch Down) by a distance corresponding to the amount of Touch Move.

[0049] The AF area (AF frame setting method) can be set to one of several AF methods, including "single-point AF" and "full-area AF." Subject detection settings (tracking) can also be enabled or disabled. "Single-point AF" is a method in which the user specifies a single location using a single-point AF frame as the AF position. "Full-area AF" is a method in which the AF position is automatically set based on the automatic selection conditions if the user does not specify a tracking target. Tracking settings can be reflected by multiplying these AF area settings. When tracking is enabled, if a human face is detected in the LV image, the face is prioritized as the AF target subject. If multiple human faces are detected, one face is selected and set as the AF target subject based on priorities such as the face's size, its position close to the digital camera 100 (closest side), its position near the center of the image, or whether it is a pre-registered individual's face. If a human face is not detected, a subject other than a face is selected and set as the AF target subject according to priorities such as being close to digital camera 100 (close side), having high contrast, being a high-priority subject such as an animal or a vehicle, or being a moving object. If a subject to be tracked is designated by the user, the subject to be tracked is set as the AF target subject. In other words, the automatic selection conditions are a condition in which weighting is performed using at least one of the element conditions such as those shown in the example below, and the obtained score is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold or the obtained score is the highest. -It is the face of a detected person. -Large face size. The face is positioned close to the digital camera 100 (on the close side). The face is positioned close to the center of the image. -The face of a pre-registered individual. Close to the digital camera 100 (close side). High contrast. -High-priority subjects such as animals or vehicles. -It is a moving object.

[0050] [Camera startup process] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of the camera startup process of the digital camera 100 according to this embodiment. The process of the flowchart shown in Fig. 3 is realized by the system control unit 50 loading a program stored in the nonvolatile memory 56 into the system memory 52 and executing it. When the digital camera 100 starts up in shooting mode in response to the power being turned on by the power switch 72, flags, control variables, etc. are initialized, and the process of the flowchart shown in Fig. 3 begins.

[0051] In S301, the system control unit 50 executes initialization processing of various flags for camera startup processing.

[0052] In S302, the system control unit 50 determines whether the operation mode of the digital camera 100 is the shooting mode. If the operation mode of the digital camera 100 is the shooting mode, the process proceeds to S304; if not, the process proceeds to S303.

[0053] In S303, the system control unit 50 determines whether the operation mode of the digital camera 100 is the playback mode. If the operation mode of the digital camera 100 is the playback mode, the process proceeds to S305; if not, the process proceeds to S306.

[0054] In S304, the system control unit 50 performs the shooting mode process (see FIGS. 4 and 5) described below.

[0055] In S305, the system control unit 50 performs a playback mode process (see FIG. 6) which will be described later.

[0056] In S306, the system control unit 50 performs other mode processing, such as switching to wireless communication mode and transmitting captured image files to another device.

[0057] In S307, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not an operation to turn off the power switch 72 has been performed. If the power switch 72 has been turned off, the process proceeds to S308; if not, the process proceeds to S302.

[0058] In S308, the system control unit 50 stores various flags for camera shutdown processing, and stops the operation of the digital camera 100.

[0059] The following describes the shooting mode process in S304 and the playback mode process in S305 in Fig. 3 with reference to the flowcharts in Fig. 4 to Fig. 6. First, the shooting mode process when digital camera 100 captures an image of a subject will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Then, the playback mode process when digital camera 100 plays back a captured image will be described with reference to Fig. 6.

[0060] The following description is based on the assumption that the digital camera 100 has two shooting modes: a still image mode (a mode for capturing still images) and a video mode (a mode for capturing video images). In this embodiment, the system control unit 50 displays a live view image on the display unit 28, and superimposes two aspect markers on the live view image to divide the live view image into three regions. The live view image displayed on the display unit 28 is divided by the two aspect markers into an inner region that is closer to the center of the screen of the display unit 28, and two outer regions that are further from the center of the screen than the inner region (see FIG. 8A ). Below, the two outer regions will not be distinguished and will simply be referred to as the outer regions. In the still image mode, the digital camera 100 records only the inner region of the regions into which the live view image is divided by the aspect markers when capturing an image. In the video mode, the digital camera 100 records both the inner region and the outer region when capturing an image.

[0061] When shooting video, compared to shooting still images, it is difficult to take multiple shots depending on the situation of the subject from the standpoints of shooting time and file size. For this reason, when shooting video, users are required to capture image material for multiple purposes with a single shot. For this reason, when shooting video in video mode, users often intend to record the outer areas divided by auxiliary lines such as aspect markers.

[0062] On the other hand, when capturing still images, it is easier to retake the image multiple times depending on the subject's condition compared to capturing a video. Therefore, when capturing a still image, digital camera 100 limits the recording target to the inner area, and also confines specific processing related to the image capture (such as the movement range of the AF frame) to the inner area. This allows both the area to be captured and the area to be AFed to be the inner area, preventing the captured still image from focusing on an area outside the target area, resulting in a desirable still image. Furthermore, since the area intended by the user is focused upon during capture, the number of steps required for preparation for capturing a still image can be reduced.

[0063] [Shooting mode processing] 4 is a flowchart illustrating the main steps of the shooting mode processing of the digital camera 100 in this embodiment. The processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is realized by the system control unit 50 expanding a program stored in the nonvolatile memory 56 into the system memory 52 and executing it.

[0064] In S401, the system control unit 50 performs display-related processing, which will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0065] In S402 to S410, the system control unit 50 performs processing to change various settings in the menu. In S402, the system control unit 50 determines whether a mode switching operation for switching the shooting mode (still image mode and video mode) has been performed on the operation unit 70. If a mode switching operation has been performed, the process proceeds to S403; if not, the process proceeds to S404.

[0066] In S403, the system control unit 50 switches the shooting mode. Specifically, if the current shooting mode is the still image mode, the system control unit 50 switches it to the video mode, and if the current shooting mode is the video mode, the system control unit 50 switches it to the still image mode.

[0067] FIG. 7A shows an example of the first layer of the menu screen displayed on the display unit 28. In the first layer, the user can select a desired shooting mode by selecting either still image 701a (an option representing a still image mode) or video 701b (an option representing a video mode) in the mode switching item 701. Therefore, a mode switching operation can be said to be an operation of selecting an option representing a shooting mode other than the current shooting mode. The system control unit 50 switches the shooting mode according to the option selected by the user's operation on the operation unit 70. Similarly, for each of the other items on the menu screen, the user can switch the setting for that item by selecting one option from multiple options.

[0068] In S404, the system control unit 50 determines whether a display switching operation for switching the aspect marker display setting has been performed on the operation unit 70. The aspect marker display setting is a setting for whether or not to display aspect markers, and, if aspect markers are displayed, what value to set for the aspect ratio of the inner region. If a display switching operation has been performed, the process proceeds to S405; if not, the process proceeds to S406.

[0069] For example, when a user selects aspect marker setting item 702 in FIG. 7A, the first-level menu screen transitions to a dedicated screen (second-level screen) for selecting options for the aspect marker, as shown in FIG. 7B. In the example of FIG. 7B, the dedicated screen displays option 702a for not displaying aspect markers and options 702b to 702f for displaying aspect markers so that the inner region has a predetermined aspect ratio. The user performs a display switching operation by selecting one of options 702a to 702f. Options 702b to 702f represent options for displaying aspect markers so that the aspect ratios of the inner region are 1:1, 4:5, 5:4, 9:16, and 2.35:1, respectively. Note that, although the present embodiment has been described as controlling the display settings of aspect markers, the present invention is not limited to aspect markers. In other words, any auxiliary lines related to shooting (e.g., grid lines) may be used instead of aspect markers.

[0070] In S405, the system control unit 50 switches the aspect marker display setting depending on the display switching operation (which of the options 702a to 702f is selected). Note that, for simplicity of explanation, the following description of this flowchart will be given on the assumption that the aspect marker display setting is not set to not display the aspect markers.

[0071] In S406, the system control unit 50 determines whether the current shooting mode is the still image mode. If the current shooting mode is the still image mode, the process proceeds to S407, and if not (if the current shooting mode is the video mode), the process proceeds to S409.

[0072] In S407, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not a GUI switching operation, which is an operation for switching the range display setting, has been performed on the operation unit 70. The range display setting is a setting for the display (display format) of the GUI that shows the shooting range when capturing a still image. If a GUI switching operation has been performed, the process proceeds to S408; if not, the process proceeds to S409.

[0073] The user can perform a GUI switching operation by selecting either "Line only" or "Mask" in the range display setting item 703 in FIG. 7A. Specifically, by selecting the "Line only" option, the user can select "a setting in which the shooting range is displayed only by aspect markers" (line display setting). On the other hand, by selecting the "Mask" option, the user can select "a setting in which the shooting range is displayed by aspect markers and the outer area is covered with a mask" (mask display setting). Note that in this embodiment, "mask" refers to a display that is superimposed on a live view image. The mask display may completely obscure the live view image (mask transparency is 0), or a mask with transparency that allows the live view image to be viewed may be used.

[0074] In S408, the system control unit 50 switches the range display setting in response to the GUI switching operation.

[0075] In S409, the system control unit 50 determines whether a setting switching operation for switching AF-related settings has been performed on the operation unit 70. If a setting switching operation has been performed, the process proceeds to S410; if not, the process proceeds to S411.

[0076] 7A, the user can change the setting by selecting one of a number of AF methods, including "single-point AF" and "full-area AF," in the AF area item 704. The user can also change the setting by selecting whether or not to detect the subject in the tracking item 705.

[0077] In S410, the system control unit 50 switches the AF-related settings in response to the setting switching operation.

[0078] In S411, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not a shooting start operation, which is an operation for starting shooting, has been performed on the operation unit 70. If a shooting start operation has been performed, the process proceeds to S412; if not, the process proceeds to S415.

[0079] In S412, the system control unit 50 determines whether the current shooting mode is the still image mode. If the current shooting mode is the still image mode, the process proceeds to S413. If the current shooting mode is the video mode, the process proceeds to S414.

[0080] In S413, the system control unit 50 starts recording only the inner area of ​​the live view image displayed on the display unit 28 as a still image capture start process.

[0081] In S414, the system control unit 50 starts recording the entire live view image displayed on the display unit 28, including not only the inner area but also the outer area, as a process for starting video shooting.

[0082] In S415, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not an operation to end shooting, which is an operation to end shooting, has been performed on the operation unit 70. If an operation to end shooting has been performed, the system control unit 50 proceeds to S416; if not, the system control unit 50 proceeds to S417.

[0083] In S416, the system control unit 50 performs a shooting end process. For example, the shooting end process is a process of arranging the recorded image in a predetermined format on the medium, a process of releasing the buffer used during shooting, etc. In S416, if a still image is shot in the still image mode, the system control unit 50 stores the shot still image as an image file of the still image (still image file) on the recording medium 200. On the other hand, if a still image is shot in the video mode, the system control unit 50 stores the shot video as an image file of the video (video file) on the recording medium 200.

[0084] In S417, the system control unit 50 determines whether to move the AF frame. For example, when "single-point AF" is set as the AF method, if an operation to move the AF frame (AF frame movement operation) is performed, the system control unit 50 determines to move the AF frame. The AF frame movement operation refers to a user touch operation on the touch panel 70a or an operation using one of the directional keys of the four-way keypad 74. On the other hand, when "full-range AF" is set as the AF method, if a subject for which an AF frame is set moves in the live view image, the system control unit 50 determines to move the AF frame. If the AF frame is to be moved, the system control unit 50 proceeds to S418; if not, the system control unit 50 proceeds to S422.

[0085] In S418, the system control unit 50 determines whether the AF frame is about to move to a position outside the aspect marker (outer region). For example, when "single-point AF" is set as the AF method, if a position in the outer region is specified by the AF frame movement operation, the system control unit 50 determines that the AF frame is about to move to the outer region. On the other hand, when "full-area AF" is set as the AF method, if a subject for which the AF frame is set (e.g., a subject being tracked by continuous AF execution) moves to the outer region, the system control unit 50 determines that the AF frame is about to move to the outer region. If the AF frame is about to move to the outer region, the process proceeds to S419; otherwise, the process proceeds to S421. Note that if it is determined in S417 that the AF frame should be moved without executing the process of S418, the process may proceed to S419.

[0086] In S419, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not a flag (restriction flag) for restricting the AF frame movement range, which will be described later, is ON. If the restriction flag is ON, the process proceeds to S420; if not, the process proceeds to S421.

[0087] In S420, the system control unit 50 performs AF by moving the AF frame in the inner region. For example, when "single-point AF" is set as the AF method, the system control unit 50 moves the AF frame to a position in the inner region to which the AF frame can be moved and that is closest to the position instructed by the AF frame movement operation instruction, and performs AF at that position. On the other hand, when "full-range AF" is set as the AF method, the system control unit 50 performs AF only on the tracking target subject located in the inner region.

[0088] In S421, the system control unit 50 performs AF by moving the AF frame over the entire live view image, including the inner and outer regions, regardless of the position of the aspect marker. For example, if "single-point AF" is set as the AF method, the system control unit 50 moves the AF frame to the position specified by the AF frame movement operation instruction, and performs AF at that position. On the other hand, if "full-area AF" is set as the AF method, the system control unit 50 moves the AF frame over the entire live view image to a position where it overlaps with the subject to be tracked, and performs AF at that position. Note that in S418, the AF frame was moved to the outer region. If it is determined that the AF frame is not about to move, the AF frame does not move to the outer area, and as a result, AF is performed only in the inner area in S421.

[0089] In S422, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not any other operation has been performed on the operation unit 70. If any other operation has been performed, the process proceeds to S423, and if not, the process proceeds to S424.

[0090] In S423, the system control unit 50 performs other processing in response to other operations. Here, other operations and other processing include, for example, operations to change other parameters related to shooting (shutter speed, exposure compensation, etc.) and processing based thereon.

[0091] In S424, the system control unit 50 determines whether an operation to end the shooting mode has been performed on the operation unit 70. If an operation to end the shooting mode has been performed, the process of this flowchart ends; if not, the process proceeds to S401. An example of an end operation is an operation to switch between shooting mode and playback mode.

[0092] [Display-related processing; S401] Fig. 5 is a flowchart of display-related processing in this embodiment of the digital camera 100. The processing of the flowchart shown in Fig. 5 is realized by the system control unit 50 expanding a program stored in the non-volatile memory 56 into the system memory 52 and executing it.

[0093] In S501, the system control unit 50 displays a live view image on the display unit 28 based on a signal detected by the imaging unit 22.

[0094] In S502, the system control unit 50 displays an aspect marker on the display unit 28 in accordance with the aspect marker display setting so as to be superimposed on the live view image.

[0095] In S503, the system control unit 50 determines whether the current shooting mode is the still image mode. If the current shooting mode is the video image mode, the process proceeds to S507; if not, the process proceeds to S504.

[0096] In S504, if the range display setting is the mask display setting, the system control unit 50 displays a mask superimposed on the outer region on the display unit 28 (see FIG. 8B). On the other hand, if the range display setting is the line display setting, the system control unit 50 does not display the mask (see FIG. 8A).

[0097] In S505, the system control unit 50 displays a still image OSD showing information related to the still image mode, such as the still image mode information display 802 in Fig. 8A, superimposed on the live view image, on the display unit 28. The information related to the still image mode includes, for example, information such as the number of shots that can be taken, the remaining battery charge, the ISO sensitivity, the shutter speed, or the aperture value.

[0098] In S506, the system control unit 50 turns on the restriction flag (AF frame movement range restriction flag), which causes the AF frame to move only within the inner region in still image mode, and AF to be performed only within the inner region.

[0099] In S507, the system control unit 50 displays a video OSD showing information related to the video mode, such as video mode information display 912 in Fig. 9A, superimposed on the live view image, on the display unit 28. The information related to the video mode includes, for example, information such as the remaining shooting time, the remaining battery level, the ISO sensitivity, or the aperture value.

[0100] In S508, the system control unit 50 turns off the restriction flag, which causes the AF frame to move over the entire area of ​​the live view image, including the inner and outer areas, in movie mode, and AF is performed over the entire area of ​​the live view image.

[0101] In S509, the system control unit 50 displays an AF frame superimposed on a live view image on the display unit 28 based on the current AF-related settings.

[0102] [Shooting mode processing screen] 8A to 9C are examples of screens in the shooting mode process of the digital camera 100 according to this embodiment.

[0103] Fig. 8A is a screen of the display unit 28 in still image mode. Fig. 8A is a screen at the end of the processing of S509 when the shooting mode is still image mode (NO in S503) and no mask is displayed in S504. Fig. 8A is an example of a screen when the range display setting is a line display setting (a setting in which only the aspect marker is displayed). In Fig. 8A, a still image mode information display 802, an aspect marker 803, and an AF frame 804 are displayed superimposed on a live view image 801. The aspect marker 803 hereafter shows an example of an aspect marker that sets the aspect ratio of the inner region to 1:1. In still image mode, because the restriction flag is ON, the AF frame 804 is displayed outside the two aspect markers 803 (outer region), and AF is not performed.

[0104] FIG. 8B is an example of a screen on display unit 28 when the range display setting is the mask display setting (a setting in which the mask is also displayed). FIG. 8B is a screen at the end of the processing of S509 when the shooting mode is the still image mode (NO in S503) and the mask is displayed in S504. In FIG. 8B, a mask 805 is displayed superimposed on a live view image 801, and only the live view image 801 inside the two aspect markers 803 is displayed. The example of FIG. 8B has the advantage that it is easy to get an idea of ​​the image after shooting. On the other hand, the example of FIG. 8A has the advantage that it is easy to grasp the state of the subject outside the shooting range and to change the aspect ratio of the inner region (changing the position of aspect marker 803).

[0105] FIG. 8C is an example of a screen of the display unit 28 in the shooting preparation state in still image mode. FIG. 8C shows the screen at the end of the processing of S423 when the first shutter switch 62 is operated as another operation of S422 while the screen of FIG. 8A is displayed. When the first shutter switch 62 is operated, the camera transitions to this shooting preparation state. In FIG. 8C, a live view image 801 and an aspect marker 803 are displayed in the same manner as in FIG. 8A. Meanwhile, in FIG. 8C, an information display 806 corresponding to the shooting state (including the shooting preparation state) and a focus frame 807 indicating the result of AF execution are also displayed. Because the restriction flag is ON in still image mode, the focus frame 807 is not displayed outside the aspect marker 803.

[0106] 8C is displayed, if the second shutter switch 64 is operated to capture an image, an outer frame that is a frame drawn around the periphery of the live view image will be displayed if the user has enabled the silent shutter setting. The silent shutter setting is a setting that prevents the shutter sound from being heard when capturing an image. The outer frame is a frame that notifies the user of the capture timing (that a capture is occurring) to resolve the issue that the user may not be able to recognize the capture timing because the shutter sound is not heard.

[0107] Fig. 9A is an example of the screen of the display unit 28 in the moving image mode. Fig. 9A is the screen at the end of the processing of S509 when the shooting mode is the moving image mode (S503 YES). 9A, a video mode information display 912, an aspect marker 913, a mask 914, and an AF frame 915 are displayed superimposed on a live view image 911. In video mode, the restriction flag is OFF, so the AF frame 915 can be displayed in the outer region (outside the aspect marker 913).

[0108] When an operation to start moving image recording is performed using the operation unit 70 while the screen shown in Fig. 9A is displayed, the screen transitions to the screen shown in Fig. 9B. In other words, Fig. 9B is the screen at the end of the processing of S414 when an operation to start moving image shooting is performed (YES in S411 and NO in S412) while the screen of Fig. 9A is displayed. Fig. 9B is an example of a screen during moving image recording, and unlike Fig. 9A, an information display 916 according to the moving image recording status is displayed. Even in this case, the restriction flag is OFF, so the AF frame 915 can be displayed in the outer area.

[0109] The display unit 28 may simultaneously display the aspect marker and a marker (auxiliary line) other than the aspect marker. For example, as shown in FIG. 9C , the display unit 28 may simultaneously display grid lines 917 for checking the position of the subject in the live view image 911 with the aspect marker 913. In this case, the system control unit 50 may not restrict the movement of the AF frame in the two regions divided by the grid lines 917, regardless of the restriction flag. That is, the system control unit 50 may perform AF by moving the AF frame in a region including both of the two regions divided by the grid lines 917, regardless of the shooting mode. Alternatively, even in the still image mode, when the inner region is divided into two or more regions by the grid lines 917, the system control unit 50 may not restrict the movement of the AF frame (execution of AF) in those two or more regions. That is, the system control unit 50 may perform AF by moving the AF frame in a region including those two or more regions, regardless of the shooting mode. On the other hand, if the outer area includes two or more areas divided by the grid lines 917, in video mode, the system control unit 50 may not move the AF frame and may not perform AF in the area including those two or more areas. Furthermore, the system control unit 50 may hide the grid lines 917 once recording of a still image or video starts (when shooting starts).

[0110] 4 to 9C, the control for restricting the movement of the AF frame (restricting the AF execution range) according to the mode has been described for an image that includes two areas divided by an auxiliary line such as an aspect marker. This control allows the user to obtain an image in which AF has been performed within the range of the image (moving image) that will ultimately be used, reducing the burden of re-shooting the image (moving image).

[0111] 6 is a flowchart of playback mode processing of the digital camera 100 in this embodiment. The processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 is realized by the system control unit 50 loading a program stored in the nonvolatile memory 56 into the system memory 52 and executing it.

[0112] In S601, the system control unit 50 acquires an image file stored in the recording medium 200.

[0113] In S602, the system control unit 50 causes the display unit 28 to play back the acquired image file as an image.

[0114] In S603, the system control unit 50 determines whether the image file acquired in S601 is a moving image file. If the image file is a moving image file, the process proceeds to S605; if not, the process proceeds to S604.

[0115] In S604, the system control unit 50 displays information about the still image file and a still image GUI for performing operations on the still image file on the display unit 28, superimposed on the image being played back.

[0116] 10A is an example of a screen of display unit 28 showing the playback status of a still image. A still image GUI 1022 is displayed superimposed on a currently played image 1021. Furthermore, since the currently played image 1021 is an image file that was shot in S413 based on a setting that sets the aspect ratio to 1:1, unrecorded blank areas 1023 are displayed on both sides of image 1021.

[0117] In S605, the system control unit 50 displays information about the video file and a video GUI for performing operations on the video file on the display unit 28, superimposed on the image being played back.

[0118] 10B is an example of a screen of display unit 28 showing the playback status of a video. A video GUI 1025 is displayed superimposed on a currently played image 1024. The currently played image 1024 is a file that was shot in S414 based on a setting in which the aspect ratio of the inner region was 1:1. FIG. 10B shows that the area outside the aspect marker (outer region) was also recorded.

[0119] In S606, the system control unit 50 determines whether an image switching operation has been performed on the operation unit 70 to switch the image file displayed on the display unit 28 to the next file. If an image switching operation has been performed, the system control unit 50 proceeds to S607; if not, the system control unit 50 proceeds to S608.

[0120] In S607, the system control unit 50 switches the image file to be displayed (played) on the display unit 28 to the next file.

[0121] In S608, the system control unit 50 determines whether or not any other operation has been performed on the operation unit 70. If any other operation has been performed, the process proceeds to S609; if not, the process proceeds to S610.

[0122] In S609, the system control unit 50 performs other processing. Here, other operations and other processing refer to, for example, operations to change other parameters related to playback (such as playback speed and brightness of the display unit 28) and processing based thereon.

[0123] In S610, the system control unit 50 determines whether an operation to end the playback mode process has been performed on the operation unit 70. If an operation to end the playback mode process has been performed, the process of this flowchart ends. If not, the process proceeds to S602. An operation to end the playback mode process corresponds to, for example, an operation to switch between shooting mode and playback mode.

[0124] As described above, when the user has set the camera to display auxiliary lines such as aspect markers, the camera controls whether AF is performed only within the area divided by the auxiliary lines or outside the area, depending on the shooting mode. When the camera is set to display aspect markers and is in still image mode, AF is performed only within the area inside the image divided by the aspect markers (within the area of ​​the image whose aspect ratio has been adjusted by the aspect markers). In the case of still images, the user may not use the area outside the auxiliary lines (aspect markers) when using the captured image. In such a case, if the image is focused on the area outside the auxiliary lines, there may be no in-focus position within the image to be used inside the auxiliary lines, resulting in an image that the user does not desire.

[0125] On the other hand, when the aspect marker is displayed and the camera is in movie mode, the user is likely to use the entire captured movie regardless of the position of the aspect marker. Therefore, the system control unit 50 performs AF not only in the area inside the aspect marker but also in the area outside the aspect marker. In still image mode, the area outside the aspect marker may not be used, so it is considered that there is little inconvenience in performing AF only within a range narrower than the image actually captured. However, in movie mode, if AF cannot be performed only within a range narrower than the movie actually captured, it will be possible to focus only on a portion of the captureable range, which would be very inconvenient for the user.

[0126] Therefore, the system control unit 50 performs control so that AF (focusing) is performed only within the range of the image that the user is likely to use, depending on the shooting mode. This allows the user to perform AF, which is a specific process related to shooting, within the desired range depending on the situation.

[0127] In the present embodiment, the system control unit 50 turns on the restriction flag (the flag for restricting the AF frame movement range) in still image mode and turns off the restriction flag in video mode. However, this is not limiting. Regardless of the shooting mode, the system control unit 50 may execute processing to determine whether to restrict the range in which AF is performed depending on whether the shooting mode is a mode for capturing only the inner area or a mode for capturing the entire live view image. Specifically, the system control unit 50 may turn on the restriction flag in a mode for capturing only the inner area and turn off the restriction flag in a mode for capturing the entire live view image. The mode for capturing only the inner area is a mode in which only the image within the two aspect markers (the inner area) is recorded, excluding the outer area. The mode for capturing the entire live view image is a mode in which an image including the inner area and the outer area, as well as an image outside the aspect markers, is recorded.

[0128] Although an example of limiting the movement range of the AF frame has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. The specific process that is limited may be AE, a process for setting (displaying) the center position of an enlarged display of a live view image (the center position when an enlarged display of a live view image is performed), or a process for displaying a guide (focus guide) that indicates the degree of focus on the subject (focus state). The specific process may also be a process for setting (displaying) the white acquisition position for manual white balance, etc.

[0129] As described with reference to FIG. 9C , auxiliary information other than the aspect marker, such as auxiliary lines, may be simultaneously displayed. In this case, the system control unit 50 limits the movement range of the AF frame depending on the position of the aspect marker. However, the system control unit 50 may limit or not limit the movement range of the AF frame depending on the other auxiliary information. For example, when displaying a safety zone separated by auxiliary lines, the system control unit 50 may limit the movement range of the AF frame into the safety zone (AF execution in the safety zone) even in video mode. In other words, regardless of the shooting mode, the system control unit 50 may not move the AF frame in the safety zone, preventing AF execution, between the two areas separated by the auxiliary line indicating the safety zone. The safety zone is auxiliary information that indicates a range that will not be cut off even if captions or the like are inserted during editing, assuming distribution on multiple media such as PCs and televisions.

[0130] Furthermore, even when the aspect marker is displayed, the system control unit 50 may change whether or not to turn on the restriction flag depending on the option for selecting the aspect ratio of the inner region (see FIG. 7B). As described above, when the restriction flag is turned on, the system control unit 50 moves the AF frame only in the inner region and performs AF. When the restriction flag is turned off, the system control unit 50 adjusts the A and B for the region including both the inner region and the outer region. The F frame is moved to perform AF. For example, when the aspect ratio of the inner area is set to 1:1, the system control unit 50 assumes that a normal video with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a 1:1 video to be posted to social media, etc., will be generated, and sets the restriction flag to OFF. On the other hand, when the aspect ratio of the inner area is set to 2.35:1 (when an aspect marker for movies is selected), the system control unit 50 assumes that the purpose is to shoot only the main part of the movie, and may set the AF frame movement restriction to ON even in movie mode.

[0131] The system control unit 50 may turn off the restriction flag even in still image mode (in any shooting mode) when a subject is selected by the user and the subject is tracked as the main subject. Additionally, the system control unit 50 may turn off the restriction flag even in still image mode (in any shooting mode) in certain cases. The certain cases include when an AF frame indicates a subject that has been authenticated and registered as an individual (when the AF target is a registered subject) or when AF-related settings (SERVO or tracking) are configured to accommodate a moving subject. SERVO (continuous) is a setting that tracks a subject and keeps the subject in focus (keeps the subject in focus) when certain conditions are met (for example, when the first shutter switch 62 is continuously pressed).

[0132] Furthermore, even in still image mode, if the AF frame indicates something other than a person (if the target of the specific process is something other than a person), the system control unit 50 may turn off the restriction flag because there is a high possibility that the target will move significantly. Also, the system control unit 50 may turn off the restriction flag even in still image mode when a specific operation unit for specifying a position (for example, the line of sight detection circuit 165) can be operated. This allows the user to specify a position within the entire live view image in either shooting mode.

[0133] Furthermore, the system control unit 50 may set the restriction flag not depending on whether the mode is a still image mode or a video mode, but depending on whether the mode is for capturing an image of a stationary subject or a mode for capturing an image of a moving subject. For example, the system control unit 50 turns the restriction flag ON if the mode is for capturing an image of a stationary subject. The system control unit 50 turns the restriction flag OFF if the mode is for capturing an image of a moving subject. Similarly, if the user has set the camera to upload to a specific SNS (for example, the SNS shooting mode is ON), the system control unit 50 may set the restriction flag ON regardless of whether the camera is in a still image mode or a video mode. Furthermore, if the digital camera 100 is connected to the Internet and streaming distribution is performed to a specific SNS, the system control unit 50 may set the restriction flag according to the display format of the SNS to which the image will be uploaded. Some SNSs allow other users to view only the area inside the aspect marker (i.e., the 1:1 area), while others allow other users to view the area outside the aspect marker (i.e., the 16:9 area). Therefore, the system control unit 50 may communicate with the SNS to which the digital camera 100 uploads via the communication unit 54, and identify the SNS connected to the digital camera 100. The system control unit 50 may then change the on / off setting of the restriction flag according to the identified SNS (the display format of the SNS). Furthermore, even if the SNS is not identified via the communication unit 54, if a specific SNS is designated by the user, the system control unit 50 may change the setting of the restriction flag according to the designated SNS.

[0134] In addition, in each drawing, the aspect markers are represented by solid lines, but this is not a limitation. The aspect markers may be represented by dotted lines or other lines. The system control unit 50 may display the information of the aspect markers displayed during shooting on the image. The aspect marker may be added to the file and displayed as an OSD in playback mode (during playback).

[0135] Furthermore, although the present invention has been described in detail based on preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. Furthermore, each of the above-described embodiments merely represents one embodiment of the present invention, and each embodiment can be combined as appropriate.

[0136] The various controls described above as being performed by the system control unit 50 may be performed by a single piece of hardware, or the entire device may be controlled by multiple pieces of hardware (e.g., multiple processors or circuits) sharing the processing.

[0137] Furthermore, although the present invention has been described in detail based on preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. Furthermore, each of the above-described embodiments merely represents one embodiment of the present invention, and each embodiment can be combined as appropriate.

[0138] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to a digital camera, but the present invention is not limited to this example and can be applied to any electronic device having a photographing means. That is, the present invention can be applied to personal computers, PDAs, mobile phone terminals, portable image viewers, printers equipped with displays, digital photo frames, music players, game consoles, electronic book readers, and the like.

[0139] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to application to the imaging device itself, such as a digital camera, but can also be applied to a control device that communicates with an imaging device (including a network camera) via wired or wireless communication and remotely controls the imaging device. Examples of devices that remotely control imaging devices include smartphones, tablet PCs, and desktop PCs. The imaging device can be remotely controlled by issuing commands from the control device to the imaging device to perform various operations or settings based on operations or processes performed on the control device. Furthermore, a live view image captured by the imaging device may be received via wired or wireless communication and displayed on the control device.

[0140] Note that each functional unit in each of the above embodiments (variations) may or may not be individual hardware. The functions of two or more functional units may be realized by common hardware. Each of multiple functions of one functional unit may be realized by individual hardware. Two or more functions of one functional unit may be realized by common hardware. Furthermore, each functional unit may or may not be realized by hardware such as an ASIC, FPGA, or DSP. For example, an apparatus may have a processor and a memory (storage medium) in which a control program is stored. Then, the functions of at least some of the functional units of the apparatus may be realized by the processor reading and executing the control program from the memory.

[0141] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0142] 100: Digital camera, 28: Display unit, 50: System control unit

Claims

1. a display control means for controlling a display means to display a first auxiliary line indicating a first region in an image so as to be superimposed on the image; in a first mode for recording a first type of image, a specific process related to photography is performed on the first area, and the specific process is not performed on a second area outside the first area; a control means for controlling, in a second mode for recording a second type of image different from the first type of image, to execute the specific processing on an area including the first area and the second area; and The specific process is one of autofocus, a process for displaying a guide indicating the focus state, and a process for setting the center position when enlarging and displaying an image. An electronic device characterized by:

2. A display control means for controlling a display means to display a first auxiliary line indicating a first region in an image so as to be superimposed on the image; in a first mode for recording a first type of image, a specific process related to photography is performed on the first area, and the specific process is not performed on a second area outside the first area; a control means for controlling, in a second mode for recording a second type of image different from the first type of image, to execute the specific processing on an area including the first area and the second area; and The control means controls the camera so that the specific process is executed on an area including the first area and the second area, regardless of whether the camera is in the first mode or the second mode, when the camera is tracking a specific subject. An electronic device characterized by:

3. The control means, when tracking a specific subject, switches between the first mode and the Regardless of the second mode, the specific process is controlled to be executed on an area including the first area and the second area.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device.

4. In the first mode, an image that includes the first area and does not include the second area is recorded as the first type of image; In the second mode, an image including the first area and the second area is recorded as the second type of image.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

5. the first type of image is a still image; The second type of image is a moving image.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

6. the first type of images are images of stationary objects; The second type of image is an image of a moving object.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

7. the display control means is further capable of controlling the display means to display a second auxiliary line indicating a third region in the image in a manner superimposed on the image; The control means controls the execution of the specific process on an area including the third area and a fourth area outside the third area, regardless of whether the first mode or the second mode is selected, in a state in which the second auxiliary line is displayed on the image.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

8. the display control means is further capable of controlling the display means to display a second auxiliary line indicating a third region in the image in a manner superimposed on the image; The control means controls so that, in a state in which the second auxiliary line is displayed on the image, a specific process related to photography is not executed for a fourth area outside the third area even in the second mode.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

9. The specific process is autofocus.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

10. The specific process is a process of displaying a guide indicating the focus state.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

11. The specific processing is processing for setting the center position when enlarging and displaying an image.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.

12. the control means controls the specific processing to be executed on an area including the first area and the second area, regardless of whether the mode is the first mode or the second mode, if a predetermined setting has been made; The predetermined setting is a setting that tracks a specific subject and keeps the subject in focus when a predetermined condition is met.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1.

13. a setting means for setting the aspect ratio of the first region; The control means controls the aspect ratio of the first region to be a predetermined value even in the second mode. If the aspect ratio is 0.01, the specific processing related to photography is performed on the first area, and the specific processing is not performed on the second area.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1.

14. The control means controls the specific processing to be performed on an area including the first area and the second area when the target of the specific processing is something other than a person, even in the first mode.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a semiconductor device.

15. Even in the first mode, when the target of the specific processing is a registered subject, the control means controls to execute the specific processing on an area including the first area and the second area.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1.

16. the electronic device is an imaging device having an imaging unit, The display control means controls the display means to display an image captured by the imaging unit.

16. The electronic device according to claim 1.

17. a display control step of controlling a display means to display a first auxiliary line indicating a first region in the image so as to be superimposed on the image; a first control step of performing control such that, in a first mode for recording a first type of image, a specific process related to photography is performed on the first area, and the specific process is not performed on a second area outside the first area; a second control step of controlling, in a second mode for recording a second type of image different from the first type of image, to execute the specific processing on an area including the first area and the second area; and The specific process is one of autofocus, a process for displaying a guide indicating the focus state, and a process for setting the center position when enlarging and displaying an image. A method for controlling an electronic device.

18. A display control step of controlling a display means to superimpose a first auxiliary line indicating a first region in an image on the image; a first control step of performing control such that, in a first mode for recording a first type of image, a specific process related to photography is performed on the first area, and the specific process is not performed on a second area outside the first area; a second control step of controlling, in a second mode for recording a second type of image different from the first type of image, to execute the specific processing on an area including the first area and the second area; a third control step of performing control so that the specific processing is executed on an area including the first area and the second area, regardless of whether the camera is in the first mode or the second mode, when the camera is tracking a specific subject; 1. A method for controlling an electronic device, comprising:

19. A program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

20. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

Images