Shooting system

Abstract

To enable a photographer to perform imaging using a plurality of imaging apparatuses without swapping the plurality of imaging apparatuses.SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus including imaging means includes: acquisition means for acquiring an imaging instruction; and control means for performing imaging processing by controlling the imaging means in the case that a photographer's eye position satisfies a predetermined condition when the imaging instruction is acquired by the acquisition means and for requesting a second imaging apparatus differing from the imaging apparatus to perform imaging processing in the case that the photographer's eye position does not satisfy the predetermined condition when the imaging instruction is acquired by the acquisition means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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[0005]

[0001] The present invention , taken is related to a shadow system Mu .

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes that when a photographer shoots both a distant subject and a nearby subject, the photographer has a plurality of imaging devices each equipped with a telephoto lens and a standard lens, and switches the imaging device according to the subject to be photographed for shooting.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

[0008] According to the present invention, the photographer can perform photography using multiple imaging devices without having to switch between multiple imaging devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the configuration of the first imaging device and lens unit. [Figure 2] This is an external view of the first imaging device. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing the configuration of the second imaging device. [Figure 4] This is an external view of the second imaging device. [Figure 5] This is an electrical diagram of the first imaging device and its accessories. [Figure 6] This is an external view of the imaging system. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the processing of the first imaging device. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows the processing of the second imaging device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0011] [Regarding the first imaging device] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the lens unit 100 and the first imaging device 200 according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the first imaging device 200 will be described on the assumption that it is an interchangeable-lens digital camera. However, the first imaging device 200 may be any electronic device as long as it can perform imaging.

[0012] The lens unit 100 is a lens unit equipped with an interchangeable photographing lens. The lens 5 is usually composed of a plurality of lenses, but in FIG. 1, it is shown simply as a single lens for simplicity. The communication terminal 6 is a communication terminal for the lens unit 100 to communicate with the first imaging device 200. The communication terminal 10 is a communication terminal for the first imaging device 200 to communicate with the lens unit 100. The lens unit 100 communicates with the camera control circuit 40 via the communication terminals 6 and 10. The lens system control circuit 4 controls the aperture 1 via the aperture drive circuit 2 and controls the focus by displacing the position of the lens 5 via the AF drive circuit 3. Also, the camera control circuit 40 acquires the open aperture value and the minimum aperture value of the lens unit 100 via the communication terminals 6 and 10.

[0013] The AE sensor 15 measures the luminance of the subject passing through the lens unit 100. The AF sensor 11 outputs information on the defocus amount to the camera control circuit 40. The camera control circuit 40 controls the lens unit 100 based on the information on the defocus amount. The quick return mirror 12 is controlled in terms of its position and attitude (raised and lowered) by an actuator (not shown) according to the control by the camera control circuit 40 during exposure. The photographer can confirm the focus and composition of the optical image of the subject obtained through the lens unit 100 by observing the focusing screen 13 via the pentaprism 14 and the finder 16.

[0014] The focal-plane shutter 17 allows for free control of the exposure time of the image sensor 20 through the control of the camera control circuit 40. The optical filter 18 is generally composed of a low-pass filter and the like. The optical filter 18 cuts out the high-frequency components of the light entering from the focal-plane shutter 17 and guides the subject image to the image sensor 20.

[0015] The image sensor 20 is an image sensor (imaging sensor) that typically uses CCD or CMOS. The image sensor 20 captures the subject image formed on the image sensor 20 through the lens unit 100 by photoelectric conversion and captures it as an electrical signal.

[0016] The AMP circuit 21 amplifies the captured electrical signal with a gain corresponding to the set shooting sensitivity. The A / D conversion circuit 22 converts the analog signal, which has been converted into an electrical signal by the image sensor 20, into a digital signal (image data).

[0017] The image processing circuit 23 performs image processing (filtering, color conversion, gamma / knee processing) on ​​the image data acquired from the A / D conversion circuit 22, and the memory controller 27 The image processing circuit 23 also incorporates a D / A conversion circuit. The image processing circuit 23 can convert image data (image data acquired from the A / D conversion circuit 22 and image data input by the memory controller 27) into an analog signal and output it to the liquid crystal display unit 25 via the liquid crystal drive circuit 24. This allows the image processing circuit 23 to perform display processing on the liquid crystal display unit 25. Image processing and display processing by the image processing circuit 23 are controlled by the camera control circuit 40. The camera control circuit 40 also performs white balance adjustment based on the color balance information of the captured image.

[0018] The liquid crystal display unit 25 is a rear monitor for displaying images. Any display capable of displaying images, not limited to liquid crystal displays, may be used in place of the liquid crystal display unit 25, including displays of other types such as organic EL. The liquid crystal display unit 25 can also display images of subjects being captured in real time by the image sensor 20.

[0019] The memory controller 27 stores unprocessed image data input from the image processing circuit 23 in the buffer memory 26, or stores processed image data in the recording medium 28. The memory controller 27 can also take image data from the buffer memory 26 or the recording medium 28 and output it to the image processing circuit 23. The memory controller 27 can also store image data sent via the external interface 29 in the recording medium 28. The memory controller 27 can also output the image data stored in the recording medium 28 to the outside via the external interface 29. The external interface can be an interface compliant with standards such as USB, IEEE, or HDMI (registered trademark). The recording medium 28 is a removable recording medium such as a memory card. The recording medium 28 may also be built-in memory. The camera control circuit 40 controls the drive timing of the image sensor 20 via the timing control circuit 32.

[0020] The power control circuit 35 is a circuit that controls the power supplied from the power source (AC power supply unit 30 or secondary battery unit 31). The secondary battery unit 31 is detachable from the first imaging device 200. The power control circuit 35 switches the power on and off in response to control from the camera control circuit 40. The power control circuit 35 also notifies the camera control circuit 40 of the current power status information detected by the power status detection circuit 34 and the current power type information detected by the power type detection circuit 33.

[0021] The vibration control circuit 37 is a circuit that vibrates the piezoelectric element 19 connected to the optical filter 18. The vibration control circuit 37 vibrates the piezoelectric element 19 with a predetermined amplitude, predetermined vibration time, and predetermined vibration axis direction in response to the control of the camera control circuit 40.

[0022] The non-volatile memory 38 is a non-volatile recording medium. The non-volatile memory 38 can retain various data (settings such as shutter speed, aperture value, and shooting sensitivity set by the user, and other data) even when the power to the first imaging device 200 is turned off. The volatile memory 39 stores data that should be stored temporarily (such as information about the internal state of the first imaging device 200 and information about the recording medium 28 that can be attached to or removed from the first imaging device 200).

[0023] The in-viewfinder LCD display 41, via the in-viewfinder LCD drive circuit 42, displays a frame indicating the autofocus point currently being focused on, as well as icons representing the camera's settings. The user can view the images and icons displayed on the in-viewfinder LCD display 41 by looking through the viewfinder 16. The external LCD display 43, via the external LCD drive circuit 44, displays various camera settings, including shutter speed and aperture.

[0024] The operation unit 70 is an input unit that receives operations from the user (an input unit that receives instructions from the user) These are various operating components. The operating unit 70 includes a sub-electronic dial 203, a power switch 204, a protect button 205, a delete button 206, and a zoom mode button 207 (see Figure 6). The operating unit 70 also includes a playback command button 208, a menu button 209, a multi-controller 211, and an autofocus start button 214.

[0025] The camera control circuit 40 is a control unit that controls each part of the first imaging device 200. The camera control circuit 40 executes the various processes described later by loading the program recorded in the non-volatile memory 38 into the volatile memory 39 as work memory and executing it. The camera control circuit 40 also controls the focal plane shutter 17 via the shutter control circuit 36.

[0026] Figure 2 shows the overall front view of the first imaging device 200 of this embodiment. The release button 201 is a button for giving instructions to prepare for shooting and to take a picture. When the release button 201 is half-pressed, the brightness of the subject is measured and focus is achieved. When the release button 201 is fully pressed, the shutter is released and the subject is photographed.

[0027] The main electronic dial 202 is a rotating control element. By rotating the main electronic dial 202, the user can set values ​​such as shutter speed and aperture, and fine-tune the magnification in magnification mode.

[0028] [Regarding the second imaging device] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the second imaging device 300 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the second imaging device 300 is assumed to be a smartphone, but it may be any electronic device such as a digital camera, as long as it can perform imaging.

[0029] The second imaging device 300 includes a CPU 301, memory 302, non-volatile memory 303, image processing unit 304, display 305, operation unit 306, recording medium interface 307, external interface 309, and communication interface 310. The second imaging device 300 also includes an audio output unit 312, attitude detection unit 313, out-camera unit 314, in-camera unit 315, and image processing unit 316. These components are connected to an internal bus 350 and can exchange data with each other via the internal bus 350.

[0030] The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 301 is a control unit that controls the entire second imaging device 300. The CPU 301 has at least one processor or circuit. The CPU 301 controls each component of the second imaging device 300, for example, according to a program stored in the non-volatile memory 303, using the memory 302 as a work memory.

[0031] Memory 302 may include, for example, RAM (volatile memory using semiconductor elements). Non-volatile memory 303 stores image data, audio data, other data, and various programs for the operation of the CPU 301. Non-volatile memory 303 may include, for example, flash memory or ROM.

[0032] The image processing unit 304 performs various image processing operations on the image acquired by the out-camera unit 314. These image processing operations include, for example, A / D conversion, D / A conversion, image data compression and encoding, decoding, scaling (resizing), noise reduction, and color conversion.

[0033] The image processing unit 304 includes a telephoto image processing unit 304a, a standard image processing unit 304b, and a wide-angle image processing unit 304c. The telephoto image processing unit 304a performs various image processing on the image acquired by the telephoto rear camera 314a based on the control of the CPU 301. The standard image processing unit 304b performs various image processing on the image acquired by the standard rear camera 314b based on the control of the CPU 301. The wide-angle image processing unit 304c performs various image processing on the image acquired by the wide-angle rear camera 314c based on the control of the CPU 301.

[0034] The image processing unit 316 performs various image processing on the image acquired by the in-camera unit 315. The standard image processing unit 316a performs various image processing on the image acquired by the standard in-camera 315a based on the control of the CPU 301. The wide-angle image processing unit 316b performs various image processing on the image acquired by the wide-angle in-camera 315b based on the control of the CPU 301. In this embodiment, the telephoto out-camera 314a, the standard out-camera 314b, and the wide-angle out-camera 314c are each independent lens units. That is, the out-camera unit 314 has three lens units. Similarly, the standard in-camera 315a and the wide-angle in-camera 315b are each independent lens units, and the in-camera unit 315 has two lens units. In other words, the second imaging device 300 shown in Figure 3 has five lens units.

[0035] In the following, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the telephoto rear camera 314a, the standard rear camera 314b, the wide-angle rear camera 314c, the standard front camera 315a, and the wide-angle front camera 315b, they will be collectively referred to simply as "cameras." Similarly, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the telephoto image processing unit 304a, the standard image processing unit 304b, the wide-angle image processing unit 304c, the standard image processing unit 316a, and the wide-angle image processing unit 316b, they will be collectively referred to simply as "image processing unit."

[0036] In this embodiment, one image processing unit is associated with one camera (imaging unit). However, one image processing unit may be associated with two cameras, or with three cameras. In other words, one image processing unit may perform various image processing operations on images acquired by multiple cameras.

[0037] Each camera captures an image of the subject according to the shooting parameters set for it. These shooting parameters include, for example, parameters related to brightness (shutter speed, aperture value, flash firing status, ISO sensitivity, or luminance) or parameters related to color (white balance (WB), color temperature). The CPU 301 can obtain the shooting parameters set for each camera from that camera.

[0038] Furthermore, each image processing unit can perform various image processing operations on various images (such as images stored in the non-volatile memory 303 or recording medium 308, images acquired via the external interface 309, or images acquired via the communication interface 310). The image processing operations performed by each image processing unit include A / D conversion, D / A conversion, image data compression and encoding, decoding, scaling (resizing), noise reduction, and color conversion. Each image processing unit may consist of a dedicated circuit block for performing a specific image processing operation. In addition, depending on the type of image processing, the CPU 301 can perform image processing according to a program without using each image processing unit.

[0039] Display 305 is a rear monitor that displays GUI screens, etc., which are composed of images and GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces). Display 305 is not limited to liquid crystal displays; it may also be an organic EL display or other type of display, as long as it can display images. The CPU 301 causes each component to generate an image (image signal) based on display control signals according to the program. Display 305 is a rear monitor that displays images and GUI screens, etc. The image generated by the second imaging device 300 is displayed. The second imaging device 300 itself may only have an interface for outputting images, and an external monitor (such as a television) may be used to display the image instead of the display 305. In other words, the second imaging device 300 does not need to include the display 305.

[0040] The operation unit 306 is an input device for receiving user input. The operation unit 306 includes a character information input device (such as a keyboard), a pointing device (such as a mouse or touch panel), buttons, dials, joysticks, touch sensors, or touchpads. The touch panel is an input device that is superimposed on the display 305 to form a planar surface and outputs coordinate information corresponding to the position of contact. In this embodiment, the operation unit 306 includes a touch panel 306a, a power button 306b, a volume up button 306c, a volume down button 306d, and a home button 306e.

[0041] A recording medium 308, such as a memory card, can be attached to the recording medium interface 307. The recording medium interface 307 reads data from the recording medium 308 and writes data to the recording medium 308. The recording medium 308 may be the built-in storage of the second imaging device 300.

[0042] The external interface 309 is an interface for connecting to external devices via wired or wireless connections to input and output images and audio. The communication interface 310 is an interface for communicating with external devices and the network 311 to send and receive various data such as files and commands.

[0043] The audio output unit 312 outputs audio from videos and music, operation sounds, ringtones, or various notification sounds. The audio output unit 312 includes an audio output terminal 312a for connecting earphones, etc., and a speaker 312b. The audio output unit 312 may also output audio wirelessly.

[0044] The attitude detection unit 313 detects the attitude of the second imaging device 300 with respect to the direction of gravity (the tilt of the attitude with respect to the yaw, roll, and pitch axes). Based on the attitude detected by the attitude detection unit 313, the CPU 301 can determine the state of the second imaging device 300 (whether the second imaging device 300 is held horizontally, vertically, pointed upwards, pointed downwards, or in an oblique position). The attitude detection unit 313 can use at least one of the following: an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope, a geomagnetic sensor, a compass sensor, an altitude sensor, etc., and it is also possible to use a combination of multiple sensors.

[0045] The out-camera unit 314 has three out-cameras (imaging units) located on the side opposite to the display 305 within the housing of the second imaging device 300. The out-camera unit 314 has three out-cameras: a telephoto out-camera 314a, a standard out-camera 314b, and a wide-angle out-camera 314c. The out-camera unit 314 is mainly used to photograph subjects that are on the opposite side from the user, who is taking the picture, relative to the housing of the second imaging device 300.

[0046] The focal length of the telephoto rear camera 314a is longer than that of the standard rear camera 314b. Therefore, the telephoto rear camera 314a can capture images at a more telephoto range in greater detail than the standard rear camera 314b. The focal length of the wide-angle rear camera 314c is shorter than that of the standard rear camera 314b. Therefore, the wide-angle rear camera 314c can capture images at a wider angle than the standard rear camera 314b. In other words, the focal lengths decrease in the order of telephoto rear camera 314a, standard rear camera 314b, and wide-angle rear camera 314c, and the angle of view widens accordingly. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the telephoto rear camera 314a has a lens with a mechanism that optically magnifies to a predetermined magnification, but by the user The system may have a mechanism that allows for variable magnification. Furthermore, the telephoto rear camera 314a, the standard rear camera 314b, and the wide-angle rear camera 314c can capture images simultaneously.

[0047] In this embodiment, it is assumed that one image sensor is provided for each out-camera. That is, the number of image sensors for the out-camera unit 314 of the second imaging device 300 is equal to the number of out-cameras in the second imaging device 300 (three in this embodiment). Similarly, the number of image sensors for the in-camera unit 315 is equal to the number of in-cameras in the second imaging device 300 (two in this embodiment). However, it is not necessary to provide one image sensor for each camera (lens unit). That is, the three out-cameras 314a to 314c may share and use one image sensor (i.e., the second imaging device 300 has only one image sensor for the out-camera unit 314). Although it has been stated above that the three out-cameras can perform imaging simultaneously (in parallel or time-division), it is not necessarily required that all three out-cameras perform imaging at the same time. Any two of the three out-cameras may perform imaging, or one camera may perform imaging independently.

[0048] The in-camera unit 315 has two in-cameras (imaging units) positioned on the same plane as the display 305 within the housing of the second imaging device 300. The in-camera unit 315 has a standard in-camera 315a and a wide-angle in-camera 315b. The in-camera unit 315 is mainly used for photographing the user who is taking the picture. Note that the in-camera unit 315 does not necessarily have to have two in-cameras; for example, it may have only one in-camera.

[0049] Here, it is also possible to simultaneously drive one of the rear cameras in the rear camera unit 314 and one of the front cameras in the front camera unit 315 to perform image capture.

[0050] Although it was mentioned above that the rear camera and front camera capture images simultaneously, it is not necessarily required that both cameras capture images at the same time; one of the rear or front cameras can capture images independently. Also, similar to the rear camera unit 314, it is possible to drive the two front cameras 315a and 315b simultaneously to capture images, or one front camera can capture images independently.

[0051] The CPU 301 can detect the following operations or states on the touch panel 306a: • When a finger or pen that was not previously touching the touch panel 306a newly touches the touch panel 306a, i.e., the start of a touch (hereinafter referred to as Touch-Down). • The touch panel 306a is in a state where a finger or pen is touching it (hereinafter referred to as "Touch-On"). • The finger or pen is moving while touching the touch panel 306a (hereinafter referred to as Touch-Move). - The finger or pen that was touching the touch panel 306a has been lifted off the touch panel 306a, i.e., the touch has ended (hereinafter referred to as Touch-Up). - When nothing is being touched on the touch panel 306a (hereinafter referred to as Touch-Off)

[0052] Note that when a touchdown is detected, a touch-on is also detected simultaneously. After a touchdown, unless a touch-up is detected, touch-on will usually continue to be detected. If a touch-move is detected, a touch-on will also be detected simultaneously. Even if a touch-on is detected, a touch-move will not be detected if the touch position has not moved. All touches Touch-off is detected when a finger or pen is detected touching the screen.

[0053] These operations and states, as well as the position coordinates of the finger or pen touching the touch panel 306a, are notified to the CPU 301 via the internal bus. Based on the notified information, the CPU 301 determines what kind of operation (touch operation) was performed on the touch panel 306a.

[0054] Regarding touch movements, the direction of movement of a finger or pen on the touch panel 306a can also be determined for each vertical and horizontal component on the touch panel 306a based on the change in position coordinates. If a touch movement of a predetermined distance or more is detected, it will be determined that a slide operation has been performed.

[0055] A flick is an operation in which a finger is touched on the touch panel 306a, moved quickly a certain distance, and then released. In other words, a flick is an operation in which the finger is quickly swiped across the touch panel 306a. If a touch move of a predetermined distance or more at a predetermined speed or faster is detected, and a touch-up is detected immediately afterward, it can be determined that a flick has occurred (it can be determined that a flick occurred following a slide operation).

[0056] Furthermore, touching multiple points (for example, two points) simultaneously to bring them closer together is called a pinch-in, and touching them further apart is called a pinch-out. Pinch-out and pinch-in are collectively referred to as a pinch operation (or simply a pinch). The touch panel 306a may use any of the various types of touch panels, such as resistive, capacitive, surface acoustic wave, infrared, electromagnetic induction, image recognition, or optical sensor types. There are methods that detect a touch when there is contact with the touch panel, and methods that detect a touch when a finger or pen approaches the touch panel, and either method is acceptable.

[0057] This embodiment describes the case where the three cameras of the second imaging device 300—the telephoto out-camera 314a, the standard out-camera 314b, and the wide-angle out-camera 314c—are driven simultaneously, or where any two of the cameras are driven. When the second imaging device 300 drives multiple out-cameras, it displays multiple live view images (LV images) captured by the multiple out-cameras on the display 305, making it easier for the user to select the optimal field of view. A live view image (LV image) is an image acquired in real time by the camera through imaging. This embodiment is also applicable when only one of the cameras—the telephoto out-camera 314a, the standard out-camera 314b, and the wide-angle out-camera 314c—is driven.

[0058] Figures 4A to 4C are external views of the second imaging device 300 of this embodiment. Figure 4A is a front view of the second imaging device 300, and Figure 4B is a rear view of the second imaging device 300. Figure 4C is a front view of the second imaging device 300 having two in-cameras.

[0059] The display 305 is a display unit located on the front of the second imaging device 300. The display 305 displays images and various information on its display surface. The display 305 can display live view images (LV images) captured by the out-camera unit 314 (out-cameras 314a to 314c) or the in-camera unit 315 (in-cameras 315a, 315b) of the subject. The out-camera unit 314 includes a telephoto out-camera 314a, a standard out-camera 314b, and a wide-angle out-camera 314c.

[0060] The control unit 306 includes a touch panel 306a, a power button 306b, a volume up button 306c, a volume down button 306d, and a home button 306e.

[0061] The touch panel 306a is a touch operation component. The touch panel 306a detects touch operations on the display surface (operation surface) of the display 305.

[0062] The power button 306b is used to switch the display 305 on and off (show and hide). Also, if the user continues to press (long-press) the power button 306b for a certain period of time (for example, 3 seconds), the power of the second imaging device 300 will be switched on and off.

[0063] The volume up button 306c and volume down button 306d are volume buttons for controlling the volume of the sound output by the audio output unit 312. When the user presses the volume up button 306c, the volume of the sound output by the audio output unit 312 increases. Conversely, when the user presses the volume down button 306d, the volume of the sound output by the audio output unit 312 decreases.

[0064] Furthermore, in the shooting standby state with the camera application for taking pictures launched, the volume up button 306c and volume down button 306d can also be used as shutter buttons that instruct the user to take a picture each time they are pressed. The user can also arbitrarily configure the second imaging device 300 to perform specific processing when the power button 306b and volume down button 306d are pressed simultaneously, or when the volume down button 306d is pressed quickly several times.

[0065] The home button 306e is an operation button used to display the home screen, which is the startup screen of the second imaging device 300, on the display 305. When any application is running on the second imaging device 300, pressing the home button 306e will temporarily close the running application and then display the home screen. Although the home button 306e is envisioned as a physical button (a button that can be physically pressed), it may also be a button on the graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on the display 305.

[0066] The audio output terminal 312a is a terminal for outputting audio to earphones or external speakers. For example, the audio output terminal 312a is an earphone jack. The speaker 312b is a built-in speaker that outputs audio. When audio is output from the audio output unit 312, if a predetermined terminal (for example, an earphone cord) is not connected to the audio output terminal 312a, the audio will be output from the speaker 312b.

[0067] [Regarding the electrical configuration of the first imaging device and accessories] Figure 5 shows the electrical configuration of the first imaging device 200 and the accessory 500. The contacts (terminals) TC01 to TC21 of the camera connection part 141 provided on the first imaging device 200 each contact one of the multiple contacts TA01 to TA21 of the accessory connection part 511 provided on the accessory 500. Here, each of the contacts TC01 to TC21 makes one-to-one contact with the contact among the contacts TA01 to TA21 that is numbered the same as itself. For example, contact TC10 connects to contact TA10, which is numbered 10. In this way, the first imaging device 200 and the accessory 500 are electrically connected.

[0068] (Regarding the configuration of the first imaging device) The power supply 111 provides power for the operation of the first imaging device 200. The power supply 111 is either an AC power supply unit 30 or a secondary battery unit 31.

[0069] The camera control circuit 40 is a circuit (control unit) that controls the entire first imaging device 200. The camera control circuit 40 has a microcomputer with a built-in CPU.

[0070] The system power supply circuit 112 is a circuit that generates power to supply to each circuit of the first imaging device 200 using power supplied from the power supply 111. The system power supply circuit 112 includes a DC-DC converter circuit, an LDO (Low Drop Out), and a charge pump circuit. The camera control circuit 40 is constantly supplied with the camera microcontroller voltage VMCU_C (1.8V voltage) generated by the system power supply circuit 112. The camera control circuit 40 controls the on / off switching of power supply to each component of the first imaging device 200 by controlling the system power supply circuit 112. The system power supply circuit 112 includes a power supply type detection circuit 33, a power supply state detection circuit 34, and a power control circuit 35.

[0071] The lens unit 100 is detachable from the first imaging device 200. Light incident through the lens unit 100 (light from the subject) is imaged onto the image sensor 20. The subject image formed on the image sensor 20 is converted (encoded) into a digital imaging signal.

[0072] The image processing circuit 23 performs image processing (such as noise reduction or white balance processing) on ​​the digital imaging signal acquired by the image sensor 20 to generate image data. The image processing circuit 23 converts the generated image data into an image file such as JPEG format in order to convert it into a format that can be recorded on the recording medium 28. The image processing circuit 23 also generates VRAM image data for display on the liquid crystal display unit 25.

[0073] The memory controller 27 controls the transmission and reception of image data and other data generated by the image processing circuit 23 and other components. The volatile memory 39 is a high-speed read-and-write memory such as DDR3SDRAM. The volatile memory 39 is used as work memory for image processing performed by the image processing circuit 23. The recording medium 28 is a recording medium (such as an SD card or CFexpress card that can be attached to the first imaging device 200) that can be read and written via the external interface 29 (see Figure 1).

[0074] The liquid crystal display unit 25 is a display located on the back of the first imaging device 200. The backlight circuit 128 adjusts the brightness of the liquid crystal display unit 25 by changing the amount of light from the backlight of the liquid crystal display unit 25.

[0075] Accessory power supply circuits A131 and B132 are power supply units. Accessory power supply circuits A131 and B132 are also voltage conversion units (voltage conversion circuits) that convert the voltage supplied from the system power supply circuit 112 to a predetermined voltage. In this embodiment, accessory power supply circuits A131 and B132 each generate an accessory voltage VACC (a voltage of 3.3V).

[0076] Accessory power supply circuit A131 is a power supply circuit with low self-power consumption, consisting of components such as an LDO. Accessory power supply circuit B132 is a circuit consisting of a DC / DC converter circuit, capable of supplying a larger current than accessory power supply circuit A131. Note that the self-power consumption of accessory power supply circuit B132 is greater than that of accessory power supply circuit A131.

[0077] Furthermore, when the load current (the current supplied to the accessory 500) is small, the accessory power supply circuit A131 has less power loss due to voltage conversion (better conversion efficiency) than the accessory power supply circuit B132. On the other hand, when the load current is large, the accessory power supply circuit B132 has less power loss due to voltage conversion than the accessory power supply circuit A131. For this reason, the camera control circuit 40 controls the on / off state of the output of the accessory power supply circuit A131 and the accessory power supply circuit B132 according to the operating state of the accessory 500.

[0078] The protection circuit 133 includes a current fuse element, a polyswitch element, or an electronic fuse circuit (a circuit combining a resistor, an amplifier, and a switch element). The protection circuit 133 outputs a high-level overcurrent detection signal DET_OVC when the power supply current value supplied to the accessory 500 from the accessory power supply circuit A131 or accessory power supply circuit B132 exceeds a predetermined value. In this embodiment, the protection circuit 133 is assumed to be an electronic fuse circuit. In this embodiment, the protection circuit 133 notifies the camera control circuit 40 of the occurrence of an overcurrent by sending the overcurrent detection signal DET_OVC when a current of 1A or more flows from the accessory power supply circuit A131 or accessory power supply circuit B132.

[0079] The camera connection section 141 is a connector for making an electrical connection to the accessory 500 via 21 contacts TC01 to TC21 arranged in a row. The contacts TC01 to TC21 are arranged in this order from one end to the other in the direction of their arrangement.

[0080] Contact TC01 is connected to ground (GND). Contact TC01 serves not only as a reference potential (GND potential) contact, but also as a contact that controls the wiring impedance of differential signals D1N and D1P.

[0081] The differential signal D1N flowing through contact TC02 and the differential signal D1P flowing through contact TC03 are differential data communication signals that work in pairs to communicate data. Differential signals D1N and D1P are input to or output from the camera control circuit 40. Contacts TC02, TC03, TC07~TC17, TC19 and TC20 are communication contacts used by the first imaging device 200 to communicate with the accessory 500.

[0082] Contact TC04 is connected to ground (GND) and is the reference potential contact for the first imaging device 200 and accessory 500. Contact TC04 is positioned such that the distance between contact TC04 and contact TC01 (the end of the contact array) is shorter than the distance between contact TC05 and contact TC01.

[0083] Contact TC05 is a power contact connected to power supply 111. Contact TC05 is supplied with the accessory voltage VAC generated by the accessory power supply circuits A131 and B132 via the protection circuit 133.

[0084] Contact TC06 transmits the accessory installation detection signal / ACC_DET. The accessory installation detection signal / ACC_DET is pulled up to the camera microcontroller voltage VMCU_C via the resistor element Rp134 (10kΩ resistor). The camera control circuit 40 can detect whether or not accessory 500 is installed by reading the signal level of the accessory installation detection signal / ACC_DET.

[0085] The camera control circuit 40 detects that the accessory 500 is not attached to the first imaging device 200 if the signal level (potential) of the accessory attachment detection signal / ACC_DET is at a high level (predetermined potential). The camera control circuit 40 detects that the accessory 500 is attached to the first imaging device 200 if the signal level (potential) of the accessory attachment detection signal / ACC_DET is at a low level (GND potential).

[0086] Contact TC07 transmits the signal SCLK, contact TC08 transmits the signal MOSI, contact TC09 transmits the signal MISO, and contact TC10 transmits the signal CS. Signals SCLK, MOSI, MISO, and CS are transmitted via SPI (Serial Peripheral Interconnection) by the camera control circuit 40 as the communication master (master in a master-slave relationship). This is a signal for performing SPI (RAL Interface) communication. In this embodiment, the communication clock frequency for SPI communication is assumed to be 1 MHz.

[0087] Contact TC11 transmits a communication request signal / WAKE from accessory 500 to camera control circuit 40 to request communication. The communication request signal / WAKE is pulled up to the camera microcontroller voltage VMCU_C via a resistor. The camera control circuit 40 can receive the communication request from accessory 500 by detecting the falling edge of the communication request signal / WAKE.

[0088] Contact TC12 transmits signal SDA, and contact TC13 transmits signal SCL. Signals SDA and SCL are signals for I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) communication, with the camera control circuit 40 acting as the communication master. Signals SDA and SCL are pulled up to the camera microcontroller voltage VMCU_C and are signals for open-drain communication (hereinafter referred to as "open-drain communication"). In this embodiment, the communication frequency for open-drain communication is assumed to be 100kbps.

[0089] Contact TC14 (synchronous contact) transmits signal FNC1, and contact TC15 transmits signal FNC2. Contact TC16 transmits signal FNC3, and contact TC17 transmits signal FNC4. The types of signals FNC1 to FNC4 (function signals) vary depending on the type of accessory 500 attached to the first imaging device 200. For example, if the accessory 500 is a microphone device, signals FNC1 to FNC4 are audio data signals. Also, if the accessory 500 is a lighting (strobe or flash) device, signals FNC1 to FNC4 are signals that control the timing of light emission. Furthermore, if the accessory 500 is a smartphone holder (accessory for connecting to the imaging device), signals FNC1 to FNC4 are signals that control shooting using the smartphone's camera. For this reason, contacts TC14 to TC17 can be said to be function signal contacts.

[0090] Contact TC18 is connected to ground (GND). Like contact TC04, contact TC18 is the reference potential contact between the first imaging device 200 and the accessory 500.

[0091] Contact TC19 transmits differential signal D2N, and contact TC20 transmits differential signal D2P. Differential signals D2N and D2P are data communication signals that work together as a pair to communicate data, and are input to or output from the camera control circuit 40.

[0092] Contact TC21 is connected to ground (GND). Contact TC21 serves not only as a reference potential contact, but also as a contact that controls the wiring impedance of differential signals D2N and D2P.

[0093] In this embodiment, contact TC06, which transmits the accessory installation detection signal / ACC_DET, is located next to contact TC07, which transmits the clock signal SCLK. Generally, noise (clock noise) associated with potential fluctuations of the clock signal is transmitted to contacts adjacent to the clock signal contact, and this can cause malfunctions in the equipment. In particular, in a configuration with a large number of contacts and short distances between contacts, as in this embodiment, the effect becomes even greater.

[0094] Here, the accessory installation detection signal / ACC_DET is pulled up before the accessory 500 is installed on the first imaging device 200, but is set to GND potential after the accessory 500 is installed. On the other hand, contact TC07 does not transmit the clock signal before the accessory 500 is installed, so there is no potential fluctuation. In other words, the potential of contact TC07 fluctuates only after the accessory is installed in order to transmit the clock signal.

[0095] On the other hand, when contact TC07 (SCLK contact) transmits the clock signal, the potential of contact TC06 (attachment detection contact) becomes GND potential. Therefore, even if contact TC06, which is at GND potential, receives clock noise, the potential of the control circuit of the first imaging device 200 and accessory 500 is unlikely to fluctuate. In other words, malfunctions in the first imaging device 200 and accessory 500 are less likely to occur. In addition, because contact TC06 is present, it is possible to suppress the transmission of clock noise to contacts such as TC05 (located further away from contact TC07 than contact TC06).

[0096] Therefore, by placing contact TC06, which transmits the accessory installation detection signal / ACC_DET, next to contact TC07, which transmits the signal SCLK, the effects of clock noise can be suppressed. In addition, since it is not necessary to place a GND contact (GND terminal) between contact TC06 and contact TC07, the effects of clock noise can be suppressed without increasing the number of contacts.

[0097] Furthermore, the clock signal SCL (second clock signal) is also transmitted to contact TC13 (second clock contact). However, the signal SCLK transmitted to contact TC07 has a higher frequency than the signal SCL, and contact TC07 generates more clock noise than contact TC13. For this reason, placing contact TC06 next to contact TC07 rather than next to contact TC13 is more effective in preventing equipment malfunction due to clock noise.

[0098] Furthermore, the signal SCL transmitted to contact TC13 is the clock signal of the I2C communication standard and is driven using an open-drain method. On the other hand, the signal SCLK transmitted to contact TC07 is the clock signal of the SPI communication standard and is driven by a CMOS output. For this reason, the voltage fluctuation edges of contact TC13 tend to be smoother than those of contact TC07, and clock noise is less likely to occur. Therefore, from this perspective, it is considered that placing contact TC06 next to contact TC07 rather than next to contact TC13 is more effective in preventing equipment malfunction due to clock noise.

[0099] Furthermore, contacts TC19 and TC20 may also transmit clock signals using the differential signals D1N and D1P, which are paired signals. In this case, contacts TC19 and TC20 may transmit a clock signal (a third clock signal) with a higher frequency than the clock signals transmitted to contacts TC07 and TC13. However, because the differential signals D1N and D1P are paired signals, they emit less clock noise than contacts TC07 and TC13, which transmit single-ended signals. For this reason, placing contact TC06 next to contact TC07 rather than next to contacts TC19 and TC20 is more effective in preventing equipment malfunctions due to clock noise.

[0100] Furthermore, contact TC08 (the first data contact), located adjacent to contact TC06 on the opposite side of contact TC07, transmits signal MOSI (the first data signal). Here, since signal MOSI is a data signal, it might seem susceptible to clock noise. However, signal MOSI is a data signal of the same SPI communication standard as the clock signal transmitted by contact TC07. Therefore, the potential fluctuation timing of signal MOSI is synchronized with the clock signal, making it less susceptible to clock noise. Consequently, contact TC08 can be used without being fixed to the GND potential.

[0101] (Regarding the configuration of Accessory 500) Accessory 500 has a battery 505. Accessory 500 receives power from the battery 505 and also receives the first via the camera connection part 141 and the accessory connection part 511. It also receives power from the imaging device 200.

[0102] The accessory control circuit 501 is the control unit for the accessory 500 and is a circuit that controls the entire accessory 500. The accessory control circuit 501 is a microcomputer with a built-in CPU and other components.

[0103] The accessory power supply circuit 502 is a circuit that generates power to supply each circuit of the accessory 500. The accessory power supply circuit 502 includes a DC-DC converter circuit, an LDO, and a charge pump circuit. The accessory control circuit 501 is constantly supplied with the accessory microcontroller voltage VMCU_A (1.8V voltage) generated by the accessory power supply circuit 502. The accessory control circuit 501 can control the on / off switching of power supply to each circuit of the accessory 500 by controlling the accessory power supply circuit 502.

[0104] The power switch 503 is a switch for turning the operation of the accessory 500 on and off. The accessory control circuit 501 can detect the state of the power switch 503 (on position or off position) by reading the signal level of the terminal to which the power switch 503 is connected.

[0105] The charging circuit 504 is a circuit for charging the battery 505 using power supplied from the first imaging device 200. The accessory control circuit 501 controls the charging circuit 504 to charge the battery 505 when it determines that sufficient power is supplied from the first imaging device 200 to perform the charging operation. In this embodiment, the case in which the battery 505 is attached to the accessory 500 is described, but the accessory 500 may operate with power supplied only from the first imaging device 200 without the battery 505 being attached. In this case, the accessory 500 does not need to have the charging circuit 504.

[0106] The differential communication circuit 507 is a circuit for performing differential communication with the first imaging device 200. The differential communication circuit 507 can send and receive data with the first imaging device 200.

[0107] The external communication IF circuit 508 is an interface circuit for data communication with external devices. The external communication IF circuit 508 is an interface for communication using Ethernet, wireless LAN, or a public network. The accessory control circuit 501 enables communication between the first imaging device 200 and external devices by controlling the differential communication circuit 507 and the external communication IF circuit 508. For example, the accessory control circuit 501 can transmit data received from the first imaging device 200 to an external device, or transmit data received from an external device to the first imaging device 200. The function circuit 506 is a circuit that has different functions depending on the type of accessory 500.

[0108] The external connection terminal 509 is a connector terminal for connecting to an external device. In this embodiment, the external connection terminal 509 is a USB TYPE-C connector. The connection detection circuit 510 is a circuit for detecting when an external device is connected to the external connection terminal 509. The accessory control circuit 501 can detect the connection of an external device to the external connection terminal 509 by receiving the output signal of the connection detection circuit 510.

[0109] For example, accessory 500 can communicate with the second imaging device 300 via an external communication IF circuit 508 or an external connection terminal 509. Therefore, depending on the type of accessory 500, it can relay communication between the first imaging device 200 and the second imaging device 300.

[0110] The accessory connection section 511 is a connector for making an electrical connection to the first imaging device 200 via 21 contacts TA01 to TA21 arranged in a row. The contacts TA01 to TA21 are arranged in this order from one end to the other in the direction of their arrangement.

[0111] Contact TA01 is connected to ground (GND). Contact TA01 serves not only as a reference potential (GND potential) contact, but also as a contact that controls the wiring impedance of differential signals D1N and D1P.

[0112] The differential signal D1N flowing through contact TA02 and the differential signal D1P flowing through contact TA03 are data communication signals that work together as a pair to communicate data. Differential signals D1N and D1P are input to or output from the differential communication circuit 507. Contacts TA02, TA03, TA07-TA17, TA19, and TA20 are communication contacts used by the accessory 500 to communicate with the first imaging device 200.

[0113] Contact TA04 is connected to ground (GND) and is the reference potential contact between the first imaging device 200 and the accessory 500. Contact TA04 is positioned such that the distance between contact TA04 and contact TA01 (the end of the contact array) is shorter than the distance between contact TA05 and contact TA01.

[0114] Contact TA05 is a power contact connected to the accessory power supply circuit 502 and the charging circuit 504. The accessory voltage VACC (power of the accessory voltage VACC) is supplied to contact TA05 from the first imaging device 200.

[0115] Contact TA06 is connected to ground (GND). When accessory 500 is attached to the first imaging device 200, contact TA06 sets the signal level of the accessory attachment detection signal / ACC_DET to a low level (GND level). This allows the first imaging device 200 (camera control circuit 40) to detect the attachment of accessory 500.

[0116] Contact TA07 transmits the signal SCLK, and contact TA08 transmits the signal MOSI. Contact TA09 transmits the signal MISO, and contact TA10 transmits the signal CS. Signals SCLK, MOSI, MISO, and CS are signals that enable the accessory control circuit 501 to perform SPI communication as a communication slave (slave in a master-slave relationship).

[0117] Contact TA11 transmits a communication request signal / WAKE from the accessory control circuit 501 to the first imaging device 200 to request communication. When the accessory control circuit 501 determines that communication with the first imaging device 200 is necessary, it outputs a low-level communication request signal / WAKE to request communication from the first imaging device 200.

[0118] Contact TA12 transmits signal SDA, and contact TA13 transmits signal SCL. Signals SDA and SCL are signals that enable the accessory control circuit 501 to perform I2C communication as a communication slave.

[0119] Contact TA14 (synchronous contact) transmits signal FNC1, and contact TA15 transmits signal FNC2. Contact TA16 transmits signal FNC3, and contact TA17 transmits signal FNC4. As described above, the types of signals FNC1 to FNC4 (function signals) change depending on the type of accessory 500. For this reason, contacts TA14 to TA17 can be said to be function signal contacts. Signals FNC1 to FNC4 are either input to or output from the function circuit 506.

[0120] Contact TA18 is connected to ground (GND). Like contact TA04, contact TA18 is the reference potential contact between the first imaging device 200 and the accessory 500.

[0121] Contact TA19 transmits differential signal D2N, and contact TA20 transmits differential signal D2P. Differential signals D2N and D2P are data communication signals that work together as a pair to communicate data. Differential signals D2N and D2P are input to or output from the external connection terminal 509.

[0122] Contact TA21 is connected to ground (GND). Contact TA21 serves not only as a reference potential contact, but also as a terminal that controls the wiring impedance of differential signals D2N and D2P.

[0123] [About the shooting system] Figure 6 is an external view of the imaging system 60. The imaging system 60 includes a first imaging device 200, a second imaging device 300, and a communication accessory 600. The communication accessory 600 is a type of accessory 500, and the first imaging device 200 and the second imaging device 300 can communicate with each other via the communication accessory 600. The communication accessory 600 may be a smartphone holder that holds the second imaging device 300, which is a smartphone.

[0124] The control unit 70 of the first imaging device 200 includes a sub-electronic dial 203, a power switch 204, a protect button 205, a delete button 206, and a magnification mode button 207. The control unit 70 also includes a playback command button 208, a menu button 209, a multi-controller 211, and an autofocus start button 214.

[0125] The sub-electronic dial 203 is a rotating operating component. By rotating the sub-electronic dial 203, the user can set values ​​such as aperture and exposure compensation, and advance images one by one when an image is displayed.

[0126] The power switch 204 is an operating component for switching the power on and off. The protect button 205 is a button for applying processing such as protection or rating to images stored on a recording medium inside or outside the first imaging device 200.

[0127] The delete button 206 is a button for issuing an instruction to delete an image stored on an internal or external recording medium of the first imaging device 200. The magnification mode button 207 is a button that accepts operations to transition to magnification mode (instruction to start magnification mode) and to exit magnification mode (instruction to end magnification mode) in the playback state.

[0128] The playback instruction button 208 is a button that displays an image stored on a recording medium inside or outside the first imaging device 200 on the liquid crystal display unit 25. The menu button 209 is a button that displays various setting screens on the liquid crystal display unit 25.

[0129] The eyepiece detection unit 210 is a sensor that detects whether or not the user is looking through the viewfinder 16. Therefore, in the following, "looking through the viewfinder" refers to the state in which the user is looking through the viewfinder 16 and the user's eye is in contact with the viewfinder 16.

[0130] The multi-controller 211 is an operating component used to set the autofocus starting point (the distance measurement point) and to move the magnification frame (the magnified area) when the image is displayed in a magnified view. Using the multi-controller 211, the user can move the distance measurement point or the magnification frame in any of multiple directions.

[0131] The autofocus start button 214 is an operating component for instructing the start of autofocus.

[0132] The communication accessory 600 is an accessory that relays communication between the first imaging device 200 and the second imaging device 300. The communication accessory 600 relays imaging requests from the first imaging device 200 to the second imaging device 300. The first imaging device 200 can detect that the second imaging device 300 is connected and send and receive signals indicating various requests to the second imaging device, including imaging requests, via the communication accessory 600. The first imaging device 200 can control the operation of the second imaging device 300 by making various requests to the second imaging device 300.

[0133] The holder 601 of the communication accessory 600 is a component for fixing the second imaging device 300. The holder 601 integrally fixes the first imaging device 200 and the second imaging device 300. As a result, the user can fix the orientation of the second imaging device 300 without having to hold the second imaging device 300, as long as they are holding the first imaging device 200 by hand. Furthermore, when the first imaging device 200 and the second imaging device 300 are connected by the communication accessory 600, if the orientation of the first imaging device 200 changes, the orientation of the second imaging device 300 will change in accordance with the change in the orientation of the first imaging device 200. In this embodiment, the second imaging device 300 is fixed to the upper surface of the first imaging device 200. Since the user is expected to look at either the first imaging device 200 or the second imaging device 300, whichever they prefer to use for the imaging process, this embodiment provides control to switch the imaging device used for the imaging process depending on whether the user's eye position meets predetermined conditions.

[0134] [Regarding the shooting system's image processing] The imaging process (imaging method; control method) of the imaging system 60 will be explained with reference to the flowcharts in Figures 7 and 8. The imaging process of the imaging system 60 will be explained below on the premise that the field of view of the image obtained by the imaging process (imaging) of the first imaging device 200 (image sensor 20) is different from the field of view of the image obtained by the imaging process of the second imaging device 300. As mentioned above, the second imaging device 300 has three different lens units (outside cameras): a telephoto outside camera 314a, a standard outside camera 314b, and a wide-angle outside camera 314c. The user (photographer) can select (switch) which of these three lens units to use for imaging in the second imaging device 300.

[0135] (Regarding the processing of the first imaging device) First, the processing (control method) of the first imaging device 200 will be explained with reference to Figure 7. The flowchart shown in Figure 7 starts when the power switch 204 is pressed and the first imaging device 200 is powered on. The processing in the flowchart of Figure 7 is realized by the camera control circuit 40 loading the program recorded in the non-volatile memory 38 into the volatile memory 39 and executing it. Furthermore, even after the processing in the flowchart of Figure 7 is completed, if the first imaging device 200 is powered on, the processing in the flowchart of Figure 7 will start again.

[0136] In step S701, the camera control circuit 40 detects information on the connection status of the second imaging device 300 (information indicating whether or not the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 are connected) via the communication accessory 600.

[0137] In step S702, the camera control circuit 40 determines whether or not it has received a shooting instruction from the user. The camera control circuit 40 (operation unit 70) receives a shooting instruction from the user when the release button 201 is pressed. If it is determined that a shooting instruction has been received, If this is the case, proceed to step S703. If it is determined that no shooting instruction has been received, the process in step S702 is repeated.

[0138] In step S703, the camera control circuit 40 controls the eyepiece detection unit 210 to detect the user's (photographer's) eyepiece state (whether or not the user is looking through the viewfinder 16).

[0139] In step S704, the camera control circuit 40 determines whether the user is looking through the viewfinder 16 (looking into the viewfinder 16) based on the eyepiece state detected in step S703. If it is determined that the user is looking through the viewfinder, the process proceeds to step S706. If it is determined that the user is not looking through the viewfinder (eyes are not connected), the process proceeds to step S705.

[0140] In step S705, the camera control circuit 40 determines whether the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 are connected, based on the connection status of the second imaging device 300 detected in step S701. If it is determined that the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 are connected, the process proceeds to step S707. If it is determined that the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 are not connected, the process proceeds to step S706. In this embodiment, the state in which the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 are connected means that the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 can communicate with each other via the communication accessory 600.

[0141] In step S706, the camera control circuit 40 controls the image sensor 20 to perform the imaging process in the first imaging device 200. Specifically, the camera control circuit 40 acquires an image by imaging with the image sensor 20 and records the image on a recording medium 28 or the like.

[0142] In step S707, the camera control circuit 40 sends a shooting request to the second imaging device 300 via the communication accessory 600. By sending the shooting request to the second imaging device 300, the camera control circuit 40 controls the second imaging device 300 to perform the shooting process.

[0143] In step S708, the camera control circuit 40 acquires a captured image (a captured image obtained by the shooting process performed in the second imaging device 300) from the second imaging device 300. The camera control circuit 40 also records the captured image acquired from the second imaging device 300 onto the recording medium 28 or the like. If the captured image acquired by the shooting process performed in the second imaging device 300 is recorded on the recording medium 308, the process in step S708 may be omitted.

[0144] (Regarding the processing of the second imaging device) Next, the processing in the second imaging device 300 will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 8. The processing in this flowchart begins when the power button 306b is pressed and the second imaging device 300 is powered on. The processing in the flowchart of Figure 8 is achieved by the CPU 301 loading the program recorded in the non-volatile memory 303 into memory 302 and executing it. Furthermore, even after the processing in the flowchart of Figure 8 is completed, if the second imaging device 300 is powered on, the processing in the flowchart of Figure 8 will start again.

[0145] In step S801, the CPU 301 determines whether the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 are connected via the communication accessory 600. If it is determined that the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 are connected, the process proceeds to step S802. If it is determined that the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 are not connected, the process proceeds to step S803. For example, the CPU 301 detects the connection status of the first imaging device 200 in the same manner as in step S701, and determines whether the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device The CPU 301 determines whether the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 are connected based on whether it has received a signal related to imaging from the communication accessory 600.

[0146] In step S802, the CPU 301 determines whether or not a shooting request has been made from the first imaging device 200. If a shooting request has been made, the process proceeds to step S804. If no shooting request has been made, the process proceeds to step S803. Note that if the second imaging device 300 and the first imaging device 200 are not connected, no shooting request will be made from the first imaging device 200. In this case, even if the processing in step S801 is omitted, the process will proceed from step S802 to step S803. Therefore, the processing in step S801 may be omitted, and the processing in step S802 may be performed.

[0147] In step S803, the CPU 301 determines whether or not a shooting instruction has been obtained in response to user operation on the touch panel 306a. If it is determined that a shooting instruction has been obtained, the process proceeds to step S804. If it is determined that a shooting instruction has not been obtained, the process proceeds to step S801.

[0148] In step S804, the CPU 301 performs imaging processing in the second imaging device 300. Specifically, it images the subject using at least one of the telephoto rear camera 314a, the standard rear camera 314b, and the wide-angle rear camera 314c. The captured image obtained by imaging the subject is recorded in the memory 302.

[0149] In step S805, the CPU 301 transmits the captured image acquired in step S804 to the first imaging device 200. However, if the first imaging device 200 and the second imaging device 300 are not connected, the CPU 301 does not transmit the captured image to the first imaging device 200.

[0150] As described above, when the user (taking a picture) gives a shooting command while looking through the viewfinder 16, the first imaging device 200 takes the picture. On the other hand, when the user gives a shooting command while not looking through the viewfinder 16, the second imaging device 300 takes the picture. Therefore, by attaching a telephoto lens to the first imaging device 200 and a wide-angle lens to the second imaging device 300, the user can acquire images (photographs) with multiple angles of view without having to change the imaging device. As a result, the user can take pictures with less stress than before. In addition, the user can take pictures with the second imaging device 300 without having to operate the second imaging device 300. As a result, it is possible to prevent the second imaging device 300 from being subjected to force for operation and changing its posture during shooting. Thus, it is possible to prevent the acquisition of images with compositions unintended by the user. Furthermore, since looking through the viewfinder 16 is a normal part of the shooting process, users can take pictures using their intended imaging device without adding any extra steps beyond those necessary for the actual shooting.

[0151] Furthermore, when the user is looking through the viewfinder 16, the first imaging device 200 takes a picture, allowing the user to take a picture while looking through the viewfinder 16 and confirming the image acquired by the first imaging device 200. On the other hand, when the user is not looking through the viewfinder 16, the second imaging device 300 takes a picture, allowing the user to take a picture with the second imaging device 300 while, for example, confirming the LV image displayed on the display 305. Therefore, it is possible to acquire a suitable image regardless of whether the picture is taken using the first imaging device 200 or the second imaging device 300.

[0152] Furthermore, the first imaging device 200 has a release button 201 instead of a liquid crystal display 25. It may also be possible to obtain shooting instructions via user operation on the touch panel provided. Furthermore, if it is determined in step S702 that a shooting instruction via user operation on the touch panel has been obtained, the process may proceed to step S706 without performing steps S703 and S704. In other words, if it is determined in step S702 that a shooting instruction via user operation on the touch panel has been obtained, the shooting process by the first imaging device 200 may be executed regardless of the eyepiece state on the viewfinder 16.

[0153] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the determination in step S704 as to whether the user is looking through the eyepiece switches between taking a picture with the first imaging device 200 (image sensor 20) and taking a picture with the second imaging device 300. However, the camera control circuit 40 is not limited to this, and the camera control circuit may also switch the primary imaging device based on, for example, whether the user is pressing a predetermined button. In this case, for example, if it is determined in step S704 that the predetermined button is pressed, the process proceeds to step S706, and if it is determined that the predetermined button is not pressed, the process proceeds to step S705.

[0154] Alternatively, the camera control circuit 40 may switch the primary imaging device depending on the distance between a predetermined part of the user (face, eyes, or forehead) and the first imaging device 200, as measured by the distance measuring unit (not shown) of the first imaging device 200. In this case, if it is determined in step S704 that the distance between the predetermined part of the user and the first imaging device 200 is shorter than a predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S706; if it is determined that the distance is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S705. Here, when the distance between the predetermined part of the user and the first imaging device 200 is close, it is highly likely that the user is preparing for imaging with the first imaging device 200, such as checking the settings for shooting or looking through the viewfinder 16. Therefore, it is highly likely that the user intends to take images with the first imaging device 200. In other words, by controlling the primary imaging device in this way, it is possible to take images with the imaging device intended by the user.

[0155] Furthermore, the camera control circuit 40 may switch the primary camera responsible for shooting depending on whether the user is looking at the display unit (external LCD display unit 43, internal LCD display unit 41, or LCD display unit 25). The user's viewing position (whether the user is looking at the display unit) can be detected by the gaze detection unit (not shown) of the first imaging device 200. In this case, if the user's gaze position is detected on the display unit's screen in step S704 and it is determined that the user is looking at the display unit, the process proceeds to step S706; if it is determined that the user is not looking at the display unit, the process proceeds to S705. Here, if the user is looking at the display unit, it is highly likely that the user is checking the LV image, shooting composition, and settings of the first imaging device 200 through the display unit. Therefore, it is highly likely that the user intends to take images using the first imaging device 200. In other words, by controlling the primary camera responsible for shooting in this way, the user can take images using the imaging device they intend.

[0156] Furthermore, in step S704, if any of the following conditions are met, the process may proceed to S706: the eyepiece is being used, a predetermined button is pressed, the distance between the user and the first imaging device 200 is shorter than a predetermined value, or the user is looking at the display unit. If none of these four conditions are met, the process may proceed to S705. Alternatively, if at least two of these four conditions are met, the process may proceed to S706.

[0157] In the imaging system 60, the first imaging device 200 and the second imaging device 300 were connected via a communication accessory 600, but they may be connected directly without the communication accessory 600. Furthermore, the first imaging device 200 acquires an LV image from the second imaging device 300 and displays the LV image from the second imaging device 300 on the liquid crystal display unit 25. Alternatively, this may be done. According to this, the user can confirm the composition when taking a picture with the first imaging device 200 by looking through the viewfinder 16, and the composition when taking a picture with the second imaging device 300 by looking at the liquid crystal display unit 25.

[0158] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its gist.

[0159] Furthermore, each functional unit in each of the above embodiments may or may not be individual hardware. The functions of two or more functional units may be implemented by common hardware. Each of the multiple functions of a single functional unit may be implemented by individual hardware. Two or more functions of a single functional unit may be implemented by common hardware. In addition, each functional unit may or may not be implemented by hardware such as ASIC, FPGA, or DSP. For example, the device may have a processor and a memory (storage medium) in which a control program is stored. The functions of at least some of the functional units of the device may be implemented by the processor reading and executing the control program from the memory.

[0160] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0161] 200: First imaging device, 300: Second imaging device, 40: Camera control circuit, 22: Image sensor, 70: Control unit

Claims

1. A shooting system comprising a plurality of shooting devices, A means of obtaining shooting instructions, A detection means for detecting the distance from the first shooting device to the photographer, When the acquisition means acquires the shooting instruction, the shooting control means executes the shooting process on either the first shooting device or a second shooting device different from the first shooting device. It has, The aforementioned shooting control means is When the distance from the first imaging device to the photographer is shorter than a predetermined value, the imaging means of the first imaging device is controlled to perform the imaging process. When the distance from the first imaging device to the photographer is longer than the predetermined value, the first imaging device requests the second imaging device to perform the imaging process. A photographic system characterized by the following features.

2. The distance from the first photographic device to the photographer is the distance from the viewfinder of the first photographic device to the photographer. The shooting system according to feature 1.

3. The aforementioned shooting instruction is obtained in response to the operation of the photographer. The imaging system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the features described above.

4. The photographer's operation is to press the release button on the first camera. The imaging system according to feature 3.

5. The imaging system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first imaging device is electrically connected to the second imaging device via a plurality of contacts.

Images