Imaging device

Abstract

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

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for performing an autofocus (AF) operation using a touch panel in an imaging device having two display units, a rear display and a viewfinder.

Background Art

[0002] In an imaging device such as a digital camera that captures a subject using an imaging element such as a CCD or a CMOS sensor, a rear display that can be visually observed from a predetermined distance is generally mounted in order to display an image to be captured and an operation menu to the user. This rear display has a configuration in which a touch panel is integrated with a liquid crystal panel, so that the user can specify a position where they want to focus while viewing the image of the subject being photographed. For example, in Patent Document 1, a focus frame used for controlling the focus set at an arbitrary position on the image displayed on the liquid crystal panel is controlled according to the operation of the touch panel by the user, and the focus is controlled based on the image inside the focus frame among the images displayed on the liquid crystal panel. A configuration is disclosed.

[0003] Furthermore, in an imaging device such as a digital camera, in addition to the above-described rear display, there may be a display (electronic viewfinder (EVF)) for peeking and visually observing the image to be captured. According to the electronic viewfinder, the light shielding property is high and it is easy to identify an image even in a bright environment such as outdoors, but a touch panel cannot be incorporated, and the operability is inferior to that of the rear display integrated with the touch panel. Regarding this, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration (EVF operation mode) that enables the user to perform various touch operations using a touch panel installed in front of a rear display (liquid crystal monitor) when it is recognized that the electronic viewfinder is in use. In this EVF operation mode, the focus function is realized by associating the position on the image displayed on the electronic viewfinder with the position on the touch panel of the rear display.

Prior Art Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-19685 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2012 / 001749 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] This paper examines an operating method for imaging devices such as digital cameras, where the user operates a touch panel while visually viewing the subject through an electronic viewfinder, as described in Patent Document 2. A typical user supports the camera body from below with their left hand, and uses their right hand to support the camera grip or the right side of the camera body to stabilize it, while operating the shutter button with their right index finger. Simultaneously, they use their right thumb to touch the touch panel on the rear display. This allows the user to quickly focus on the desired subject and take a picture.

[0006] However, as camera bodies become larger, attempting to operate the touchscreen with the right thumb using the aforementioned motion becomes difficult, as the thumb cannot easily reach the left side of the rear display (touchscreen), resulting in poor usability. While it is possible for the user to remove their right hand from the body to operate the touchscreen, this can delay the shutter button press, potentially causing them to miss a photo opportunity.

[0007] Furthermore, in addition to the rear display, the back of the camera is equipped with user input buttons and other features, and it is required that the rear area be used effectively while ensuring these functions are available.

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

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

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

[0011] According to the present invention, when setting the focus area using the touch panel built into the rear display while checking the subject with the electronic viewfinder, the user can easily operate the rear display even if it is enlarged, providing an easy-to-use imaging device.

[0012] Alternatively, according to the present invention, a dedicated touch panel for use with the electronic viewfinder is provided on the back of the imaging device, making it easier for the user to operate the rear display even if the rear display is enlarged, thus providing an imaging device that is easy to use. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] A block diagram showing the configuration of the imaging device according to Example 1. [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of the cross-sectional structure of the rear display. [Figure 3] An external view showing the imaging device according to Example 1. [Figure 4]Explanatory diagram of a method for setting a focus area on the display screen of the rear display. [Figure 5] Explanatory diagram of a method for setting a focus area for the displayed image on the electronic viewfinder. [Figure 6] Diagram showing the positional relationship between the image display screen and the detection area of the touch panel. [Figure 7] Diagram showing an example of a method for changing the effective detection area by the user. [Figure 8] Diagram showing an example of the display of a menu screen related to the focus operation. [Figure 9] Diagram showing an example of the setting of the focus area when changing from horizontal shooting to vertical shooting (Example 2). [Figure 10] Explanatory diagram of a method for setting a focus area using a focus candidate frame (Example 3). [Figure 11] Block diagram showing the configuration of the imaging device according to Example 4. [Figure 12] External view showing the imaging device according to Example 4. [Figure 13] Explanatory diagram of a method for setting a focus area for the displayed image on the electronic viewfinder. [Figure 14] Diagram showing an example of the display of a menu screen related to the focus operation. [Figure 15] Block diagram showing the configuration of the imaging device according to Example 5. [Figure 16] External view showing the imaging device according to Example 5. [Figure 17A] Diagram showing examples of images displayed on the electronic viewfinder, the first and second rear displays. [Figure 17B] Diagram showing examples of images displayed on the electronic viewfinder, the first and second rear displays. [Figure 18] Block diagram showing the configuration of the imaging device according to Example 6. [Figure 19] External view showing the imaging device according to Example 6. [Figure 20A] Diagram showing examples of images displayed on the electronic viewfinder and the multi-rear display. [Figure 20B]A diagram showing examples of images displayed in the electronic viewfinder and the multi-rear display. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [Examples]

[0015] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the imaging device according to Embodiment 1. The imaging device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with two display units, namely a rear display 11 and an electronic viewfinder 12, and the rear display 11 has a configuration in which a touch panel 21 and a liquid crystal panel 22 are integrated. The configuration of each part of the device will be described below.

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

[0017] The image sensor 3 is an image sensor of the CMOS or CCD type. The image sensor 3 has photoelectric conversion elements such as photodiodes arranged in two dimensions on the imaging surface, and converts the optical image of the subject, which is input via the lens unit 2 and imaged on the imaging surface, into an imaging signal through photoelectric conversion. The image sensor 3 has a built-in AD conversion circuit that converts analog signals into digital signals and outputs a digitized imaging signal. Furthermore, pixels for phase-detection AF (autofocus) can be arranged on the image sensor 3 to speed up AF. If an image sensor without a built-in AD conversion circuit is used, the AD conversion circuit can be provided outside the image sensor 3. The drive circuit 15 drives the image sensor 3 according to the operating mode.

[0018] The signal processing circuit 4 performs various signal processing on the output signal from the image sensor 3, including filtering, amplification according to the sensitivity setting, and white balance correction. The signal processing circuit 4 also generates display video signals or recording video signals (moving images, still images) depending on the operating mode. Furthermore, the signal processing circuit 4 instructs the OSD circuit 17 to generate an OSD (On-Screen Display) signal for display. This OSD signal includes the display signal for the focus frame, which will be described later.

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

[0020] The operation input unit 10 receives user input and is assigned to the most frequently used operations among the settings for the imaging device 1. Specifically, as will be described later, this includes the mode setting dial, shutter button, mode setting button, etc.

[0021] The rear display 11 has a configuration in which the touch panel 21 and the LCD panel 22 are integrated, and its details will be described later. The electronic viewfinder 12 is a display that the user looks through to visually check the image being captured. The user uses either the rear display 11 or the electronic viewfinder 12 to monitor during shooting and check playback images. Normally, either display unit can be used selectively, and the system automatically switches based on the detection result of the detection unit 13.

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

[0023] When the user uses the electronic viewfinder 12, the detection unit 13 detects the proximity of the user's face or head, and controls the system to display the image only on the electronic viewfinder 12, while not displaying the image on the rear display 11. Conversely, if the detection unit 13 cannot detect an object, it controls the system to display the image only on the rear display 11. By switching the image display unit in this way, the power consumption of the device is reduced.

[0024] Although the displays on the rear display 11 and the electronic viewfinder 12 are automatically switched according to the detection results of the detection unit 13, for example, an on / off setting for the automatic switching function may be provided, allowing the user to manually switch the displays on the rear display 11 and the electronic viewfinder 12 when the automatic switching is turned off.

[0025] Figure 2 shows an example of the cross-sectional structure of the rear display 11. The rear display 11 integrates a touch panel 21 and a liquid crystal panel 22, with a protective cover 20 made of glass or the like and a backlight 23 placed on the outside. In this case, the touch panel 21 detects capacitance through the protective cover 20, so the detection accuracy is improved by positioning the touch panel 21 in close contact with the protective cover 20. The backlight 23 illuminates the back of the liquid crystal panel 22 with illumination light to display the image. In this case, if the user does not use the display for a certain period of time, the backlight 23 may be controlled to turn off in order to reduce power consumption. Note that the display method is not limited to liquid crystal, and any method such as organic EL may be used. Also, when using light-emitting elements such as organic EL, a backlight is not required.

[0026] The touch panel 21 uses a capacitive touchscreen, for example, with transparent electrodes arranged in a two-dimensional manner horizontally and vertically. When a user's finger or stylus touches or approaches the display screen of the rear display 11, the capacitance between the finger or stylus and the transparent electrodes changes, detecting the horizontal and vertical position on the screen where contact occurred. This touch panel 21 allows the user to perform various inputs and operations on the imaging device. In particular, this embodiment includes a function to focus on any position on the screen via touch panel operation. Note that the touch panel 21 may use a pressure-sensitive touchscreen or other method in addition to the capacitive touchscreen.

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

[0028] The operation input section 10 of the imaging device 1 includes a mode setting dial 31, a shutter button 32, and operation buttons 33. The mode setting dial 31 is used to select the operating mode of the imaging device 1 (shooting mode / playback mode, etc.). The shutter button 32 is located on the upper right side of the main unit and is pressed to take a picture. The operation buttons 33 consist of a central button and buttons for the up, down, left, and right directions, and are used to display and select menu screens.

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

[0030] The imaging device has two operating modes: <shooting mode> and <playback mode>. The operation of these modes will be explained below. Switching between these operating modes may be done using the mode setting dial 31, or, for example, by providing a dedicated playback mode button.

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

[0032] The imaging signal is read from the image sensor 3 at a predetermined interval, the signal processing circuit 4 performs predetermined signal processing, converts it to a display format, and displays the moving image in real time on the rear display 11 or electronic viewfinder 12. At that time, the display unit is switched according to the detection result of the detection unit 13. The user monitors the moving image displayed on the rear display 11 or electronic viewfinder 12.

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

[0034] When recording a video, press the video recording button (not shown) to start recording, and press it again to stop recording. The video can be encoded in MPEG such as H264 or H265, or any other video format. In the case of video recording, the encoding / decoding circuit 7 encodes the video in a predetermined format, and the encoded video data is recorded on the recording medium 16 by the recording / playback circuit 8 via the memory 6.

[0035] <Playback Mode> When the control unit 9 detects that the operation input unit 10 has set the device to playback mode, the recording / playback circuit 8 reads still images and videos recorded on the recording medium 16. Then, after decoding by the encoding / decoding circuit 7, it controls the device to display them on the rear display 11 or the electronic viewfinder 12. The display switching is performed according to the detection result of the detection unit 13, similar to the shooting mode. In playback operation, first, thumbnail images of multiple images are displayed on a multi-screen, and then the image selected by touch panel operation or the like is played back and displayed on the selected display unit.

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

[0037] Figure 4 illustrates how to set the focus area on the display screen of the rear display 11, with (a) to (d) showing the setting procedure.

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

[0039] Once a focus area is set, the focus frame 43 is continuously displayed on the display screen 40, as shown in (c). If the user wants to change the focus area, they can simply touch the new focus position on the screen with their finger 42. For example, as shown in (d), if the user touches another subject 41', the control unit 9 sets the touched position as the new focus area, erases the currently displayed focus frame 43, and displays the new focus frame 43'.

[0040] In this way, when setting the focus area while looking at the rear display 11, the user can touch the position of the subject they want to focus on, and the camera will perform a focus operation on the position of the touched subject.

[0041] Next, we will explain the operation of setting the focus area while monitoring the image using the electronic viewfinder 12.

[0042] Figure 5 illustrates how to set the focus area using the touch panel 21 of the rear display 11 for the display image of the electronic viewfinder 12. (a) shows the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12, and (b) shows the touch surface of the touch panel 21 built into the rear display 11. As shown in Figure 3 above, the screen size of the electronic viewfinder 12 in (a) is significantly smaller than the screen size of the rear display 11 in (b), but here it is shown as an arbitrary size.

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

[0044] As shown in (a), the subject 51 is displayed on the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12. Also, as shown in (b), the touch panel 21 of the rear display 11 has a reduced effective detection area 60 for detecting user touch operations, set to the upper right part of the touch surface. That is, as shown in Figure 4, when displaying an image on the rear display 11, almost the entire surface of the touch panel 21 was the effective detection area, but when displaying an image on the electronic viewfinder 12, detection is possible only with the reduced effective detection area 60. By making the reduced effective detection area 60 correspond to the entire display screen 50 in (a), it is possible to set any position within the display screen 50 as the focus area.

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

[0046] When setting the focus area while looking through the electronic viewfinder 12, users typically support the camera body with their left hand, grip the body with their right hand, and operate the focus position with their right thumb 52 and the shutter button with their index finger. As in this embodiment, by reducing the effective detection area 60 of the touch panel 21 to the upper right, it becomes easier to operate the touch panel 21 with the right thumb 52 even if the rear display 11 is enlarged. In other words, the user can perform a touch operation at the desired position within the effective detection area 60 without taking their right hand off the camera body. As a result, focus positioning and coordinated operation with the shutter button can be performed quickly, greatly improving usability.

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

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

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

[0050] On the other hand, when displaying an image using the electronic viewfinder 12, the effective detection area of ​​the touch panel 21 becomes a reduced effective detection area 60 (rectangular area abcd) as shown in Figure 5. As a result, the coordinates (f,e) of the touch position 54 within the effective detection area 60 and the coordinates (F',E') of the display screen 50 where the focus position, i.e., the focus frame 53, is to be displayed, generally no longer coincide.

[0051] Therefore, a coordinate transformation is necessary, and to facilitate this transformation, it is desirable to shrink the shape of the effective detection area 60 so that it approximately satisfies the relationship ab:bc=AB:BC=A'B':B'C', that is, to make the aspect ratio of the effective detection area 60 approximately the same as the aspect ratio of the display screen 40 (i.e., the aspect ratio of the display screen 50). This allows the coordinates (f,e) of the touch position 54 in the effective detection area 60 of the touch panel 21 and the coordinates (F',E') of the focus frame 53 on the display screen 50 to be easily transformed using a single transformation coefficient k (f / F'=e / E'=k). Furthermore, by making the aspect ratio the same, the user can perform vertical and horizontal positioning operations with a more natural feel.

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

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

[0054] Figure 7 shows an example of how a user can change the effective detection area 60. The display screen 40 of the rear display 11 shows the currently set effective detection area 60 of the touch panel 21. The user can set a new effective detection area 61 by dragging, for example, a portion P in the lower left corner of the effective detection area 60 downwards to the left (indicated by the arrow) (moving it while touching the screen with a finger 52), moving it to the desired position, and then lifting the finger 52 from the screen. As a result, the touch panel 21 detects the touch position based on the new effective detection area 61 set by the user. The control unit 9 changes the conversion coefficient k based on the area size of the new effective detection area 61 and performs coordinate transformation processing from the touch detection position to the position on the display screen of the electronic viewfinder 12.

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

[0056] In the example above, the effective detection area 60 of the touch panel 21 when using the electronic viewfinder 12 was set to the upper right corner of the screen, but it is not limited to this. For example, for left-handed users, setting it to the lower left corner or upper left corner would make it easier to operate the touch panel using left-handed fingers. Changing the placement of the effective detection area 60 in this way can also be done by adding an operation to move the effective detection area 60.

[0057] Next, we will explain the process of actually focusing on the focus area on the screen that was set as described above. The autofocus method used in the imaging device can be video AF (autofocus) or phase-detection AF.

[0058] Video autofocus (AF) is a method of focusing by controlling the focus lens so that the image signal of the focus area is in focus. Therefore, it extracts the high-frequency components of the image signal of the set focus area and controls the position of the focus lens to maximize these high-frequency components. Information regarding the set focus area is transmitted from the control unit 9 to the signal processing circuit 4, which detects the high-frequency components within the set focus area. By controlling the lens control unit 14 to maximize these detected high-frequency components, the camera can focus on the set focus area.

[0059] Phase-detection autofocus (AF) is performed by using an image sensor equipped with pixels for phase-detection AF, or by providing a dedicated phase-detection AF sensor. When providing a dedicated phase-detection AF system, a half-mirror or the like can be placed in the path between the lens and the image sensor to separate the incident light from the lens into two directions, with the image sensor on one side and the phase-detection AF sensor on the other. Phase-detection AF is a method of focusing by detecting the phase difference of images that have passed through two different paths, and because it can focus from that phase difference, it can focus at high speed. When using a dedicated phase-detection AF sensor or an image sensor with pixels for phase-detection AF, the focusing lens can be controlled so that it focuses on the pixels of the phase-detection AF sensor in an area set by the user.

[0060] Comparing the two methods, video AF is slower than phase-detection AF because it searches for the focus position while driving the lens. However, since focus control can be performed using the image sensor, a dedicated phase-detection AF sensor and its optical system are not required. Furthermore, the AF detection area can be set at any position on the image sensor, which has the advantage of making it easier to focus on any desired position.

[0061] The timing of the focus operation is linked to the operation of the shutter button 32. The shutter button generally has a half-press state and a fully pressed state, and the focus operation is performed when the button is half-pressed. In other words, the control unit 9 sets the position touched by the user using the touch panel 21 as the focus area, and controls the camera to focus on this area when it detects that the shutter button has been half-pressed.

[0062] As described above, the camera can quickly focus on a position specified by the user on the touch panel. Then, by quickly pressing the shutter button (fully pressed) after focusing, an image with the desired subject in focus can be captured and saved. To enable faster focusing, the focus area may be set when the user touches the screen, and focus control may be executed immediately without the need for a half-press of the shutter button.

[0063] Figure 8 shows an example of a menu screen display related to focus operation. For example, by pressing the center of the operation button 33, the menu screen 80 is displayed on the rear display 11, and the user selects and sets menus using touch operation. This shows the menu screens related to focus operation that are displayed.

[0064] Touch Panel AF81 is a setting menu for using the autofocus (AF) function via the touch panel. Touching the ON / OFF indicator on the right toggles between ON and OFF. When set to ON, you can adjust the AF area settings via the touch panel; when set to OFF, the AF area setting function is disabled. Therefore, to use the touch panel focus area setting described above, set this setting to ON.

[0065] The EVF / LCD automatic switching 82 is a setting menu for automatically switching the image display between the electronic viewfinder (EVF) 12 and the rear display 11 (liquid crystal display (LCD) 22) based on the detection result of the detection unit 13. Turn this setting ON to enable automatic switching. This allows for automatic mutual exclusion control of the switching between the electronic viewfinder 12 and the rear display 11, which is effective for reducing power consumption. If this setting is OFF, the electronic viewfinder 12 and the rear display 11 must be switched manually. The method of manual switching is arbitrary, but for example, the electronic viewfinder 12 and the rear display 11 can be selected by toggling using the down button of the operation button 33. Additionally, modes for turning both the electronic viewfinder 12 and the rear display 11 ON, and modes for turning both OFF, may be added.

[0066] The Touch Panel Effective Area Setting 83, as shown in Figure 7, is a menu for the user to set the effective detection area of ​​the touch panel when using the EVF. When this is selected by touch, the screen shown in Figure 7 is displayed, and the user can change the effective detection area. The initial setting (default setting) for the effective detection area when using the EVF is a reduced area of ​​a predetermined size in the upper right corner of the rear display. Alternatively, the initial setting for the effective detection area may be the entire area of ​​the rear display, and the user may change it by selecting from the Panel Effective Area Setting 83 menu.

[0067] The Focus Area Size Setting 84 is a menu item for changing the size of the focus area (focus frame). This allows you to change the size of the area you want to focus on, depending on the size of the subject, etc.

[0068] The "AF Area Reset When Changing Portrait / Landscape Position" menu (85) and the "AF Area Initial Setting When Changing Portrait / Landscape Position" menu (86) relate to setting the focus area in response to changes in the shooting orientation (landscape / portrait). The "AF Area Reset When Changing Portrait / Landscape Position" menu (85) sets whether or not to reset the focus area when changing from landscape shooting (holding the image sensor horizontally) to portrait shooting (holding it vertically), or vice versa. The "AF Area Initial Setting When Changing Portrait / Landscape Position" menu (86) sets the initial value when resetting. These functions will be explained in the following Example 2.

[0069] The above explanation assumes that the focus area is set at the location touched by the user, but it may also be possible to change the setting position with a flick gesture. A flick gesture is an operation in which the user touches the screen and then quickly swipes their finger in a predetermined direction while still touching the screen. In this case, the focus setting area should be moved in the direction of the flick gesture, and a focus frame indicating the moved focus area should be displayed on the screen.

[0070] Furthermore, while the above explanation assumes that the on-screen position of the focus area set by the user via touch operation is retained, it may also be possible to enable tracking of the subject's movement. That is, by recognizing the image of the subject when the focus area is set on the desired subject, the focus area can move to track the subject even if it moves within the screen. This ensures reliable focusing even on moving subjects.

[0071] According to this embodiment, when monitoring an image with the electronic viewfinder 12, by reducing the effective detection area of ​​the touch panel 21, user operation for setting the focus area becomes easier even if the rear display 11, which incorporates the touch panel 21, is made larger. As a result, the user can quickly perform coordinated operations between focus positioning and the shutter button, significantly improving usability. [Examples]

[0072] When a digital camera or other imaging device is held horizontally for shooting (horizontal shooting), and then held vertically for shooting (so-called vertical shooting), the user usually changes the framing, causing the subject's position within the frame to shift, which means the focus area will be shifted from the desired position. In other words, in the above embodiment 1, the position of the focus area within the frame, once set, remains the same as in the horizontal shooting state. Therefore, in this embodiment, a function has been added to detect when the shooting posture has changed from horizontal to vertical shooting, or from vertical to horizontal shooting, to reset the set focus area, and furthermore, to automatically set the focus area to a predetermined position for horizontal or vertical shooting.

[0073] Furthermore, detecting whether the shooting orientation is horizontal or vertical can be done using geomagnetic sensors, gyro sensors, angular velocity sensors, etc., and can be easily incorporated into the imaging device.

[0074] This function uses the settings menu described in Figure 8, specifically the "AF Area Reset When Switching Between Portrait and Portrait Modes" setting 85 and the "AF Area Initial Setting When Switching Between Portrait and Portrait Modes" setting 85 is set to ON. When the shooting orientation changes from landscape to portrait, or vice versa, the system automatically detects the change and resets the currently set focus area to its initial value. The "AF Area Initial Setting When Switching Between Portrait and Portrait Modes" setting 86 allows you to pre-set the initial value of the focus area to be reset after the initial reset. While it is common to set the focus area to the center of the screen as the initial setting, you can set different initial values ​​for landscape and portrait shooting.

[0075] Figure 9 shows an example of setting the focus area when switching between horizontal and vertical shooting modes, where (a) is when shooting in horizontal mode and (b) is when switching to vertical mode. Here, we show the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12, but the display screen 40 of the rear display 11 is exactly the same.

[0076] In the horizontal shooting state display screen 50 of (a), the focus frame 53 (coordinates X1, Y1) is shown at the position of the subject 51. Next, when the imaging device is rotated 90° to the left to change to the vertical shooting state of (b), the focus frame 53 set in (a) is set to position 53' (coordinates X1, Y1 shown by the dashed line) in the display screen 50', and is shifted away from the subject 51.

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

[0078] In Examples 1 and 2, the focus frame indicating the focus area is displayed on the subject display screen only after the user has touched the touch panel. When the display unit is an integrated touch panel 21, such as the rear display 11, the user can instantly set the focus area to the desired subject position. However, when the display unit is an electronic viewfinder 12, it is separated from the touch panel 21, and since the screen sizes of the two are different (the touch panel has a reduced effective detection area 60), it is expected that it will be difficult for the user to instantly set the focus area to the desired subject position. Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to assist the user in setting the focus area, positions where the focus area can be set are displayed in advance on the subject display screen as focus candidate frames.

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

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

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

[0082] Furthermore, if the user touches the setting frame 71 again after it has been set as the focus area, the focus area setting is canceled and it returns to the candidate frame 70, allowing the user to change the focus area setting. In this example, the border of the candidate frame 70 is shown as a dotted line and the border of the setting frame 71 is shown as a solid line, but these display formats are arbitrary as long as they can be easily distinguished from each other.

[0083] In this embodiment, candidate positions for the focus area are displayed in advance, allowing the user to set the focus position based on these, thus speeding up the setting process. Although the above example described the case where the image is displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12, it goes without saying that this can also be applied when the image is displayed on the rear display 11 which has an integrated touch panel. In any case, displaying candidate positions for the focus area in advance has the effect of assisting the user in the setting process. [Examples]

[0084] Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the imaging device according to Embodiment 4. The imaging device 1 of this embodiment, like Embodiment 1 (Figure 1), is equipped with two display units, namely a rear display 11 and an electronic viewfinder 12. The rear display 11 has a configuration in which a touch panel 21 and a liquid crystal panel 22 are integrated. The difference from Embodiment 1 is that a dedicated touch panel 19 corresponding to the electronic viewfinder 12 is provided. Hereinafter, the touch panel 21 built into the rear display 11 will be referred to as the "first touch panel," and the dedicated touch panel 19 corresponding to the electronic viewfinder 12 will be referred to as the "second touch panel." The differences from Embodiment 1 (Figure 1) will now be explained.

[0085] The rear display 11 has an integrated configuration of a first touch panel 21 and an LCD panel 22, with the first touch panel 21 providing touch input for the image displayed on the LCD panel 22. The electronic viewfinder 12 is a display for visually viewing the image being captured, and the second touch panel 19 is a dedicated touch panel used for operation input when using the electronic viewfinder 12. The user uses either the rear display 11 or the electronic viewfinder 12 to monitor during shooting and check playback images. Normally, either display unit can be used selectively, and the system automatically switches based on the detection results of the detection unit 13.

[0086] The structure of the rear display 11 and the first touch panel 21 is as described in Example 1 (Figure 2). The second touch panel 19 has the same structure as the first touch panel 21 and detects the position where the user's finger or stylus touches or approaches. However, unlike the rear display 11, there is no liquid crystal panel. That is, it is composed of the touch panel and its protective cover, excluding the liquid crystal panel 22 and backlight 23 from the configuration of the rear display 11 shown in Figure 2.

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

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

[0089] Next, we will explain the operation of setting the focus area using touch panel operation, which is a feature of this embodiment. The focus area can be set while looking at the rear display 11 or while looking at the electronic viewfinder 12. When setting the focus area while looking at the rear display 11, it is the same as in Embodiment 1 (Figure 4), and is done by touching the first touch panel 21 provided on the rear display 11 with a finger. On the other hand, when setting the focus area while looking at the electronic viewfinder 12, it is done by touching the second touch panel 19, which is dedicated to use when using the electronic viewfinder, with a finger.

[0090] Figure 13 illustrates how to set the focus area using the second touch panel 19 for the display image of the electronic viewfinder 12. It shows the relationship between the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12 and the touch surface of the second touch panel 19. As shown in Figure 12, the screen size of the electronic viewfinder 12 is generally smaller than the screen size of the rear display 11, and the electronic viewfinder 12 and the second touch panel 19 are offset from each other in the left-right direction.

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

[0092] The subject 51 is displayed on the display screen 50 of the electronic viewfinder 12. When adjusting the focus area while looking through the electronic viewfinder 12, the user generally supports the camera body with their left hand, grips the body with their right hand, and operates the focus position with their right thumb 52 and the shutter button with their index finger. As in this embodiment, by positioning the second touch panel 19 to the right side of the imaging device, operation of the second touch panel 19 with the right thumb 52 remains easy even if the device is enlarged. In other words, the user can perform touch operations on the desired position on the second touch panel 19 without taking their right hand off the body.

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

[0094] In this embodiment, the first touch panel 21, which is integrated with the rear display 11, and the second touch panel 19, which is dedicated to the electronic viewfinder 12, are used exclusively depending on whether the image is displayed on the rear display 11 or on the electronic viewfinder 12. This ensures that even if the rear display 11 is enlarged, user operability is not compromised, and usability is improved. A grip may be provided on the right side of the rear of the main unit to make it easier to hold the imaging device 1, and in that case, the second touch panel may be placed on the grip.

[0095] Figure 14 shows an example of a menu screen display related to focus operation. The items added to Embodiment 1 (Figure 8) will now be explained. In the menu screen 80, the main touch panel 87 is a setting menu for turning the operation of the first touch panel 21, which is integrated with the rear display 11, ON / OFF. The sub-touch panel 88 is a setting menu for turning the operation of the second touch panel 19, which is dedicated to the electronic viewfinder 12, ON / OFF. Note that the ON / OFF switching of the main touch panel 87 and the sub-touch panel 88 may be linked to the EVF / LCD automatic switching 82.

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

[0097] Example 5 is configured as a second rear display by adding and integrating a liquid crystal panel to the second touch panel in Example 4.

[0098] Figure 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the imaging device according to Embodiment 5. The first rear display 91 corresponds to the rear display 11 in Embodiment 4 (Figure 11) and integrates the first touch panel 21a and the first liquid crystal panel 22a. The second rear display 92 integrates the second touch panel 21b and the second liquid crystal panel 22b. The second rear display 92 has a smaller screen size than the first rear display 91, but its internal configuration is the same. The second rear display 92 can be operated by the user's touch, and the second liquid crystal panel 22b displays images other than the subject, as will be described later. The other configurations and operations are the same as in Embodiment 4, and a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0099] Figure 16 is an external view of the imaging device according to Embodiment 5, and is a view of the imaging device from the rear. The view from the side is the same as in Figure 12(b). The second rear display 92 is located on the right side of the rear of the imaging device 1, that is, to the right of the first rear display 91. In this example, the second rear display 92 is located on the lower right side of the rear, but it may also be located on the upper right side. By positioning the second rear display 92 on the right side of the imaging device 1 in this way, when a user supports the imaging device with their right hand, they can easily operate the second touch panel 21b on the second rear display 92 with their right thumb.

[0100] Figures 17A and 17B show examples of images displayed in the electronic viewfinder 12, the first rear display 91, and the second rear display 92 when taking a picture.

[0101] Figure 17A shows the case where the subject is displayed using the first rear display 91. The first rear display 91 displays an image of the subject 41 being photographed, and the display of the electronic viewfinder 12 is turned off. The user can set the focus frame 43 for the subject 41 by touching the display screen of the first rear display 91 with their finger 42.

[0102] At this time, the second rear display 92 displays, for example, an operation button 33a. This operation button 33a corresponds to the operation button 33 in Figure 12, which was represented by hardware in Figure 12, but here the operation button 33a is represented as a display image. By touching the operation button 33a, the same functions as the operation button 33 in Figure 12 (displaying and selecting from the menu screen) are achieved.

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

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

[0105] In this embodiment, when the first rear display 91 is in use, the operation button 33a is displayed on the second rear display 92, enabling user input. This allows the second touch panel 19 and the operation button 33 in Embodiment 4 (Figure 12(a)) to be used interchangeably, streamlining the configuration of the imaging device. [Examples]

[0106] Example 6 integrates the first rear display 91 and the second rear display 92 from Example 5 and configures them as a multi-rear display 100 that displays multiple images simultaneously.

[0107] Figure 18 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the imaging device according to Embodiment 6. The multi-rear display 100 integrates the first rear display 91 and the second rear display 92 in Embodiment 5 (Figure 15), and consists of a common touch panel 21c and liquid crystal panel 22c. The other configurations and operations are the same as in Embodiment 5, and a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0108] Figure 19 is an external view of the imaging device according to Embodiment 6, and shows the imaging device viewed from the rear. The side view is the same as in Figure 12(b). A single multi-rear display 100 is located on the rear, and its screen size is large to display multiple images simultaneously.

[0109] Figures 20A and 20B show examples of images displayed on the electronic viewfinder 12 and the multi-rear display 100 when taking a picture.

[0110] Figure 20A shows the case where the subject is displayed using the multi-rear display 100. When using the multi-rear display 100, its screen is divided into three areas 101, 102, and 103. The first area 101 on the left corresponds to the first rear display 91 in Embodiment 5, and displays an image such as the subject 41 and accepts user touch operations. The second area 102 on the lower right corresponds to the second rear display 92 in Embodiment 5, and displays, for example, the operation button 33a. Furthermore, the third area 103 on the upper right displays the shooting information 95 shown in Embodiment 5 (Figure 17B). This makes it easy to check shooting settings such as shutter speed and aperture value while displaying the subject image on the multi-rear display 100.

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

[0112] Note that the screen splitting display of the multi-rear display 100 shown in Figures 20A and 20B is just one example; image display and touch input may be performed using any other combination.

[0113] In this embodiment, a multi-rear display is used to divide the screen and display multiple images simultaneously. The display content and operation of each divided area of ​​the multi-rear display are switched depending on whether the subject image is displayed on the multi-rear display or on the electronic viewfinder. This allows for further streamlining of the imaging device configuration.

[0114] In the embodiments described above, the setting of the focus area was explained as an operation using a touch panel. However, touch input is not limited to this and may also be used for setting the exposure control area, or for setting areas on the screen when performing focus and exposure control simultaneously. It can also be applied to setting the target for subject recognition or person recognition, or to inputting shooting conditions such as shutter speed, aperture value, and ISO sensitivity.

[0115] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and includes various modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail to make the present invention easier to understand and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0116] 1: Imaging device, 2: Lens part, 3: Image sensor, 4: Signal processing circuit, 7: Encoding and decoding circuit, 8: Recording and playback circuit, 9: Control Unit, 10: Operation input section, 11,91,92: Rear display, 12: Electronic viewfinder, 13: Detection unit, 14: Lens control unit, 15: Drive circuit, 16: Recording media, 17: OSD circuit, 19, 21, 21a~21c: Touch panel, 22,22a~22c: LCD panel, 31: Mode setting dial, 32: Shutter button, 33,33a: Operation buttons, 40: Rear display screen, 41, 51: Subject images, 42,52: User's fingers, 43, 53, 55, 71: Focus frame (focus position) 50: Electronic viewfinder display screen, 60,61: Effective detection area of ​​the touch panel, 70: Candidate frame for the focus area, 80: Menu screen, 95: Filming information, 100: Multiple rear displays, 101~103: Divided area.

Claims

1. An imaging device, An image sensor that outputs an imaging signal, The first display and the second display, It comprises a control unit and, The control unit, A first display state in which an image based on the imaging signal is displayed in a first area of ​​the first display, and no image based on the imaging signal is displayed on the second display, A second display state is characterized in which the first area of ​​the first display does not display an image based on the imaging signal, and the second display displays an image based on the imaging signal. The first display and the second display are controlled to constitute the following: Furthermore, the control unit, In either the first display state or the second display state, the first display is controlled to display a video object related to photography at a predetermined position in a region different from the first region of the first display. Furthermore, the imaging device is characterized by controlling the first display to set a second area that is different from both the first area of ​​the first display and the area where the video object related to the photograph is displayed, and which is for receiving user input.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, The imaging device is characterized in that the video object relating to the photograph includes at least one setting relating to the photograph, such as shutter speed, aperture value, and ISO sensitivity.

3. An imaging device according to claim 1 or 2, The imaging device is characterized in that the area in which the video object related to the aforementioned photograph is displayed is adjacent to the first area.

4. An imaging device according to claim 1 or 2, The imaging device is characterized in that the area in which the video object related to the aforementioned photograph is displayed is smaller than the first area.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1, The imaging apparatus is characterized in that the control unit controls the first display to set up a region on one side of the longitudinal middle portion of the first display and a second region on the same side.

6. The imaging device according to claim 1, The imaging device is characterized in that the control unit controls the object that is displayed in the second area when the first display state is in place so that it is not displayed in the second area when the second display state is in place.

7. The imaging device according to claim 6, The imaging apparatus is characterized in that the control unit controls a predetermined operation icon that is not displayed in the second area when the second display state is in place to be displayed in the second area when the first display state is in place.

8. An imaging device according to claim 1 or 2, The first display is a touch panel display, The imaging device is characterized in that the control unit controls the first display or the backlight of the first display to turn off if no touch operation is detected on the touch panel for a predetermined period of time.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8, The aforementioned touch panel is characterized by comprising a plurality of capacitive sensors arranged in two dimensions.

10. An imaging device according to claim 1 or 2, The imaging device is characterized in that the first display is either a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

Images