Camera Manual Focus Overlay for Maintaining Video Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image pickup apparatuses struggle to maintain a subject in focus while allowing the user to keep their eyes on the entire video image during manual focus operations, as users may miss focus position notifications due to the need to check a memory plate or viewfinder.
Innovation Solution
An image pickup apparatus with a display unit that highlights focus information on the screen, including current and registered focus positions, using different thresholds for notification levels to ensure the user maintains focus without looking away from the video image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a memory plate with focus position marks is displayed on the viewfinder to assist manual focus operation, then the user can be notified of the registered focus position, but the user cannot confirm the notification without looking at the memory plate, causing them to miss focus position notifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the focus position notification function with the existing viewfinder display by superimposing focus information (current focus position and registered focus position) directly onto the video image displayed on the viewfinder. This eliminates the need for a separate memory plate and ensures the notification is always visible to the user without requiring them to look away from the video image.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary display layer that overlays focus position information on top of the video image in the viewfinder. This intermediary layer serves as a mediator between the focus mechanism and the user, providing continuous visual feedback about focus status without obstructing the view of the video image itself.
2Loss of information
If the user looks at the memory plate to confirm focus position notifications, then the notification can be confirmed, but the entire video image cannot be maintained in the composition intended by the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the notification display with the video image display in a single integrated viewfinder output. The focus position information is superimposed on the video image, allowing the user to confirm notifications while maintaining their attention on the complete video image and its composition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds an informational dimension to the existing video image display by superimposing focus position markers and information layers. This creates a multi-layered display where the video image remains in the background and focus information is overlaid in the foreground, allowing both to be viewed simultaneously without compromising either.
3Reliability
If focus information is displayed on a separate memory plate or viewfinder element, then focus position can be indicated, but the user must divert attention from the video image to check the notification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the focus assistance function with the video image display by superimposing focus position information directly on the viewfinder. This integration ensures that focus information is always visible and accessible to the user without requiring them to divert attention or time to check a separate display element.
Data Source
AI summary
An image pickup apparatus capable of, when a manual focus operation is performed during photographing, performing photographing with a subject desired by a user in focus is provided. The image pickup apparatus includes a display unit to display a video image being photographed on a screen, a rendering unit to render information on a focus of an image pickup lens on the screen, a first obtaining unit to obtain a current focus position, a second obtaining unit to obtain a moving direction of the current focus position, a registration unit to register a focus position, a first highlighting unit to, in a case that a first condition is satisfied, render first information and perform a first highlighted display of the screen, and a second highlighting unit to, in a case that a second condition is satisfied, render second information and perform a second highlighted display of the screen.