Image Pickup Exposure Control Mode Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image pickup apparatuses complicate user operations by requiring mode changes to adjust exposure control values, limiting the ability to reflect user intentions, especially when desired depth of field or exposure settings are not met in automatic modes.
Innovation Solution
An image pickup apparatus with multiple modes that allow users to set exposure control values manually without changing modes, including a semi-automatic mode where users can set fixed values for certain exposure control values while others are automatically adjusted, and a mode where all values are automatically set, enabling flexible exposure control without mode changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the image pickup apparatus uses full-automatic mode to automatically determine exposure control values, then the operation complexity is reduced, but the ability to reflect user intentions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic exposure control system where the apparatus can automatically determine exposure control values when the user does not operate the exposure control member, but allows user input to override and adjust these values when the user operates the exposure control member. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to reflect user intentions while maintaining automatic operation capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the user changes image capturing mode to adjust exposure control values, then the exposure settings can be modified, but the user operations become complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the exposure control value adjustment function from the image capturing mode selection, allowing users to independently adjust exposure control values through an exposure control member without needing to change modes. This separates the exposure adjustment operation from mode switching, simplifying user operations while maintaining exposure flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The exposure control member serves multiple functions: it allows users to adjust exposure control values across different image capturing modes and enables the system to reflect user intentions regardless of the selected mode. This universal control mechanism eliminates the need for mode changes to access exposure adjustments.
3Device complexity
If the image pickup apparatus provides multiple fixed image capturing modes, then the exposure control methods are predetermined, but the adaptability to user-specific needs is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the exposure control system dynamic by allowing users to adjust exposure control values within any selected image capturing mode through the exposure control member. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the system to adapt to user-specific needs without requiring multiple predetermined modes, as users can customize exposure settings regardless of which mode is selected.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an image pickup apparatus including a plurality of image capturing modes which is changeable by a user operation of a first operation member. In a first mode, an exposure control value is to be chosen and set to a fixed value by the user, and others are set to settable automatic exposure control values by the image pickup apparatus without the user's operation. In a second mode, the plurality of exposure control values are all to be set to the automatic values. In a third mode, the plurality of exposure control values are settable to a combination of the automatic value and fixed value settable in the first and the second mode by user via a second operation member, without changing the image capturing mode.