JP2017055150A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an imaging device movable in a scene without rotating or moving the imaging device body.SOLUTION: In a digital camera 10, a subject image passed through a shooting lens group 31 is captured by means of an image sensor 22 mounted on an image blur correction device 50. Multiple images obtained by means of the image sensor 22 by interval shooting are processed in a DSP40, and a low speed shooting mode for recording as a low speed shooting video is provided in an image memory 25. In the low speed shooting mode, the image blur correction device 50 is driven, and interval shooting is performed while moving the image sensor 22 in a predetermined direction, by a predetermined amount at a time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus capable of performing interval shooting.

  Some imaging devices such as cameras and smartphones are equipped with an interval shooting function. The result of the interval shooting can be reproduced as a time-lapse shooting (time-lapse) moving image, for example. In the time-lapse movie, a plurality of changes in the subject are photographed at a predetermined interval and connected to form a series of movies, but the effective interval differs depending on the speed of the subject change. Therefore, a technique has been proposed in which time-lapse moving images shot at different intervals are shot in parallel by one camera (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2012-175360 A

  Also, in interval shooting, in order to obtain a characteristic time-lapse moving image, the field of view may be moved by changing the direction and position of the camera during shooting. In order to perform such interval shooting, equipment such as a rotary head and a slider is required to change the direction and position of the camera, and these equipment must be moved. For this reason, it is not possible to easily acquire time-lapse moving images that involve movement of the object scene.

  An object of the present invention is to obtain an imaging device capable of acquiring an image that changes in a predetermined manner.

  An imaging device of the present invention is an imaging device having an imaging optical system and an imaging element that captures a subject image formed by the imaging optical system, and includes an optical system or an imaging element that forms part of the imaging optical system. A displacement member is used, and a plurality of images are captured while the displacement member is displaced in a predetermined displacement manner in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging optical system or in the plane direction.

  The imaging apparatus of the present invention is an imaging apparatus having an imaging optical system and an imaging element that captures a subject image formed by the imaging optical system, and is an optical system or imaging element that forms part of the imaging optical system Is used as a displacement member, and each time the displacement member is displaced in a predetermined displacement manner in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging optical system or in the plane direction, an image is read out from the imaging device, and a plurality of images are captured. It is characterized by.

  A plurality of types of images may be captured in parallel based on a plurality of types of displacement modes. Each imaging based on a plurality of types of displacement modes is executed at different timings. A plurality of images may be stored as one moving image for each displacement mode, or may be output as a series of moving images. Also. It is preferable to have setting means for setting the displacement mode, and the displacement mode is determined based on a value set through a user interface, for example.

  For example, the imaging apparatus holds information related to the variable width of the displacement member, and calculates the displacement amount of the displacement member for each imaging using at least the value. The displacement of the displacement member is, for example, a constant velocity or a constant angular velocity. The image pickup apparatus preferably includes an image shake correction device, and the displacement of the displacement member is preferably performed using the image shake correction device.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an imaging device capable of acquiring an image that changes in a predetermined manner.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the digital camera which is one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the image blur correction device viewed from the lens side along the Z axis. FIG. 3 is a side view of the image shake correction apparatus as viewed in the X-axis direction. It shows the movable area of the movable stage and the movement of the movable stage. It is a flowchart of the interval imaging | photography process in 2nd interval imaging | photography mode. It is an example of a setting menu for the second interval shooting mode. It is a graph which shows the imaging timing of the interval picked-up image of each direction, and the up-down direction position of an image sensor, when shooting a three interval picked-up image in parallel, moving a field in three different directions. It is an example of the setting menu of 3rd interval imaging | photography mode.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The imaging apparatus 10 of the present embodiment is a digital camera, and includes a camera body 20 and a photographic lens 30 that can be attached to and detached from the camera body 20 (lens exchangeable). The photographing lens 30 includes a photographing lens group (imaging optical system) 31 and a diaphragm (imaging optical system) 32 in order from the subject side (left side in FIG. 1) to the image plane side (right side in FIG. 1). Prepare. In FIG. 1, the photographic lens group 31 is depicted as a single lens. However, the actual photographic lens group 31 may be, for example, a fixed lens, a variable magnification lens that moves during zooming, or a focusing lens that moves during focusing. It consists of multiple lenses.

  The camera body 20 includes a shutter (imaging optical system) 21 and an image sensor (moving member) 22 in order from the subject side (left side in FIG. 1) to the image plane side (right side in FIG. 1). The camera body 20 also includes an aperture / shutter drive circuit 23 that controls driving of the aperture 32 and the shutter 21 while the camera body 20 is attached to the taking lens 30.

  A subject image is formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 22 by the subject light flux that enters from the photographing lens group 31 and passes through the aperture of the diaphragm 32 and the shutter 21. The subject image formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 22 is converted into an electrical pixel signal by a large number of pixels arranged in a matrix, and is output to the DSP 40 as image data. The DSP 40 performs predetermined image processing on the image data input from the image sensor 22, displays this on the LCD 24 as through image shooting (live view shooting), and stores it in the image memory 25.

  The taking lens 30 includes a lens memory 33 that stores various information such as resolving power (MTF) information of the taking lens group 31 and aperture diameter (aperture value) information of the stop 32. In a state where the photographic lens 30 is mounted on the camera body 20, various information stored in the lens memory 33 is read into the DSP 40.

  The camera body 20 includes a shooting operation switch 26 connected to the DSP 40. The photographing operation switch 26 includes various switches such as a power switch and a release switch.

  The camera body 20 includes a gyro sensor (a shake detection unit) 28 connected to the DSP 40. The gyro sensor 28 detects a shake detection signal indicating a shake in the plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the camera body 20 by detecting a moving angular velocity (around the X axis and the Y axis) applied to the camera body 20.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the image sensor 22 is an image blur correction device (drive mechanism) 50 that is movable in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction (two orthogonal directions) orthogonal to the optical axis Z of the imaging optical system. Mounted on. 2 and 3 are a plan view of the image blur correction device 50 as viewed from the lens side along the Z axis, and a side view as viewed in the direction of the X axis. The arrangement of the driving mechanism and each sensor is shown.

  The image blur correction device 50 includes a fixed support substrate 51 fixed to a structure such as a chassis of the camera body 20, a movable stage 52 to which the image sensor 22 is fixed and slidable with respect to the fixed support substrate 51, and fixed support. Magnets M1, M2, and M3 fixed on a surface of the substrate 51 facing the movable stage 52, and fixed to the magnets M1, M2, and M3 with the movable stage 52 sandwiched between the fixed support substrate 51 and the magnets M1. , M2, and M3 are fixed to the yokes Y1, Y2, and Y3 made of a magnetic material constituting the magnetic circuit and the movable stage 52, and drive that generates a driving force by receiving an electric current in the magnetic field of the magnetic circuit. Coils C1, C2, and C3. The movable stage 52 on which the image sensor 22 is mounted is driven by applying (applying) an AC drive signal (AC voltage) to the drive coils C1, C2, and C3, and is applied to the fixed support substrate 51 in the plane orthogonal to the optical axis. Move relative to it. The AC drive signal that flows through the drive coils C1, C2, and C3 is generated by the image sensor drive circuit (drive signal generation unit) 60 under the control of the DSP 40.

  In the present embodiment, the image sensor 22 includes a magnetic driving unit including the magnet M1, the yoke Y1, and the driving coil C1, and a magnetic driving unit (two sets of magnetic driving units) including the magnet M2, the yoke Y2, and the driving coil C2. Are arranged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction (horizontal direction, X-axis direction), and magnetic drive means (a set of magnetic drive means) including the magnet M3, the yoke Y3, and the drive coil C3 are orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the image sensor 22. Are arranged in the short direction (vertical (vertical) direction, Y-axis direction).

  The fixed support substrate 51 detects the magnetic force of the magnets M1, M2, and M3 in the vicinity (central space portion) of each of the driving coils C1, C2, and C3, and the optical axis orthogonal plane of the movable stage 52 (image sensor 22). Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 for detecting a position detection signal indicating the position inside are arranged. The position and tilt (rotation) of the movable stage 52 (image sensor 22) are detected by the hall sensors H1 and H2, and the position of the movable stage 52 (image sensor 22) is detected by the hall sensor H3.

  The DSP 40 detects a shake detection signal indicating a shake in the plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the camera body 20 detected by the gyro sensor 28 and an image sensor detected by the hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 via an image sensor driving circuit 60 described later. The image sensor 22 is driven in the optical axis orthogonal plane by the image blur correction device 50 based on the position detection signal indicating the position in the optical axis orthogonal plane 22. Thereby, the image formation position of the subject image on the image sensor 22 can be displaced, and the image shake due to the camera shake can be corrected.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the digital camera 10 causes the image sensor 22 to pass through the image blur correction device 50 in the plane orthogonal to the optical axis by passing an AC drive signal through the drive coils C1, C2, and C3. An image sensor drive circuit (drive signal generation unit) 60 for driving is provided. The overall operation of the image sensor driving circuit 60 is controlled by the DSP 40.

  FIG. 4 shows the movable area MA of the movable stage 52 and the movement of the movable stage 52. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the movable stage 52 can move (a) right and left and (b) up and down in the movable area MA. Further, as shown in FIG. 4C, the movable stage 52 is rotatable in a range until the two corners of the movable stage 52 come into contact with the edge of the movable area MA. Accordingly, the image sensor 22 fixed to the movable stage 52 is driven integrally with the movable stage 52, and can translate and rotate around the optical axis within the imaging surface.

  As described above, the image blur correction device 50 calculates the amount of movement of the subject image on the imaging surface due to camera shake or the like from the motion of the camera body 20 detected by the gyro sensor 28, and cancels this. The image blur correction is performed by moving the (movable stage 52). In the digital camera 10 of the present embodiment, the image blur correction device 50 is also used for a special effect of moving the object scene during interval shooting.

  That is, in this embodiment, in addition to the first interval shooting mode in which normal interval shooting for acquiring a plurality of images with respect to a certain object scene is performed, the image shake correction device 50 is diverted when performing interval shooting. The image sensor 22 (movable stage 52) is moved with respect to the imaging optical system to provide a second interval shooting mode for acquiring a plurality of images accompanied by the movement of the object scene.

  In the second interval shooting mode, for example, the user sets in advance each movement parameter such as a shooting interval (interval), a moving direction, a moving amount, a moving speed, a moving acceleration, a moving route, and the like during interval shooting (still image continuous shooting). Middle), the image blur correction device 50 is diverted and the image sensor 22 is translated or rotated in accordance with the set direction, amount of movement, etc. based on the set movement parameters. Then, the obtained series of images is recorded. If a series of images is stored in association with the shooting order, the image group can be reproduced as a moving image by continuously reproducing the image group based on the association information. Furthermore, if it is continuously played back at intervals shorter than the shooting interval (in other words, if the shooting interval is longer than the frame rate), it can be played back as a slow motion video. Alternatively, a series of image groups can be recorded as one moving image file after conversion.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of interval shooting processing in the second interval shooting mode. When the second interval shooting mode is started, in step S100, for example, according to a menu as shown in FIG. 6 (using the user interface), the recording size, shooting interval, required shooting time, moving direction of the image, The amount of movement, shooting start trigger, etc. are set. The menu can be displayed on the LCD 24 alone or superimposed on the subject image. Further, if the digital camera 10 is displayed on a display screen (not shown) of an external device connected to the digital camera 10 by wire or wirelessly, the digital camera 10 can be set by the external device.

  FIG. 6A is a main menu of a setting menu for setting each parameter of the second interval shooting mode. Here, “recording size” is, for example, the resolution of an image (moving image), and “HD” is designated in the illustrated example. If the same item is selected, the number of pixels with other resolutions can be selected. The “shooting interval” is a shooting time interval in interval shooting, and in the example shown in the figure, shooting is performed (images are acquired) every 2 seconds. The “time required for shooting” is a time for performing one interval shooting (continuous shooting time), and in the illustrated example, image acquisition is continued for 3 minutes. “Direction” is the moving direction of the object scene during interval shooting. It is more intuitive and easier to use the moving direction of the object scene being displayed on the LCD 24 than the moving direction of the movable stage 52. As shown in FIG. 6B, for example, there are six directions (“left to right”, “right to left”, “top to bottom”, “bottom to top”, “clockwise”, “Counterclockwise”). The “movement amount” is a translational or rotational movement amount for each image acquisition of the object scene (image sensor 22). For example, as shown in FIG. 6C, “large”, “medium”, “small” Are selected from the three types. The “start trigger” indicates the timing for starting the interval shooting. In the illustrated example, the “start trigger” is set to start “immediately” (immediately after the release switch is turned on), but after a predetermined time (after the release switch is turned on). It can also be set to start after a predetermined time.

In the calculation block in step S102, the moving amount of the movable stage 52 for each photographing is calculated based on the movable width in each direction of the movable stage 52 (image sensor 22) using the value set in the menu in step S100. . For example, if the movement amount is set to “Large” and the setting is “Right → Left” or “Left → Right”
(Movement amount for each shooting) = (Moving width in the horizontal direction) / (Total number of shots−1)
Is calculated as If the setting is “Up → Down” or “Down → Up”,
(Movement amount for each shooting) = (Moving width in the vertical direction) / (Total number of shots−1)
Is calculated as And if it ’s clockwise or counterclockwise,
(Movement amount for each shooting) = (Moving width in rotation direction) / (Total number of shots−1)
Is calculated as However, the total number of shots here is
(Total number of shots) = (shooting time) / (shooting interval) + 1
Is calculated as If the calculated movement amount is too large, the value is clipped at a predetermined upper limit value. Although step S102 may be performed by the digital camera 10, the calculation result may be transferred to the digital camera 10 after being performed by an external device connected to the digital camera 10 by wire or wirelessly.

  When the movement amount is calculated in step S102, the movable stage 52 is moved to the initial position in the set movement direction in the stage movement block in step S104. When the camera is set to live view, live view is displayed after the movable stage 52 is moved, and the movable stage 52 (image sensor 22) is moved to the initial position. This has the effect of not showing the preparation operation to the user. In addition, by displaying live view here, it is possible to prompt the user to make fine composition adjustments that have been changed by moving the movable stage 52 to the initial position.

  In step S106, the process waits until the release switch (shutter button) RS is pressed. When the release switch RS is pressed, interval shooting is started based on the start trigger setting. That is, continuous shooting at the set shooting interval is started. In step S108, it is determined whether or not the shooting end condition, that is, the set required shooting time has been reached. If not, in step S110 and step S112, the image (still image) shooting and the movable stage 52 (image sensor 22) are detected. ) The movement is executed, and the same processing is repeated until it is determined in step S108 that the photographing is finished. If it is determined in step S108 that the required shooting time has been reached, the process ends, and the plurality of shot images are combined as a series of moving images and stored as one file.

  The interval shooting mode of the present embodiment further includes a third interval shooting mode (multi-modal interval shooting mode). In the third interval shooting mode of the present embodiment, a plurality of types of movement parameters can be set, and interval shooting images based on each movement parameter are acquired in parallel in one interval shooting operation. For example, by moving the object scene in a plurality of directions and performing an interval shooting operation in parallel, interval shooting images along a plurality of trajectories are acquired by one interval shooting operation.

  FIG. 7 shows the timing (image acquisition) timing of interval shooting in each direction and the image sensor 22 when shooting three interval shot images in parallel while moving the object scene in three different directions (trajectories). It is a graph which shows an up-down direction position (for example, center). In FIG. 7, the horizontal axis is time (right is positive), and the vertical axis is the vertical position of the image sensor 22.

  In the example of FIG. 7, direction 1 corresponds to the case where the image sensor 22 is held in the center and the stationary image is taken without moving the object scene, and direction 2 corresponds to the case where the object image is taken from the top to the bottom. This corresponds to a case where an interval photographed image is photographed while moving the image sensor 22 from bottom to top. The direction 3 is a case where an interval photographed image is taken while moving the object field from the bottom to the top, that is, moving the image sensor 22 from the top to the bottom.

  In the illustrated example, the shooting interval is equal in each direction (direction 1, direction 2, direction 3), and shooting is performed for the first shot in direction 1, the first shot in direction 2, and the first shot in direction 3. Shooting, second shooting in direction 1, second shooting in direction 2, second shooting in direction 3, and interval shooting in this order while moving image sensor 22 to the position for each direction. repeat. It should be noted that after shooting, one moving image file and a total of three moving image files are generated and recorded for each direction. It should be noted that the interval set in each direction is not limited to the equivalent shooting order (number of shots) of “direction 1, direction 2, direction 3, direction 1, direction 2, direction 3...” As described above. Depending on the interval, for example, "uneven shooting order (shooting, direction 1, direction 2, direction 1, direction 2, direction 3, direction 1, direction 2, direction 1, direction 2, direction 3 ...") (Number of sheets). In short, each shooting timing may be optimized so that shooting (image acquisition) timing in each direction is not different. Optimization can be handled automatically.

  An example of the setting menu in the third interval shooting mode is shown in FIG. In the setting menu of the third interval shooting mode, it is possible to specify three directions of direction 1, direction 2, and direction 3, and to set a movement amount in each direction. FIG. 8A shows the main menu of the setting menu for the third interval shooting mode. In addition to the items shown in FIG. 6A, setting of directions 2 and 3 and setting of the movement amount in movement in each direction are performed. Has been added. FIG. 8B is an example of a submenu screen displayed when the item of direction 1 is selected. In addition to the items shown in FIG. Is added. Other configurations are the same as those in the second interval shooting mode.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, the shake correction device is driven to move the object scene without rotating (panning) or moving the camera body using equipment such as a rotary head or a slider. Therefore, it is possible to perform interval shooting with movement of the field without preparing equipment such as a rotating pan head and a slider and without operating them. Further, in this embodiment, by performing interval shooting alternately for a plurality of movement parameters (by performing interval shooting so as to follow each other so that the image acquisition timing does not overlap), a plurality of different types of interval shooting images. Can be taken in parallel. For example, a plurality of types of interval photographed images can be acquired in parallel with a single digital camera for a subject that has only one photographing opportunity, such as flowering of flowers and emergence of insects.

  In this embodiment, the image sensor driving type image blur correction mechanism is used. However, if the point that the image cannot be rotated can be compromised, this embodiment is applied to a lens driving type (eccentric type) image blur correction apparatus. Can be applied. In this embodiment, the moving path of the object scene is specified by specifying the moving direction of the object scene (image sensor), and the moving speed of the image sensor is constant speed or equal angular speed. The method may be arbitrary, and may be a case of stopping halfway and moving again, a field of moving along a curved path, or a combination of translational movement and rotational movement. Further, a function of confirming framing during movement of the object scene by preview (that is, a function of alternately displaying a photographed image at the start point of movement and a photographed image at the end point) may be provided.

10 Digital Camera 20 Camera Body 22 Image Sensor 24 LCD
26 Shooting operation switch 30 Shooting lens 40 DSP
50 Image blur correction device H1-H3 Hall sensor

Claims (10)

An imaging apparatus having an imaging optical system and an imaging element that captures a subject image formed by the imaging optical system,
An optical system or the image sensor that forms part of the imaging optical system is used as a displacement member, and the displacement member is displaced in a predetermined displacement manner in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the imaging optical system or in the plane direction. An image pickup apparatus that picks up a plurality of images. An imaging apparatus having an imaging optical system and an imaging element that captures a subject image formed by the imaging optical system,
Each time an optical system or the image sensor that forms part of the imaging optical system is used as a displacement member, the displacement member is displaced in a predetermined displacement manner in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging optical system or in the plane direction. An image pickup apparatus that reads an image from the image pickup device and picks up a plurality of images.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of types of the plurality of images are captured in parallel based on a plurality of types of the displacement modes.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each imaging based on the plurality of types of displacement modes is executed at different timings.   The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the plurality of images are stored as a moving image of one file for each displacement mode, or output as a series of moving images.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit that sets the displacement mode.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displacement mode is determined based on a value set through a user interface.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein information on a variable width of the displacement member is held, and at least the value is used to calculate a displacement amount of the displacement member for each imaging.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displacement of the displacement member is constant velocity or equal angular velocity.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image blur correction device, wherein the displacement of the displacement member is performed using the image blur correction device.

Images