Digital Camera Patent AbstractMoving images can be collectively recorded in one file with ease
when the moving images are repeatedly captured in the same place
or situation. The digital camera which can capture a moving image
and record a captured moving image in a file includes a mode setting
dial which sets a single recording mode or a continuous recording
mode. The captured moving image is recorded in a newly created file
when the single recording mode is set by the mode setting dial,
and the captured moving image is additionally recorded in an existing
file in which a moving image is recorded when the continuous recording
mode is set by the mode setting dial. Therefore, when the moving
images are repeatedly captured, the moving images can be collectively
recorded in one file with ease, and can be also jointed in captured
order.
Digital Camera Patent ClaimsWhat is claimed is:
1. A digital camera which is capable of capturing a moving image
and recording a captured moving image in a file, the digital camera
comprising: a recording mode setting device which sets one of a
single recording mode and a continuous recording mode; and a recording
device for recording the captured moving image in a newly created
file when the single recording mode is set by the recording mode
setting device, and for recording the captured moving image additionally
in an existing file in which a moving image is recorded when the
continuous recording mode is set by the recording mode setting device.
2. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising:
an index display instructing device which selects a plurality of
files from a recording medium which stores files including the file
in which the moving image is recorded in the single recording mode
and the file in which the moving image is recorded in the continuous
recording mode, and provides an instruction to display an index
image constituted by a plurality of frames corresponding to the
plurality of files; and a display controlling device which, when
the index display instructing device provides the instruction to
display the index image, forms the index image based on the plurality
of files stored in the recording medium and displays the index image
on an image monitor, and which displays a frame corresponding to
the moving image recorded in the single recording mode and a frame
corresponding to the moving image recorded in the continuous recording
mode among the plurality of frames forming the index image with
display forms thereof being different from each other.
3. The digital camera according to claim 2, wherein when the recording
medium includes a file in which a still image is recorded, the display
controlling device displays the frames corresponding to the moving
images recorded in the single recording mode and the continuous
recording mode with display forms thereof being different from a
display form of the still image.
4. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising:
a selecting device which selects an arbitrary file from a recording
medium which stores the files including the file in which the moving
image is recorded in the single recording mode and the file in which
the moving image is recorded in the continuous recording mode; and
a display controlling device which displays one frame of the moving
image on an image monitor in such a manner that a display form thereof
is different between when the moving image is recorded in the file
selected by the selecting device in the single recording mode and
when the moving image is recorded in the file selected by the selecting
device in the continuous recording mode.
5. The digital camera according to claim 4, wherein when the recording
medium includes a file in which a still image is recorded, the display
controlling device displays the frames corresponding to the moving
images recorded in the single recording mode and the continuous
recording mode with display forms thereof being different from a
display form of the still image.
6. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising:
a file selecting device which selects the existing file, wherein
when the existing file is selected by the file selecting device,
the recording device records the captured moving image additionally
in the selected existing file, and when the existing file is not
selected by the file selecting device, the recording device records
the captured moving image additionally in an existing file in which
a latest moving image is recorded.
7. The digital camera according to claim 6, further comprising:
an index display instructing device which selects a plurality of
files from a recording medium which stores files including the file
in which the moving image is recorded in the single recording mode
and the file in which the moving image is recorded in the continuous
recording mode, and provides an instruction to display an index
image constituted by a plurality of frames corresponding to the
plurality of files; and a display controlling device which, when
the index display instructing device provides the instruction to
display the index image, forms the index image based on the plurality
of files stored in the recording medium and displays the index image
on an image monitor, and which displays a frame corresponding to
the moving image recorded in the single recording mode and a frame
corresponding to the moving image recorded in the continuous recording
mode among the plurality of frames forming the index image with
display forms thereof being different from each other.
8. The digital camera according to claim 7, wherein when the recording
medium includes a file in which a still image is recorded, the display
controlling device displays the frames corresponding to the moving
images recorded in the single recording mode and the continuous
recording mode with display forms thereof being different from a
display form of the still image.
9. The digital camera according to claim 6, further comprising:
a selecting device which selects an arbitrary file from a recording
medium which stores the files including the file in which the moving
image is recorded in the single recording mode and the file in which
the moving image is recorded in the continuous recording mode; and
a display controlling device which displays one frame of the moving
image on an image monitor in such a manner that a display form thereof
is different between when the moving image is recorded in the file
selected by the selecting device in the single recording mode and
when the moving image is recorded in the file selected by the selecting
device in the continuous recording mode.
10. The digital camera according to claim 9, wherein when the recording
medium includes a file in which a still image is recorded, the display
controlling device displays the frames corresponding to the moving
images recorded in the single recording mode and the continuous
recording mode with display forms thereof being different from a
display form of the still image.
11. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising:
a setting device which sets recording criteria in capturing the
moving image, wherein when the continuous recording mode is set
by the recording mode setting device, the recording criteria in
capturing the moving image which is recorded in the existing file
in which the moving image is additionally recorded are automatically
set to disable setting by the setting device.
12. The digital camera according to claim 11, wherein the recording
criteria include at least one of image quality, the number of pixels
and a frame rate.
13. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising:
a device which obtains a white balance correction value based on
information from a subject; a device which carries out white balance
correction with the white balance correction value changed so as
to gradually converge from a current white valance correction value
to the obtained white balance correction value in capturing the
moving image; and a storing device which stores a white balance
correction value used at finish of capturing the moving image, wherein
when the continuous recording mode is set by the recording mode
setting device, the white balance correction value stored in the
storing device is used as a white balance correction value at start
of capturing the moving image. Digital Camera Patent DescriptionBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera, and more particularly
to a digital camera which can capture a moving image and records
a captured moving image in a file.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital camera has been known which can capture a moving image
as well as a still image, such as dsc-SX550 manufactured by SANYO
Electric Co., Ltd. This camera has a function of jointing a plurality
of captured moving image data.
On the other hand, a video camera which records moving images on
a magnetic tape can continuously record the moving images on one
magnetic tape in captured order as long as the magnetic tape is
unchanged.
However, the video camera has problems of difficulty in search
since various kinds of moving image data including different capturing
dates, places, situations or the like are continuously recorded
on one magnetic tape in captured order, and complicated capturing
with magnetic tapes changed for each kind of data.
Each moving image data captured by the digital camera which can
capture the moving image is recorded in a new file for each capturing,
and has a thumbnail or the like for index display. Therefore, the
moving image can be selected from the index displayed thumbnails
and played back, but it is difficult to search a desired file from
the thumbnails since a new file is created for each capturing of
the moving image to thereby provide enormous number of files.
A digital camera having the function of jointing the plurality
of moving images can joint and collect the plurality of files, but
has a problem of complicated operation in jointing a large number
of files. Generally, the moving data are desirably jointed in time
order, but there is a possibility that the data are not jointed
in time order because of operation errors or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved in view of the above-described
circumstances, and has as its object the provision of a digital
camera which can collectively record moving images in one file with
ease and smoothly joint the moving images, when the moving images
are repeatedly captured in the same place or situation.
In order to attain the above-described object, the present invention
is directed to a digital camera which is capable of capturing a
moving image and recording a captured moving image in a file, the
digital camera comprising: a recording mode setting device which
sets one of a single recording mode and a continuous recording mode;
and a recording device which records, when the single recording
mode is set by the recording mode setting device, the captured moving
image in a newly created file, and records, when the continuous
recording mode is set by the recording mode setting device, the
captured moving image additionally in an existing file in which
a moving image is recorded.
That is, when the continuous recording mode is set, the moving
images captured thereafter are additionally recorded in the existing
file. Therefore, when the moving images are repeatedly captured,
the moving images can be collectively recorded in one file with
ease, and can be also jointed in captured order.
Preferably, the digital camera further comprises: a file selecting
device which selects the existing file, wherein when the existing
file is selected by the file selecting device, the recording device
records the captured moving image additionally in the selected existing
file, and when the existing file is not selected by the file selecting
device, the recording device records the captured moving image additionally
in an existing file in which a latest moving image is recorded.
This permits selection of an arbitrary file in which the moving
image is additionally recorded. When the file in which the moving
image is additionally recorded is not selected, the file with the
latest moving image recorded is automatically selected.
Preferably, the digital camera further comprises: an index display
instructing device which selects a plurality of files from a recording
medium which stores files including the file in which the moving
image is recorded in the single recording mode and the file in which
the moving image is recorded in the continuous recording mode, and
provides an instruction to display an index image constituted by
a plurality of frames corresponding to the plurality of files; and
a display controlling device which, when the index display instructing
device provides the instruction to display the index image, forms
the index image based on the plurality of files stored in the recording
medium and displays the index image on an image monitor, and which
displays a frame corresponding to the moving image recorded in the
single recording mode and a frame corresponding to the moving image
recorded in the continuous recording mode among the plurality of
frames forming the index image with display forms thereof being
different from each other. Specifically, when the index image is
displayed, the moving image recorded in the single recording mode
and the moving image recorded in the continuous recording mode can
be differentially displayed.
Preferably, the digital camera further comprises: a selecting device
which selects an arbitrary file from the recording medium which
stores the files including the file in which the moving image is
recorded in the single recording mode and the file in which the
moving image is recorded in the continuous recording mode; and a
display controlling device which displays one frame of the moving
image on the image monitor in such a manner that a display form
thereof is different between when the moving image is recorded in
the file selected by the selecting device in the single recording
mode and when the moving image is recorded in the file selected
by the selecting device in the continuous recording mode. Specifically,
even when one frame display of the moving image is carried out,
the moving image recorded in the single recording mode and the moving
image recorded in the continuous recording mode can be differentially
displayed.
Preferably, when the recording medium includes a file in which
a still image is recorded, the display controlling device displays
the frames corresponding to the moving images recorded in the single
recording mode and the continuous recording mode with display forms
thereof different from a display form of the still image.
Preferably, the digital camera further comprises: a setting device
which sets recording criteria in capturing the moving image, wherein
when the continuous recording mode is set by the recording mode
setting device, the recording criteria in capturing the moving image
which is recorded in the existing file in which the moving image
is additionally recorded are automatically set to disable setting
by the setting device. Preferably, the recording criteria include
at least one of image quality, the number of pixels and a frame
rate. This causes unification of the image quality of the moving
images to be jointed, thereby permitting smooth joint of the moving
images.
Preferably, the digital camera further comprises: a device which
obtains a white balance correction value based on information from
a subject; a device which carries out white balance correction with
the white balance correction value changed so as to gradually converge
from a current white valance correction value to the obtained white
balance correction value in capturing the moving image; and a storing
device which stores a white balance correction value used at finish
of capturing the moving image, wherein when the continuous recording
mode is set by the recording mode setting device, the white balance
correction value stored in the storing device is used as a white
balance correction value at start of capturing the moving image.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages
thereof, will be explained in the following with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate
the same or similar parts throughout the figures and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a digital camera according
to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a mode setting dial provided on a top
of the digital camera shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an inner configuration of the
digital camera shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a view of an AVI file structure and a manner of adding
new data;
FIG. 5 is a view used for explaining operation of AE;
FIG. 6 is a view used for explaining correction operation of white
balance;
FIG. 7 is a view of an example of a setup screen in a continuous
recording mode;
FIG. 8 is a view of another example of a setup screen in the continuous
recording mode; and
FIG. 9 is a view of an example of an index screen.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereunder a preferred embodiment will be described in detail for
a digital camera according to the present invention in accordance
with the accompanied drawings.
FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of the digital camera according
to the invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of a mode setting dial
provided on a top of the camera.
As shown in FIG. 2, a mode setting dial 1 sets a still image capturing
mode for capturing a still image, a single recording mode for capturing
a moving image, a continuous recording mode for capturing the moving
image, or the like in a capturing mode, and a mark M on the dial
is rotated to an icon A, B or C showing each mode in accordance
with a mode to be set. The single recording mode is a mode for recording
a captured moving image in a newly created file, and the continuous
recording mode, which is a novel characteristic of the invention,
is a mode for additionally recording the captured moving image in
an existing file in which a moving image is recorded.
FIG. 2 shows the continuous recording mode being set by the mode
setting dial 1. The mode setting dial 1 is provided, in a center
thereof, with a shutter button 2 having a switch S1 turned on by
half press and a switch S2 turned on by full press.
The digital camera is provided, in a rear surface thereof, with
a viewfinder 3, shift key 4, display key 5, capturing mode/playback
mode switch lever 6, cancel key 7, enter key 8, multifunction cross
key 9 and liquid crystal monitor 52 as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an inner configuration of the
digital camera shown in FIG. 1.
In the drawing, a subject image focused on a light receiving surface
of a charge coupled device 14 (CCD) via a taking lens 10 and an
iris 12 is converted to signal charges of the amount corresponding
to an amount of incident light in each sensor. The signal charges
thus accumulated are read on a shift register by a lead gate pulse
added from a CCD driving circuit 16, and successively read as voltage
signals in accordance with the signal charges by a register transfer
pulse. The CCD 14 has an electronic shutter function of sweeping
the accumulated signal charges by a shutter gate pulse and thereby
controlling accumulation time (shutter speed) of the charges.
The voltage signals successively read from the CCD 14 are added
to a correlated double sampling circuit (CDS circuit) 18, where
R, G, B signals for respective pixels are subjected to sampling
hold and added to an A/D converter 20. The A/D converter 20 converts
the R, G, B signals successively added from the CDS circuit 18 to
digital R, G, B signals to be output. The CCD driving circuit 16,
CDS circuit 18 and A/D converter 20 are synchronously driven by
a timing signal added from a timing generating circuit 22.
The R, G, B signals output from the A/D converter 20 are once stored
in a memory 24, and the R, G, B signals stored in the memory 24
are then added to a digital signal processing circuit 26. The digital
signal processing circuit 26 comprises a synchronizing circuit 28,
a white balance adjusting circuit 30, a gamma correcting circuit
32, a YC signal generating circuit 34, a memory 36, or the like.
The synchronizing circuit 28 converts the successive R, G, B signals
read from the memory 24 to synchronized signals and synchronously
outputs the R, G, B signals to a white balance adjusting circuit
30. The white balance adjusting circuit 30 comprises multipliers
30R, 30G, 30B for respectively increasing and decreasing digital
values of the R, G, B signals, and the R, G, B signals are added
to the multipliers 30R, 30G, 30B, respectively. A white balance
correction value (gain value) for white balance control from a central
processing unit (CPU) 38 is added to the multipliers 30R, 30G, 30B
as another input, and the multipliers 30R, 30G, 30B multiply two
inputs, and output R', G', B' signals white balance adjusted by
the multiplication to a gamma correcting circuit 32. Details of
the white balance correction value added from the CPU 38 to the
white balance adjusting circuit 30 will be described later.
The gamma correcting circuit 32 changes input and output properties
in such a manner that the R', G', B' signals white balance adjusted
have desired gamma characteristics, and output the R', G', B' signals
to the YC signal generating circuit 34. The YC signal generating
circuit 34 generates a brightness signal Y and chroma signals Cr,
Cb from gamma corrected R, G, B signals. The brightness signal Y
and the chroma signals Cr, Cb (YC signals) are stored in the memory
36 having the same memory space as the memory 24.
The YC signals stored in the memory 36 in capturing are added to
a compression/expansion circuit 54. Information on image quality
(a compression rate such as normal or fine) previously set from
the CPU 38 is added to the compression/expansion circuit 54 as another
input, and the compression/expansion circuit 54 compresses the YC
signals at the set compression rate of image quality. By JPEG algorithm,
the YC signals are divided into 8.times.8 pixels blocks, data of
each block is discrete cosine transformed and divided with a quantized
table prepared for each compression rate. Further, the quantized
data is encoded with a Huffman table. The data thus encoded is recorded
in a recording medium, for example, a memory card such as SmartMedia
or Compact Flash, or a magneto-optical disk such as CDR or DVDR
in a recording section 56.
The CPU 38 controls each circuit based on inputs from a camera
operating section 40 including the mode setting dial 1, shutter
button 2, or the like shown in FIG. 1, and also controls autofocus,
automatic exposure, automatic white balance, or the like. The autofocus
control is of contrast AF type which moves the taking lens 10 so
as to maximize a high frequency component of the G signal, for example,
and moves the taking lens 10 to a focusing position via a driving
section 42 so as to maximize the high frequency component of the
G signal when the shutter button 2 is half pressed.
In the automatic exposure control, the R, G, B signals are captured,
subject brightness (a taking EV value) is obtained based on an integrated
value of the R, G, B signals, and an aperture in capturing and shutter
speed are determined based on the taking EV value. In the still
image capturing mode, the iris 12 is driven via a driving section
44 so as to have the determined aperture when the shutter button
is full pressed, and accumulation time of the charges are controlled
by an electronic shutter so as to achieve the determined shutter
speed for capturing image data for one frame, which is then recorded
in the recording medium after required signal processing.
Next, a case of setting the single recording mode or continuous
recording mode by the mode setting dial 1 to capture the moving
image will be described.
In this case, one press of the shutter button 2 starts capturing
the moving image, image data is, for example, captured in the memory
24 at a frame rate of 30 frames per second, and another press of
the shutter button 2 finishes capturing the moving image. Without
another press of the shutter button 2, the capturing of the moving
image is automatically finished when the memory 24 is full.
When the capturing of the moving image is finished, the image data
temporarily stored in the memory 24 is then signal processed or
compression processed, and recorded in the recording medium in a
predetermined file format.
FIG. 4 shows a Motion JPEG (AVI) file structure in which the moving
image is recorded.
In the drawing, a size of the entire file (the number of bites),
the number of frames, a frame rate, or the like are recorded in
RIFF AVI. In each Record chunk 0, 1, 2 . . . of LIST movi, voice
data or image (jpeg) data is recorded. When the frame rate is 30
frames per second, the voice data lasts for a second, and the image
data for 30 frames are continuously recorded after the voice data
to form moving image data for a second. In this way, the voice data
and the image data are repeatedly recorded for seconds of capturing
time. A total size of the data recorded in all the Record chunks
is recorded in the LIST movi.
In AVI Entry of IDX1, data types for differentiation between the
image data/voice data, an amount of offset to the data, a length
of data, or the like in each Record chunk are recorded. A total
size of the data recorded in all the AVI Entry is recorded in the
IDX1.
When the continuous recording mode according to the invention is
set by the mode setting dial 1, and then the moving image is captured
by operating the shutter button 2, the image data and voice data
of the moving image obtained by the capturing are additionally recorded
in an existing AVI file in which a moving image is recorded.
That is, when the image data and voice data of the moving image
are additionally recorded in the existing AVI file, the size of
the entire file and the number of frames in the RIFF AVI are renewed
as shown in FIG. 4. New voice/image Record chunks are added after
the last Record chunk of the LIST movi, and the size of the file
is renewed, and further, new AVI Entry is added after the last AVI
Entry of IDX1, and the file size is renewed.
When the continuous recording mode is set as described above, the
moving images captured thereafter are additionally recorded in the
existing file. Thus, these moving images are collectively recorded
in one file when repeatedly captured in the continuous recording
mode.
Next, the white balance control in the case where the continuous
recording mode is set will be described.
As shown in FIG. 5, processing mentioned below is carried out for
each clock of 1V period in movie operation. Exposure is carried
out in a first 1V period, image reading is started in a next clock,
the images are stored in the memory 24 as the R, G, B signals, and
an average integrated value for each color of the R, G, B signals
is obtained in each divided area of one screen which is divided
into a plurality of areas (8.times.8). The integrated value is read
in the next clock, the subject brightness (capturing EV value) is
obtained based on the integrated value of the R, G, B signals, and
the shutter such as the aperture (AE) in capturing is set based
on the capturing EV value in a further next clock.
As described above, AE operation is completed in four clocks as
a set. During this operation, the exposure and image reading are
carried out in any of the clocks.
First exposure is carried out at a predetermined exposure value.
The average integrated value of the R, G, B signals for each divided
area is calculated by an integrating circuit 48 in FIG. 3 and added
to the CPU 38. Multipliers 50R, 50G, 50B are provided between the
integrating circuit 48 and CPU 38, and an adjustment gain value
for adjusting variation of devices is added to the multipliers 50R,
50G, 50B.
The white balance control is not carried out as often as the AE
since gradual variation is desired. For example, the white balance
correction is carried out approximately once per second.
The auto white balance control is carried out in feedforward. First,
a light source type such as daylight (sunny), shade-cloudy, a fluorescent
lamp, or a tungsten lamp is discriminated. In this discrimination
of the light source type, ratios R/G, R/B of the average integrated
values for each color of the R, G, B signals are obtained in each
divided area, and a detection frame which shows a range of color
distribution corresponding to each light source type is set on a
graph having R/G on the lateral axis and B/G on the vertical axis.
Then, the number of areas within the detection frame is obtained
based on the ratios R/G, B/G for each obtained area, and the light
source type is discriminated based on the subject brightness level
and the number of areas within the detection frame (see Japanese
Patent Application Publication No. 2000-224608).
When the light source type is thus discriminated, an amount of
correction is calculated in such a manner that a predetermined white
balance correction value suitable for the discriminated light source
type becomes a target value of correction to carry out correction.
A manner of obtaining the white balance correction value is not
limited to this.
R and B gain values for the white balance correction are corrected,
as shown in FIG. 6, in such a manner that the current correction
value and the target value are determined as P and Q, respectively,
and that the current correction value P does not reach the target
value Q by one time correction but gradually converges to the target
value Q by several times of correction.
Now, the last white balance correction value is stored in the moving
image file or the memory in the camera at finish of capturing, the
stored white balance correction value is read in next capturing
in the continuous recording mode, and used as the white balance
correction value at start of capturing.
This permits agreement between the white balance correction values
of the moving images to be jointed and smooth joint of the moving
images. Further, conversion to the target value can be achieved
at higher speed compared to a predetermined criteria (for example,
a white balance correction value of available light) used at start
of capturing in the single recording mode.
Next, a setting method of recording criteria in capturing the moving
images and a selecting method of the existing moving image file
used in the continuous recording mode will be described.
When the continuous recording mode is now set by the mode setting
dial 1 and a setup button (not shown) is operated to read, from
ROM (read only memory) 55 shown in FIG. 3, recording criteria such
as image quality, the number of pixels or a frame rate, or a setup
screen for selecting joint images, and to display the setup screen
as shown in FIG. 7 or 8 on a liquid crystal monitor 52 via a mixer
51.
In FIG. 7 or 8, numbers displayed next "NEW" show file
numbers, and especially, numbers "2", "3", "7",
"9" show file numbers of the moving images. The moving
image of file number "3" is selected in FIG. 7, and a
"NEW" file is selected in FIG. 8.
When the existing moving image is selected as shown in FIG. 7 as
a joint file, the recording criteria (a compression rate, the number
of pixels, the frame rate) of the file are displayed to disable
reset of the recording criteria. In this case, the recording criteria
are displayed, for example, with crosshatched, so as to clarify
that the reset of the recording criteria are disabled.
On the other hand, when "NEW" is selected as shown in
FIG. 8, the compression rate, the number of pixels, and the frame
rate can be freely selected by moving a cursor using a multifunction
cross key 9.
The file number of the moving image recorded in the single recording
mode and the file number of the moving image recorded in the continuous
recording mode may be discriminated by color coding. When the existing
file is not selected in the continuous recording mode, the latest
moving image file is automatically selected.
Next, a case where the still image and the moving image recorded
in the recording medium are played back will be described.
Image playback in a playback mode includes one frame playback,
index playback for playing back index images constituted by a plurality
of frames (nine frames in this embodiment), and moving image playback
carried out when playback of the moving image is instructed with
one frame of the moving image displayed during one frame playback
or index playback.
Selecting the playback mode by the capturing mode/playback mode
switch lever 6 automatically causes one frame playback, and one
frame of the last file is selected and played back on the liquid
crystal monitor 52. Further, operating the multifunction cross key
9 permits successive frame feeding.
On the other hand, when the index playback is instructed by operating
the display key 5, the index image constituted by nine frames is
displayed as shown in FIG. 9. On the index image, a frame to be
played back can be selected by an up/down key and a right/left key
of the cross key 9. The selected frame is fringed and differentiated
from other frames. When the up/down key and right/left key of the
cross key 9 are operated beyond the index image, an index screen
is switched.
When the file with the still image recorded, the file with the
moving image recorded in the single recording mode, and the file
with the moving image recorded in the continuous recording mode
are mixedly included, the still image and one frame of the moving
image are mixedly displayed during frame feeding in the one frame
playback, and similarly, the still image and one frame of the moving
image are mixedly displayed in the index image in the index playback.
Thus, the still image and one frame of the moving image are displayed
with display forms thereof different from each other so as to be
differentiated at a glance in the one frame playback or the index
playback.
FIG. 9 shows an index image where the still image and the moving
images of the single recording mode and continuous recording mode
are displayed with display forms thereof different from one another.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the image showing one frame
of the moving image (image denoted by file number 2, 3, 7 or 9)
in the index image is displayed as an image with perforations at
right and left ends of one frame which suggests a movie film, and
characters "JOINT" showing a joint image are superimposed
on one frame of the moving image recorded in the continuous recording
mode.
This permits identification of the still image, the moving image
in the single recording mode, and the moving image in the continuous
recording mode on the index screen.
The setup screen shown in FIG. 7 or 8 and the index screen may
be overlaid, thereby clarifying correspondence between the moving
images to be jointed and the numbers of files in which the moving
images are recorded.
The digital camera according to the invention also includes a moving
image camera (disk movie, DVD movie) which records images in an
optical disk or the like.
As described above, according to the invention, capturing with
the continuous recording mode set when repeatedly capturing the
moving images in the same place or situation allows the moving images
to be collectively recorded in one file. Also, the file in which
the moving image is additionally recorded can be arbitrarily selected,
thereby producing effects of permitting classification of the moving
image files for each kind and facilitating search.
Further, the recording criteria of the moving images to be jointed
are adapted to agree with each other, and a white balance correction
value of immediately preceding moving image is used as an initial
value of a white balance correction value of immediately following
moving image, thereby permitting smooth joint of the moving images.
Further, in one frame display of the moving image, the moving image
recorded in the single recording mode and the moving image recorded
in the continuous recording mode can be differentially displayed,
thereby facilitating selection of the desired moving image.
It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to
limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the
contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternate
constructions and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope
of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. |