IMAGE-CAPTURING APPARATUS

Abstract

A digital camera has a first optical system having a wide zoom lens and a second optical system for a telephotography zoom lens. In an initial state where power is active, a controller and timing-generator controls the wide zoom lens so as to be situated at a wide position and the telephotography zoom lens so as to be situated at a telephotograph position. When zoom-in is effected, the wide zoom lens is actuated, and the telephotography zoom lens is maintained at the telephotograph position. When a zoom position of the wide zoom lens has reached a threshold zoom position set to a wider angle of view than that achieved at the telephotograph position, the telephotography zoom lens starts being actuated toward the wide position. When the zoom lens has reached the telephotograph position, an image signal is switched from the wide zoom lens to the telephotography zoom lens, and the selected image signal is output.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by reference to the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an overall digital camera;

FIG. 2 is a view for describing operation performed when two optical systems effect zoom-in;

FIG. 3 is a view for describing operation performed when two optical systems effect zoom-out;

FIG. 4 is a view for describing operation performed when a skip button of the two optical systems is operated;

FIG. 5 is a view for describing operation performed when the skip button is actuated during zoom-in of the two optical systems;

FIG. 6 is a view for describing operation performed when the skip button is actuated during zoom-out of the two optical systems;

FIG. 7 is another view for describing operation performed during zoom-in of the two optical systems;

FIG. 8 is another view for describing operation performed during zoom-out of the two optical systems; and

FIG. 9 is a view for describing operation of three optical systems.

Claims

1. An image-capturing apparatus having a plurality of image-capturing systems which can be individually changed in terms of an angle of view and which differ from each other in terms of a range where the angle of view is changed;means for selecting one from the plurality of image-capturing systems and rendering the selected image capturing system operative; andmeans for changing an angle of view of the operative image-capturing system, in accordance with an external input, whereineach of the image-capturing systems other than the operative image-capturing system is configured so as to be able to assume a value of a first angle of view outside the range where the angle of view of the operative image-capturing system is changed and a value of a second angle of view adjacent to the range where the angle of view of the operative image-capturing system is changed; andthe image-capturing apparatus further comprisesswitching means for switching the angle of view of each of the image-capturing systems other than the operative image-capturing system between the value of the first angle of view and the value of the second angle of view, in accordance with a setting of the angle of view of the operative image-capturing system made by the changing means.

2. The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching means switches the angle of view of each of the image-capturing systems other than the operative image-capturing system in such a manner that the value of the second angle of view is assumed when a difference between a set angle of view of the operative image-capturing system and the value of the second angle of view is a predetermined value or less; and in such a manner that the value of the first angle of view is taken at other times.

3. The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein means for selecting one from the plurality of image-capturing systems and rendering the selected image-capturing system operative selects an image-capturing system in response to external manual operation.

4. The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for selecting one from the plurality of image-capturing systems and rendering the selected image-capturing system operative switches, to an operative state, the image-capturing system switched to the value of the second angle of view when the difference between the set angle of view of the operative image-capturing system and the value of the second angle of view is a predetermined value or less, and switches the operative image-capturing system to an inoperative state.