IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus of the present invention includes a main body 1 incorporating an image pickup element, an operation part that is placed on the main body 1 and can be operated by a user, and a seventh surface 107 provided on the main body 1, on which, when the user takes a picture while holding the main body 1, the thumb of the hand holding the main body 1 can be left in a stand-by state. The operation part includes rotation operation parts that are placed in the vicinity of the seventh surface 107 and are rotatable, and the rotation operation parts are arranged so that at least a part of the same faces the seventh surface 107. With this, a movement amount of the fingers of the user is reduced, whereby the operability is improved.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an image pickup apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the image pickup apparatus according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the image pickup apparatus according to Embodiment 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating principal parts in the vicinity of a release button of the image pickup apparatus according Embodiment 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating thumbnail images.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the image pickup apparatus grasped by a hand.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the image pickup apparatus grasped by a hand.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus in which an optical image that has entered therein is picked up by an image pickup element and a video signal thereof is obtained, the image pickup apparatus comprising: a cabinet in which the image pickup element is placed;an operation part that is placed on the cabinet and can be operated by a user;a display part that is placed on a principal face of the cabinet and is capable of displaying a video image according to the video signal obtained by the image pickup element; anda contact part placed on the principal face of the cabinet, wherein when the user takes a picture while holding the cabinet, a thumb of a hand of the user is brought into contact with the contact part so that the user holds the cabinet,wherein the operation part includes a plurality of rotation operation parts that are placed in the vicinity of the contact part and are rotatable within a plane substantially parallel with the principal face of the cabinet,at least one of the plurality of rotation operation parts is arranged so that at least a part of the same faces the contact part, is rotatable through 360° or more, and is in a disk shape, andanother of the plurality of rotation operation parts is arranged so that at least a part of the same faces the contact part, is rotatable through a predetermined angle, and has a projected portion that is projected toward the contact part side.

2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotation operation part in a disk shape and the rotation operation part having a projected portion are arranged with the contact part being interposed therebetween.

3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the rotation operation part having a projected portion is positioned on an upper right side with respect to the rotation operation part in a disk shape when the principal face of the cabinet is viewed in a usual way.

4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the rotation operation part having a projected portion is provided with a function of switching the power of the image pickup apparatus, andthe rotation operation part in a disk shape is provided with a function of instructing a movement of a cursor displayed on the display part.

5. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the rotation operation part having a projected portion is provided with a function of turning on the power of the image pickup apparatus when the projected portion is turned upward, while turning off the power of the image pickup apparatus when the projected portion is turned downward, when the principal face of the cabinet is viewed in a usual way.

6. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the rotation operation part having a projected portion is positioned on a right side relative to the contact part, andthe rotation operation part in a disk shape is positioned on a left side relative to the contact part.

7. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein all of the plurality of rotation operation parts are arranged in the vicinity of the contact part.

8. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of rotation operation parts is covered with the cabinet partially.