IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus which is capable of enhancing the accuracy of shake correction. A shake-detecting sensor detects a shake of an apparatus body. A microcomputer computes a shake amount based on an output from the shake-detecting sensor. A camera signal processing circuit corrects motion of an image due to camera shake based on an output from the microcomputer. A rest-determining device determines, based on the output from the shake-detecting sensor, whether or not the apparatus body is at rest. A recorder records a picked-up image. A recorder vibration-determining device determines whether or not the apparatus body is vibrating due to vibration of the recorder. A cutoff frequency-setting device changes characteristics of the microcomputer based on a result of determination by the rest-determining device and a result of determination by the recorder vibration-determining device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a video camera as an image pickup apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a routine which is executed by a microcomputer appearing in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a rest-determining process which is executed in the routine in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a recorder vibration-determining process which is executed in the routine in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a cutoff frequency-setting process which is executed in the routine in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing table data for use in setting a cutoff frequency corresponding to an index data value.

FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the relationship between the cutoff frequency and the index data shown in the table data in FIG. 6B.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a video camera as an image pickup apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a routine which is executed by a microcomputer appearing in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a correction control-configuring process which is executed in the routine in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a schematic circuit diagram of a correction signal switch appearing in FIG. 7.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising: a shake-detecting device that detects a shake of an apparatus body;a computation device that computes a shake amount based on an output from said shake-detecting device;a correction device that corrects motion of an image due to camera shake based on an output from said computation device;a rest-determining device that determines, based on the output from said shake-detecting device, whether or not the apparatus body is at rest;a recorder that records a picked-up image;a recorder vibration-determining device that determines whether or not the apparatus body is vibrating due to vibration of said recorder; anda characteristic-changing device that changes characteristics of said computation device based on a result of determination by said rest-determining device and a result of determination by said recorder vibration-determining device.

2. An image pickup apparatus comprising: a shake-detecting device that detects a shake of an apparatus body;a computation device that computes a shake amount based on an output from said shake-detecting device;a switching device that selectively outputs one of an output from said computation device and a central correction value;a correction device that corrects motion of an image due to camera shake based on an output from said switching device;a rest-determining device that determines, based on the output from said shake-detecting device, whether or not the apparatus body is at rest;a zoom lens that varies a focal length;a zoom position-detecting device that detects a position of said zoom lens;a focal length-determining device that determines the focal length based on an output from said zoom position-detecting device;a recorder that records a picked-up image;a recorder vibration-determining device that determines whether or not the apparatus body is vibrating due to vibration of said recorder; anda correction control device that changes characteristics of said computation device and switches the output from said switching device, based on a result of determination by said rest-determining device, a result of determination by said recorder vibration-determining device, and a result of determination by said focal length-determining device.

3. An image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shake-detecting device outputs a shake signal corresponding to the shake amount of the apparatus body, and said rest-determining device comprises a band-limiting device that performs band limitation on the shake signal from said shake-detecting device, and a frequency-detecting device that detects a frequency of the shake based on an output from said band-limiting device, and determines, based on an output from said frequency-detecting device, whether or not the apparatus body is at rest.

4. An image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said correction device comprises an image pickup element having an imaging area larger than an image size of a picked-up image to be output, and selects an image read range from an entire range of pixels of said image pickup element.

5. An image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said correction device optically deflects an optical axis to thereby correct motion of an image on an imaging area.

6. An image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rest-determining device determines, based on an output signal obtained from said shake-detecting device and a control repetition period different from a control repetition period of said computation device, whether or not the apparatus body is at rest.

7. An image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recorder vibration-determining device determines, based on an output signal obtained from said shake-detecting device and a control repetition period different from a control repetition period of said computation device, whether or not the apparatus body is vibrating.