Imaging device and imaging method

Abstract

A face detector detects a person's face from a through image. When the face is not found, and a shutter button is pressed fully, a correction lens is moved in the direction and at the speed to offset a camera shake detected by an angular velocity sensor and a still image is shot. When the face is found, and the shutter button is pressed halfway, a motion vector detector reads two through images from a SDRAM to detect a subject shake. During the shooting of the still image by full press of the shutter button, the correction lens moves in the direction and at the speed to offset the subject shake.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when read in connection with the accompanied drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing a digital camera;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the digital camera;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the digital camera;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory views showing detection of a subject shake; and

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing a process of correcting shake.

Claims

1. An imaging device that includes an imaging optical system and an image sensor for converting an image formed by the imaging optical system into an electric signal, said image sensor taking a through image prior to shooting a still image, said imaging device comprising: a camera shake detector for detecting a camera shake based on a motion of said imaging device;a subject shake detector for detecting a subject shake by comparing a first through image with a second through image which are shot at different time;a controller for selecting either of said camera shake detector or said subject shake detector; anda correction section for correcting shake by moving a part of said imaging optical system in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis during shooting of said still image according to said camera shake or said subject shake selected by said controller.

2. An imaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said subject shake detector detects a positional change of a particular image as a moving vector.

3. An imaging device as claimed in claim 2, further including a face detector for detecting a person's face found in said through image, wherein said controller selects said subject shake detector when said face detector detects the person's face and wherein said controller selects said camera shake detector when said face detector does not detect the person's face.

4. An imaging device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said face detector detects both eyes of the person found in flesh color areas and determines one of said flesh color areas surrounding said both eyes as said person's face.

5. An imaging device as claimed in claim 3, further including a shutter button, wherein said person's face is detected prior to a halfway press of said shutter button, wherein said camera shake or said subject shake is detected when said shutter button is pressed halfway, and wherein said still image is shot when said shutter button is fully pressed.

6. An imaging device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said camera shake detector is an angular velocity sensor.

7. An imaging method for imaging a through image for framing prior to shooting an image of a subject as a still image, said imaging method comprising the steps of: detecting a camera shake based on a motion of an imaging device;detecting a subject shake by comparing a first through image with a second through image which are shot at different time;detecting a person's face found in said through images;selecting said subject shake detection when said person's face is detected and selecting said camera shake detection when said person's face is not detected; andcorrecting shake by moving a part of an imaging optical system in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis during shooting of said still image according to said camera shake detection or said subject shake detection selected in the previous step.

8. An imaging method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said person's face is detected prior to pressing said shutter button halfway, wherein said camera shake or said subject shake is detected when said shutter button is pressed halfway, and wherein said still image is shot when said shutter button is fully pressed.