Photographing system and photographing method

Abstract

In a scene recognition photographing device of the present invention, a feature quantity of an acquired image acquired from an image pickup element is calculated from the acquired image. Plural types of reference feature information having a feature quantity serving as a reference at the time of determining a composition are stored as a database in an internal memory or a storage device. Moreover, a camera control unit retrieves reference feature information having a feature quantity similar to the feature quantity of the acquired image from among the reference feature information by comparing the calculated feature quantity and the reference feature information. Then, information relating to composition is displayed on a display device on the basis of a result of comparison between the acquired image and the retrieved reference feature information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a camera to which a photographing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 shows a structure of the camera in the first embodiment of the invention, and is a rear view as seen from the rear of the camera.

FIG. 3 explains photographing operations of the camera in the first embodiment of the invention, and is a flowchart for setting a satisfactory composition by indicating a moving direction of the camera.

FIG. 4A shows an example of an image displayed on a liquid crystal finder at the time of setting a satisfactory composition by indicating a moving direction of the camera in the first embodiment, and is a view showing an example of an input image.

FIG. 4B shows an example of an image displayed on the liquid crystal finder at the time of setting a satisfactory composition by indicating a moving direction of the camera in the first embodiment, and is a view showing an example of a similar image.

FIG. 5 explains photographing operations of the camera in the first embodiment of the invention, and is a flowchart for setting a satisfactory composition by assisting a zoom operation of the camera.

FIG. 6A shows an example of an image displayed on the liquid crystal finder at the time of assisting a zoom operation of the camera in the first embodiment, and is a view showing an example of an input image.

FIG. 6B shows an example of an image displayed on the liquid crystal finder at the time of assisting a zoom operation of the camera in the first embodiment, and is a view showing an example of a similar image.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a camera to which a photographing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explanation of photographing operations of the camera in the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explanation of photographing operations of a camera according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10A shows an example of an image displayed on a liquid crystal finder at the time of assisting a manipulation of the camera in the fifth embodiment, and is a view showing an example of an input image.

FIG. 10B shows an example of an image displayed on the liquid crystal finder at the time of assisting a manipulation of the camera in the fifth embodiment, and is a view showing an example of a similar image.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explanation of photographing operations of a camera according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12A shows an example of an image displayed on a liquid crystal finder at the time of assisting a manipulation of the camera in the sixth embodiment, and is a view showing an example of an input image.

FIG. 12B shows an example of an image displayed on the liquid crystal finder at the time of assisting a manipulation of the camera in the sixth embodiment, and is a view showing an example in which the input image and a similar image are simultaneously displayed.

FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a camera system to which a photographing system according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention is applied.

Claims

1. A photographing system comprising: a calculation unit which calculates a feature quantity of an acquired image acquired from an image pickup element;a database which stores plural types of reference feature information having a feature quantity serving as a reference at a time of determining a composition;a retrieval unit which retrieves reference feature information from the database having a feature quantity similar to the calculated feature quantity of the acquired image by comparing the feature quantity calculated in the calculation unit and the reference feature information stored in the database; anda report unit which reports information relating to composition on the basis of a result of comparison between the calculated feature quantity and the reference feature information retrieved by the retrieval unit.

2. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein: the reference feature information stored in the database are classified for each of photographing modes, andthe retrieval unit carries out retrieval of reference feature information classified so as to correspond to a photographing mode set by a user.

3. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein the report unit reports information relating to a change of direction of composition as the information relating to composition.

4. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein the report unit reports information relating to zooming as the information relating to composition.

5. The photographing system according to claim 1, further comprising an operating unit for a user to set at least some of the reference feature information.

6. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein: the calculation unit calculates information relating to faces of persons as the feature quantity of the acquired image, andthe retrieval unit carries out retrieval by using the information relating to faces of persons at a time of retrieving reference feature information from the database.

7. The photographing system according to claim 1, further comprising a direction finding unit which finds whether a longitudinal direction of the composition is a horizontal direction or a vertical direction, wherein the retrieval unit carries out retrieval with respect to reference feature information corresponding to vertical composition or transverse composition.

8. The photographing system according to claim 1, wherein: the system includes an image pickup device having the image pickup element, and a server which communicates with the image pickup device via a communication unit, andat least part of the database is provided at the server.

9. A photographing system comprising: a calculation unit which calculates a feature quantity of an acquired image acquired from an image pickup element;a database which stores plural types of reference feature information having a feature quantity serving as a reference at a time of determining a composition;a retrieval unit which retrieves reference feature information from the database having a feature quantity similar to the calculated feature quantity of the acquired image by comparing the feature quantity calculated in the calculation unit and the reference feature information stored in the database; anda direction control unit which controls a direction of a photographing device on the basis of a result of comparison between the calculated feature quantity and the reference feature information retrieved by the retrieval unit.

10. The photographing system according to claim 9, wherein: the reference feature information stored in the database are classified for each of photographing modes, andthe retrieval unit carries out retrieval of reference feature information classified so as to correspond to a photographing mode set by a user.

11. The photographing system according to claim 9, further comprising an operating unit which selects and sets at least some of the reference feature information.

12. The photographing system according to claim 9, wherein: the calculation unit calculates information relating to faces of persons as the feature quantity of the acquired image, andthe retrieval unit carries out retrieval by using the information relating to faces of persons at a time of retrieving reference feature information from the database.

13. The photographing system according to claim 9, further comprising a direction finding unit which finds whether a longitudinal direction of the composition is a horizontal direction or a vertical direction, wherein the retrieval unit makes retrieval with respect to reference feature information corresponding to vertical composition or transverse composition.

14. The photographing system according to claim 9, wherein: the system includes an image pickup device having the image pickup element, and a server which communicates with the image pickup device via a communication unit, andat least part of the database is provided at the server.

15. A photographing method for assisting in composing a scene, comprising: a first step of calculating a feature quantity of an acquired image acquired from an image pickup element;a second step of retrieving reference feature information from a database having a feature quantity similar to the calculated feature quantity of the acquired image by comparing the calculated feature quantity and reference feature information having a feature quantity serving as a reference at a time of determining a composition, which are stored in the database; anda third step of reporting information relating to composition on the basis of a result of comparison between the calculated feature quantity and the retrieved reference feature information.

16. The photographing method, according to claim 15, wherein the third step reports information relating to a change of direction of composition as the information relating to composition.

17. The photographing method, according to claim 15, wherein the third step reports information relating to zooming as the information relating to composition.

18. The photographing method according to claim 15, further comprising a fourth step of setting at least some of the reference feature information by a user before the second step.

19. The photographing method according to claim 15, wherein: the first step calculates information relating to faces of persons as the feature quantity of the acquired image, andthe second step carries out retrieval by using information relating to faces of persons at a time of retrieving reference feature information from the database.

20. A photographing method for assisting in composing scene, comprising: a first step of calculating a feature quantity of an acquired image acquired from an image pickup element;a second step of retrieving reference feature information from a database having a feature quantity similar to the calculated feature quantity of the acquired image by comparing the calculated feature quantity and reference feature information having a feature quantity serving as a reference at a time of determining a composition, which are stored in the database; anda third step of controlling a direction of a photographing device on the basis of a result of comparison between the calculated feature quantity and the retrieved reference feature information.

21. The photographing method according to claim 20, further comprising a fourth step of setting at least some of the reference feature information by a user before the second step.

22. The photographing method according to claim 20, wherein: the first step calculates information relating to faces of persons as the feature quantity of the acquired image, andthe second step carries out retrieval by using information relating to faces of persons at a time of retrieving reference feature information from the database.