Patent ID: 7259781
Filing Date: 2007-08-21
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An electronic camera comprising: an image pickup control unit for causing an image pickup unit to perform a predetermined image pickup operation; a shutter button operable for commanding recording of an image; a first determining unit for determining whether or not predetermined information conditions, exclude operation of the shutter button, are satisfied; a second determining unit for, at a time when the first determining unit determines that the predetermined information conditions, excluding operation of the shutter button, are satisfied, determining whether or not the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform the predetermined image pickup operation; a first information control unit, responsive to the second determining unit determining that the image pickup control unit does not cause the image pickup unit to perform the predetermined image pickup operation, for immediately commanding a first information unit to automatically start its information operation; and a second information control unit, responsive to the predetermined image pickup operation being terminated after the second determining unit determines that the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform the predetermined image pickup operation, for commanding the first information unit to start its information operation.