Patent ID: 8194175
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: G02B,G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: an extraction unit configured to extract feature points of an object from picked-up image data; an adjustment unit configured to calculate a focus evaluation value from image data corresponding to a focus detection area determined based on the feature points while moving a focus lens to a plurality of positions each existing in a direction of an optical axis, detect, from the calculated focus evaluation value, an in-focus position for the focus lens at which the focus lens is in an in-focus state, and move the focus lens to the detected in-focus position; and a setting unit configured to set a shooting mode from among a plurality of shooting modes, the plurality of shooting mode including a continuous shooting mode in which an extraction of feature points and a pickup of an image for storage are repeated plural times and a single shooting mode in which a pickup of an image is not repeated, wherein the feature points include characteristics, such as shape, position, or size, of the object, and wherein the extraction unit extracts, in the continuous shooting mode, the feature points in synchronization with the calculation of the focus evaluation value by the adjustment unit and extracts, in the single shooting mode, the feature points at a predetermined period regardless of the calculation of the focus evaluation value by the adjustment unit.