Patent ID: 6426775
Filing Date: 2002-07-30
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An image pickup apparatus comprising;image pickup means; light emission means for illuminating an object by emitting light; light measuring means for measuring a luminance of the object on the basis of a signal from said image pickup means; distance measuring means for automatically measuring a distance information to the object; operation means for performing a first operation and a second operation for picking up an image of the object; and control means for controlling said image pickup means, said light emission means, said light measuring means, and said distance measuring means in response to the first operation and the second operation of said operation means, wherein, in response to the first operation of said operation means, said control means causes said light measuring means to measure the luminance, determines whether or not light emission by said light emission means is necessary according to information on the luminance measured by said light measuring means and causes said distance measuring means to automatically measure the distance to the object, and in response to the second operation of said operation means, if light emission by said light emission means is necessary, said control means first controls to determine according to a current shooting mode of said image pickup apparatus an iris value for a preliminary exposure by using the distance information outputted from said distance measuring means according to a predetermined function, causes said light emission means to perform a fixed amount of preliminary light emission and causes the preliminary exposure to be made on said image pickup means with the iris value determined according to the distance information, and then said control means causes said light emission means to perform a main light emission for a period of time decided on the basis of information of the luminance value measured by said light measuring means during the preliminary exposure and causes a main exposure to be made on said image pickup means.