Patent ID: 6195127
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: G03B,H04N

Abstract:
A digital camera for taking a picture of an object by making a flash lamp perform a major light-emission with a major light-emission amount and exposing a picture taking means for a first period, comprising:a detection means for detecting a luminance signal from a camera signal outputted from said picture taking means;an evaluation means for evaluating said luminance signal and outputting a luminance evaluation value;a first control means for exposing said picture taking means without a light-emission of said flash lamp;a second control means for making said flash lamp perform a preliminary light-emission with a preliminary light-emission amount and exposing said picture taking means for a second period shorter than said first period; anda calculation means for calculating said major light-emission amount on the basis of a first non-emission luminance evaluation value outputted from said evaluation means in response to a control of said first control means and a preliminary light-emission luminance evaluation value outputted from said evaluation means in response to a control of said second control means;wherein:said first control means exposes said picture taking means for a third period; andsaid calculation means includes a luminance evaluation value calculation means for calculating a second non-emission luminance evaluation value in exposing said picture taking means for said first period without the light-emission of said flash lamp, on the basis of said first period, said third period and said first non-emission luminance evaluation value, and a light-emission amount calculation means for calculating said major light-emission amount on the basis of said second non-emission luminance evaluation value, a target luminance evaluation value, said preliminary light-emission luminance evaluation value and said preliminary light-emission amount.