Patent ID: 8077252
Filing Date: 2011-12-13
Classification: G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. An electronic camera comprising: an imager, having an imaging surface for capturing an object scene though an optical lens, which repeatedly generates an object scene image; a first area designator which designates on said imaging surface, as a focal-point search area, a first imaging area for capturing a specific object so as to cover an outline of said specific object when the object scene captured by said imaging surface includes said specific object; a second area designator which designates on said imaging surface, as a frequency-component detection area, a second imaging area that is smaller than said first imaging area and is for capturing an inner side of the outline of said specific object; a detector which detects a plurality of frequency components respectively corresponding to a plurality of frequency bands, from a partial image generated by said imager in a manner to correspond to said frequency-component detection area; a range designator which designates, as a distance change range, a range different depending upon a quantitative difference among the plurality of frequency components detected by said detector; and a searcher which searches a focal point for said specific object, by changing a distance from said optical lens to said imaging surface in said distance change range and referencing a partial image generated by said imager in a manner to correspond to said focal-point search area, wherein said range designator includes a first range designator which designates, as said distance change range, a first range that may include the focal point for said specific object, when said quantitative difference exceeds a reference, and a second range designator which designates, as said distance change range, a second range that includes a current distance from said optical lens to said imaging surface and is narrower than said first range, when said quantitative difference is equal to or less than the reference, further comprising: a first distance designator which designates, as a change start distance, a longest distance within said distance change range in association with a designating process of said first range designator; and a second distance designator which designates, as the change start distance, a shortest distance within said distance change range in association with a designating process of said second range designator, wherein said searcher starts a change process from said change start distance.