Patent ID: 7580056
Filing Date: 2009-08-25
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A digital still camera comprising: an imaging lens; an imaging device arranged so as to be perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging lens; a focus means for driving the imaging lens in a forward-rearward direction of the optical axis so as to form an image taken by the imaging lens on a light receiving surface of the imaging device; an exposure adjustment means for adjusting an amount of transmitted light of the imaging lens and/or an imaging time of the imaging device depending on a brightness of an object; a storage means for storing an image data taken by the imaging device; a display device for displaying an image taken by the imaging device; a control means for controlling the imaging lens, the imaging device, the focus means, the exposure adjustment means, the storage means and the display device; a flash light-emission means for emitting flash light when the brightness of the object is low; and a shutter switch operated by a user; wherein the shutter switch is a single-stage switch which is turned on when the user presses the shutter switch to a predetermined stroke position with his/her finger toward a main body of the digital still camera and is turned off when the user takes his/her finger off the shutter switch at the predetermined stroke position in a direction away from the main body; in a state where the shutter switch is turned on, the control means controls the focus means, the exposure adjustment means and the imaging device to takes an image for monitoring at a predetermined interval and display an image on the display device using an image data output from the imaging device; when the shutter switch is turned off from the state in which the shutter switch is turned on, the control means controls the focus means, the exposure adjustment means, the flash light-emission means and the imaging device to take an the monitored image for recording, stores the image data output from the imaging device in the storage means and displays the taken image on the display device using the image data.