Patent ID: 8004573
Filing Date: 2011-08-23
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging unit configured to capture images continuously; a face detection unit configured to detect a face in each of the images captured by the imaging unit; a first face detection control unit configured to set a first detecting condition for the face detection unit to thereby control the face detection unit to detect faces facing in various directions in the images continuously captured by the imaging unit; an imaging condition setting unit configured to, when a face is detected by control executed by the first face detection control unit, set an imaging condition suitable for the detected face; a recording instruction detecting unit configured to detect a recording instruction after the imaging condition setting unit sets the imaging condition; a second face detection control unit configured to, after the recording instruction is detected by the recording instruction detecting unit, set for the face detection unit a second detecting condition, which is more limiting than the first detecting condition, to thereby control the face detection unit to detect a forward-facing face, which does not include any faces facing in other directions, in the images continuously captured by the imaging unit; a face number obtaining unit configured to count a number of forward-facing faces that were detected by control executed by the second face detection control unit, for each of the continuously captured images; a change determination unit configured to determine whether or not the number of the forward-facing faces that were counted by the face number obtaining unit in one of the continuously captured images is different as compared to an image captured just prior to the one of the continuously captured images; and a recording unit that, in response to detection of the recording instruction, and in response to the determination of the change determination unit, saves in a recording medium an image representing the forward-facing faces, captured after the change determination unit determines that the number of forward-facing faces is different.