Patent ID: 7924339
Filing Date: 2011-04-12
Classification: G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. An image pickup apparatus having a help function, the image pickup apparatus comprising: a mode dial that sets a mode of the image pickup apparatus to one of a plurality of photographing modes; a setting unit that sets, not in a help mode, the photographing mode to a photographing mode corresponding to a turned position of the mode dial in accordance with the turning of the mode dial; a display unit that displays information concerning the image pickup apparatus; a start instruction unit that instructs the image pickup apparatus to start its operation at a help mode; a control unit that controls, during the operation of the image pickup apparatus at the help mode, the display unit to display an explanation indicating the photographing mode corresponding to a turned position of the mode dial without actually changing the photographing mode to a photographing mode corresponding to a turned position of the mode dial in response to the turning of the mode dial; a release unit that instructs the image pickup apparatus to perform photographing; a photographing control unit that, when the release unit instructs the image pickup apparatus to perform photographing during the help mode, executes a photographing operation under a predetermined photographing mode regardless of the operation by the mode dial after the help mode is started; and a termination instruction unit that terminates the help mode, wherein the setting unit sets, to the image pickup apparatus, when the termination instruction terminates the help mode, the photographing mode corresponding to the turned position of the mode dial which was turned during the help mode.