Abstract:
An image pickup apparatus comprising: an image pickup device which takes an image of a subject and generates an image signal; an operation device in which first operation and second operation are independently acceptable; a detection device that detects the first operation and second operation of the operation device; a memory device which loads and stores the image signal from the image pickup device when the first operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device; a preview image display device which performs predetermined display processing to the image signal stored in the memory device, displays a preview image on a monitor in accordance with the processed image signal, and stops display of the preview image when the first operation or second operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device during display of the preview image; and an image data recording device which performs predetermined recording processing to the image signal stored in the memory device and records the processed image signal on a recording medium as image data when the second operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device during display of the preview image.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, and in particular, to an image pickup apparatus, which has a monitor in an apparatus body and can replay a taken image, such as a digital camera or a camera cellular phone.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Generally, a camera body of a digital camera is provided with a monitor. This monitor is used so as to replay a taken image, and used as a so-called electronic view finder by displaying an image outputted from a CCD in real time during image pickup.  
         [0005]     In addition, there are many digital cameras which are made to be able to check a taken image by displaying the taken image for fixed time after image pickup by using this monitor.  
         [0006]     For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-45343 proposes a digital camera which displays a taken image on a monitor while a release button is pushed when the release button is continuously pushed after taking an image by pushing the release button.  
         [0007]     In addition, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-191119 proposes a digital camera which displays a taken image on a monitor when the image pickup is performed, and switches the image on the monitor to a through image when a release button is halfway pushed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     Nevertheless, the digital cameras in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-45343 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-191119 can only control the display of a taken image. Their operation is troublesome since it is necessary to call an erasing function from a menu etc. separately to erase it when a taken image is not favorable.  
         [0009]     On the other hand, there are digital cameras which each display a taken image on a monitor after image pickup, record a taken image on a recording medium when an execution button provided on a camera body is pushed, and erase a taken image when a cancel button is pushed. Nevertheless, they each have a defect that a parts count increases since it is necessary to provide the camera body with the execution button and the cancel button.  
         [0010]     The present invention is made in view of such a situation, and aims at providing an image pickup apparatus which can record and perform a print command with few operation members.  
         [0011]     In order to achieve the above-described object, a first aspect of the present invention provides an image pickup apparatus comprising an image pickup device which takes an image of a subject and generates an image signal, an operation device in which first operation and second operation are independently acceptable, a detection device that detects the first operation and second operation of the operation device, a memory device which loads and stores the image signal from the image pickup device when the first operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device, a preview image display device which performs predetermined display processing to the image signal stored in the memory device, displays a preview image on a monitor in accordance with the processed image signal, and stops display of the preview image when the first operation or second operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device during display of the preview image, and an image data recording device which performs predetermined recording processing to the image signal stored in the memory device and records the processed image signal on a recording medium as image data when the second operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device during display of the preview image.  
         [0012]     According to the first aspect, when the first operation is performed with the operation device, an image signal is displayed on the monitor as a preview image while being loaded from the image pickup device and is stored in the memory device. When the second operation is performed with the operation device while this preview image is displayed, the image signal stored in the memory device is recorded on a recording medium as image data, and the preview image on the monitor is erased. On the other hand, when the first operation is performed with the operation device while this preview image is displayed, recording on a recording medium is cancelled, and the preview image on the monitor is erased. Thus, according to the present invention, the recording of a taken image or the command of cancellation can be performed with one operation device.  
         [0013]     In order to achieve the above-described object, a second aspect of the present invention provides an image pickup apparatus comprising an image pickup device which takes an image of a subject and generates an image signal, an operation device in which first operation and second operation are independently acceptable, a detection device that detects the first operation and second operation of the operation device, a memory device which loads and stores the image signal from the image pickup device when the first operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device, a preview image display device which performs predetermined display processing to the image signal stored in the memory device, displays a preview image on a monitor in accordance with the processed image signal, and stops display of the preview image when the first operation or second operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device during display of the preview image, and an image data recording device which performs predetermined recording processing to the image signal stored in the memory device and records the processed image signal on a recording medium as image data when the first operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device during display of the preview image.  
         [0014]     According to the second aspect, when the first operation is performed with the operation device, an image signal is displayed on the monitor as a preview image while being loaded from the image pickup device and is stored in the memory device. When the first operation is performed with the operation device while this preview image is displayed, the image signal stored in the memory device is recorded on a recording medium as image data, and the preview image on the monitor is erased. On the other hand, when the second operation is performed with the operation device while this preview image is displayed, recording on a recording medium is cancelled, and the preview image on the monitor is erased. Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform the command of the recording or cancellation of a taken image with one operation device.  
         [0015]     In addition, in order to achieve the above-described object, a third aspect of the present invention provides an image pickup apparatus which can replay and display image data recorded on a recording medium on a monitor, comprising an operation device in which first operation and second operation are independently acceptable, a detection device that detects the first operation and second operation of the operation device, a recorded image display device which reads image data from the recording medium on a frame-by-frame basis, performs predetermined display processing to the image data, and sequentially display the processed image data on the monitor a frame-by-frame basis every time the first operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device, and a print information recording device which records information of printing command into the image data of an image displayed on the monitor when the second operation of the operation device is detected by the detection device.  
         [0016]     According to the third aspect, image data recorded on the recording medium is read in order by one frame every time the first operation is performed with the operation device, and, is replayed and displayed in order on the monitor. Then, when the second operation is performed with the operation device during this image replay, information on print command is recorded into the image data of the image displayed on the monitor. Thereby, the frame feed and print command of a replayed image can be performed with one operation device.  
         [0017]     In order to achieve the above-described object, a fourth aspect of the present invention provides the image pickup apparatus according to the third aspect, comprising an image pickup device which takes an image of a subject and generates an image signal, a release operation device in which first operation and second operation are independently acceptable, a release detection device that detects the first operation and second operation of the operation device, a memory device which loads and stores the image signal from the image pickup device when the first operation of the release operation device is detected by the release detection device, a preview image display device which performs predetermined display processing to the image signal stored in the memory device, displays a preview image on a monitor in accordance with the processed image signal, and stops display of the preview image when the first operation or second operation of the release operation device is detected by the release detection device during display of the preview image, and an image data recording device which performs predetermined recording processing to the image signal stored in the memory device and records the processed image signal on a recording medium as image data when the second operation of the release operation device is detected by the release detection device during display of the preview image.  
         [0018]     According to the fourth aspect, when the first operation is performed with the release operation device, an image signal is displayed on the monitor as a preview image while being loaded from the image pickup device and is stored in the memory device. When the second operation is performed with the release operation device while this preview image is displayed, the image data stored in the memory device is recorded on a recording medium by the recording device, and the preview image on the monitor is erased. On the other hand, when the first operation is performed with the operation device while this preview image is displayed, recording on a recording medium is not performed, but the preview image on the monitor is erased. The image data recorded on the recording medium in this manner is read by one frame in order from the recording medium, and is replayed and displayed in order on the monitor every time the first operation is performed with the operation device. Then, when the second operation is performed with the operation device during this image replay, information on print command is recorded into the image data of the image displayed on the monitor.  
         [0019]     In order to achieve the above-described object, a fifth aspect of the present invention provides the image pickup apparatus according to the third aspect, comprising an image pickup device which takes an image of a subject and generates an image signal, a release operation device in which first operation and second operation are independently acceptable, a release detection device that detects the first operation and second operation of the operation device, a memory device which loads and stores the image signal from the image pickup device when the first operation of the release operation device is detected by the release detection device, a preview image display device which performs predetermined display processing to the image signal stored in the memory device, displays a preview image on a monitor in accordance with the processed image signal, and stops display of the preview image when the first operation or second operation of the release operation device is detected by the release detection device during display of the preview image, and an image data recording device which performs predetermined recording processing to the image signal stored in the memory device and records the processed image signal on a recording medium as image data when the first operation of the release operation device is detected by the release detection device during display of the preview image.  
         [0020]     According to the fifth aspect, when the first operation is performed with the release operation device, an image signal is displayed on the monitor as a preview image while being loaded from the image pickup device and is stored in the memory device. When the first operation is performed with the release operation device while this preview image is displayed, the image signal stored in the memory device is recorded on a recording medium as image data, and the preview image on the monitor is erased. On the other hand, when the second operation is performed with the operation device while this preview image is displayed, recording on a recording medium is not performed, but the preview image on the monitor is erased. The image data recorded on the recording medium in this manner is read by one frame in order from the recording medium, and is replayed and displayed in order on the monitor every time the first operation is performed with the operation device. Then, when the second operation is performed with the operation device during this image replay, information on print command is recorded into the image data of the image displayed on the monitor.  
         [0021]     In order to achieve the above-described object, a sixth aspect of the present invention provides the image pickup apparatus according to the fourth aspect, wherein the operation device includes the release operation device.  
         [0022]     According to the sixth aspect, the operation device also serves as the release operation device, and hence, recording command and print command can be performed by one operation device.  
         [0023]     In order to achieve the above-described object, a seventh aspect of the present invention provides the image pickup apparatus according to the first aspect, comprising a through image display device which continuously loads the image signal from the image pickup device, performs predetermined display processing to the loaded image signal, displays a through image on the monitor in accordance with the processed image signal before the preview image is displayed, or continuously loads the image signal from the image pickup device, performing predetermined display processing to the loaded image signal, and displays a through image on the monitor after the display of the preview image is stopped.  
         [0024]     According to the seventh aspect, a through image is displayed on the monitor before image pickup, and when image pickup is performed, a preview image is displayed on the monitor. Then, when the recording or cancellation of a taken image is performed and a preview image is erased, a through image is again displayed on the monitor.  
         [0025]     In order to achieve the above-described object, an eighth aspect of the present invention provides the image pickup apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the operation device or the release operation device is a push button, and the second operation is double push of the push button while the first operation is single push of the push button.  
         [0026]     According to the eighth aspect, the operation device comprises a so-called push button. Then, the single push (single click) of the push button is assigned to the first operation, and the double push (double click) is assigned to the second operation.  
         [0027]     As explained above, according to the present invention, since the recording command, cancellation, frame feed, a printing order, and the like of taken images can be performed with one operation device, the number of operation members provided in an operation body can be reduced. In addition, the recording command, cancellation, frame feed, a printing order, and the like of taken images can be performed with easy operation. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0028]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital camera to which the present invention is applied;  
         [0029]      FIGS. 2A  to  2 C include diagrams showing display examples on an LCD monitor at the time of printing orders; and  
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the digital camera of this embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]     Preferable embodiments of an image pickup apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail according to accompanying drawings.  
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital camera to which the present invention is applied. This digital camera  10  is a camera which can perform the image pickup and replay of still images, and, as shown in  FIG. 1 , it comprises an image pickup lens  12 , an aperture  14 , a CCD image sensor (CCD)  16 , an analog processing circuit  18 , an A/D converter  20 , buffer memory  22 , an Y/C processing circuit  24 , a compression/decompression processing circuit  26 , a card interface  28 , a main CPU  30 , EEPROM  32 , an LCD monitor  34 , a release switch  36 , an operation unit  37 , a Y/C-to-RGB conversion circuit  52 , an LCD driver  54 , and an display panel  56 .  
         [0033]     The main CPU  30  is a controller which performs the integrated control of this camera, and controls each circuit on the basis of signal inputs from the release switch  36  and other operation unit  37 . The EEPROM  32  stores a control program of this camera, which this main CPU  30  executes, various kinds of parameters and data for control.  
         [0034]     The operation unit  37  includes a mode dial, a cross key, a power switch, etc., and the mode dial sets a mode of the camera in an “image pickup mode” or a “replay mode.” In addition, the “image pickup mode” is a mode of taking a still image, and the “replay mode” is a mode of replaying a taken still image.  
         [0035]     When the power switch of this operation unit  37  is turned ON, a power supply ON signal is outputted to the main CPU  30  from the power switch. The main CPU  30  transmits a command to the power supply control circuit  38  when receiving this power supply ON signal. Then, the power supply control circuit  38  supplies power to each unit of the camera from the power supply (a battery or an external power supply)  39  according to this command.  
         [0036]     The release switch  36  comprises a so-called push button. When this release switch  36  is pushed, a S 1 ON signal is outputted to the main CPU  30 . The main CPU  30  detects that the release switch  36  is pushed by receiving this S 1 ON signal.  
         [0037]     In addition, the release switch  36  is made to be able to perform the operation of “double push (double click)”, which means to twice push a switch in a short time, besides the operation of normal “single push (single click)” as its operational actions. As described later, a function according to an operation status of the camera is assigned to each action.  
         [0038]     Furthermore, the main CPU  30  discriminates between the “single push” and “double push” of the release switch  36  by counting the number of S 1 ON signals inputted in specified time. That is, the main CPU  30  detects that it is the “single push”, when the S 1 ON signal is once inputted in the specified time. Moreover, the main CPU  30  detects that it is the “double push” when the S 1 ON signal is twice inputted in the specified time.  
         [0039]     Now, under the image pickup mode, the light which passed the image pickup lens  12  is incident on the CCD  16  after light quantity was adjusted by the aperture  14 . On a light-receiving surface of the CCD  16 , photo sensors are arranged two-dimensionally, and a subject image which is imaged on the light-receiving surface is converted into signal charges with quantity according as incident light quantity by each photo sensor. The signal charges stored in this way are read by turns as a voltage signal (image signal) according to the signal charges on the basis of a clock pulse given from a clock generation circuit  42 .  
         [0040]     After being applied to the analog processing circuit  18  and being given white balance adjustment, gamma processing, and the like here, the image signal outputted from the CCD  16  is converted into a digital signal by the A/D converter  20 , and is once stored in the buffer memory  22 .  
         [0041]     In addition, the CCD  16 , analog processing circuit  18 , and A/D converter  20  are synchronized respectively by the clock pulse which is outputted from the clock generation circuit (CG)  42 .  
         [0042]     The Y/C processing circuit  24  converts the image signal in the buffer memory  22  into a Y/C signal (a luminance signal Y and a chrominance signal C) according to a command from the main CPU  30 . This Y/C signal is stored in the buffer memory  22  again.  
         [0043]     The Y/C signal stored in the buffer memory  22  is supplied to the Y/C-to-RGB conversion circuit  52  through a bus  50  and is converted into RGB image signals here, and thereafter, they are outputted to the LCD monitor  34  through the LCD driver  54 . Thereby, a through image, i.e., an image taken in the CCD  16  in the image pickup mode is displayed on the LCD monitor  34  in real time.  
         [0044]     When the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed in this state, the main CPU  30  detects this, and transmits a command to the photometric and ranging CPU  40 . The photometric and ranging CPU  40  performs automatic exposure (AE) control and automatic focusing adjustment (AF) control according to this command, and executes image pickup. That is, the photometric and ranging CPU  40  controls an opening amount of the aperture  14 , and the charge storage time of the CCD  16  so that correct exposure is obtained on the basis of photometric result, while controlling the movement of the image pickup lens  12  so as to focus the camera on a major object. Under the present circumstances, when a subject is dark, the electronic flash light control circuit  43  operates on the basis of a command from the photometric and ranging CPU  40 , and a electronic flash light flashes. The electronic flash light control circuit  43  controls charging of the main capacitor which is not illustrated, the discharge timing to a xenon tube  44 , etc.  
         [0045]     Thus, the image signal showing the subject image taken in the CCD  16  is loaded into the buffer memory  22  through the analog processing circuit  18  and A/D converter  20 . Then, after predetermined signal processing is performed in the Y/C processing circuit  24 , the image signal is stored in the buffer memory  22  as a Y/C signal.  
         [0046]     The Y/C signal stored in the buffer memory  22  is supplied to the Y/C-to-RGB conversion circuit  52  and is converted into RGB image signals, and they are outputted to the LCD monitor  34  through the LCD driver  54 . Thereby, the image taken in the CCD  16  is displayed on the LCD monitor  34  as a preview image.  
         [0047]     When the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed in the state that this preview image is displayed on the LCD monitor  34 , the main CPU  30  detects this and executes the recording processing of the taken image. That is, the main CPU  30  sends a command to the compression/decompression processing circuit  26 , and the compression/decompression processing circuit  26  compresses the Y/C signal in the buffer memory  22  in a predetermined form such as JPEG according to this command. The compressed image data is recorded in the memory card  46  through the card interface  28 .  
         [0048]     Various forms such as a SmartMedia card, an xD picture card, a CompactFlash card, a PC card, a micro drive, an SD memory card, a multimedia card (MMC), a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, and a memory stick are available as forms of the memory card  46  as recording media. A signal processing device and an interface according to a medium used are applied.  
         [0049]     On the other hand, when the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed in the state that this preview image is displayed on the LCD monitor  34 , the main CPU  30  detects this and executes the cancellation processing of the record. That is, the preview image displayed on LCD monitor  34  is erased, and a through image is displayed again.  
         [0050]     Thus, under the image pickup mode, when an image pickup is performed, a preview image of the taken image is displayed on the LCD monitor  34 . When the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed in the state that this preview image is displayed on the LCD monitor  34 , the taken image is recorded on the memory card  46 . When the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed in the state that this preview image is displayed on the LCD monitor  34 , the process returns to an image-pickup standby state. That is, the preview image is erased and a through image is again displayed on the LCD monitor  34 .  
         [0051]     On the other hand, under the replay mode, the replay processing of the image recorded on the memory card  46  is performed as follows.  
         [0052]     When the mode dial of the operation unit  37  is set at the replay mode, the main CPU  30  detects this and read the image data, finally recorded on the memory card  46 , by one frame. The expansion process of the read image data is performed by the compression/decompression processing circuit  26 , and it is outputted to the LCD monitor  34  through the Y/C-to-RGB conversion circuit  52  and LCD driver  54 . In this way, the image finally taken is displayed on the LCD monitor  34 .  
         [0053]     Then, when the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed, the main CPU  30  detects this and reads the image data of the firstly taken image from the memory card  46 . The expansion process of the read image data is performed by the compression/decompression processing circuit  26 , and it is outputted to the LCD monitor  34  through the Y/C-to-RGB conversion circuit  52  and LCD driver  54 . In this way, the image firstly taken is displayed on the LCD monitor  34 .  
         [0054]     Then, whenever the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed, the main CPU  30  reads one frame of the image data from the memory card  46  in order, and performs predetermined display processing to display it on the LCD monitor  34 .  
         [0055]     That is, under the replay mode, whenever the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed, the normal frame feed of the images recorded on the memory card  46  is performed.  
         [0056]     In addition, when the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed under this replay mode, the main CPU  30  detects this and executes the processing of a printing order to the image displayed on the LCD monitor  34  at that time.  
         [0057]     That is, when the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed in the state that an image a printing order of which is desired is displayed on the LCD monitor  34  as shown in  FIG. 2A , the main CPU  30  shifts the camera mode to a “printing order mode.” 
         [0058]     Under this “printing order mode”, as shown in  FIG. 2B , the number of sheets by the printing order is displayed on the LCD monitor  34  with the ordered image. The number of sheets by a printing order is set at one sheet as an initial value, and whenever the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed in this state, the number of sheets by a printing order increases by one sheet.  FIG. 2C  shows the state of the LCD monitor  34  at the time of ordering three sheets by pushing the release switch  36  twice after the mode is shifted to the “printing order mode”.  
         [0059]     An order command ends up with the “double push” of the release switch  36 . The main CPU  30  writes the data of a printing order in image data when detecting the “double push” of the release switch  36 . Then, the main CPU  30  returns a camera mode to the “replay mode.” 
         [0060]     In addition, print information is recorded according to a recording form of the DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) standard, for example. In this DPOF standard, it is possible to record the information relating to the number of sheets to be printed, trimming, and the like, and the information on the presence of the printed, and the like. Furthermore, it is made that the print information of each frame is mentioned in one print information file in a text file form.  
         [0061]     Thus, under the “replay mode”, it is possible to perform the normal frame feed of a replayed image by the “single push” of the release switch  36 , and to process a printing order by the “double push.” 
         [0062]     In addition, since the digital camera  10  of this embodiment is provided with the external connection terminal (e.g., USB terminal)  58 , it is possible to transmit and receive data between with external equipment such as a personal computer by connecting a cable to this external connection terminal  58 . The communication controller  60  controls the communication with the external equipment connected to this external connection terminal  58  according to a command from the main CPU  30 .  
         [0063]     Furthermore, the digital camera  10  of this embodiment is provided with the display panel  56  which simply displays the information relating to a state of the camera, an image pickup mode, and the like in characters, icons, and the like. The display panel  56  displays information such as battery residue, the number of frames which can be taken, a number of the replay frame (file name), a electronic flash light mode, a macro mode, recording image quality, and a pixel count on the basis of a command from the main CPU  30 .  
         [0064]     Next, the operation of the digital camera  10  of this embodiment constituted as described above will be explained according to the flowchart shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0065]     When the power of the camera is turned on, a set mode of the camera is first determined and it is judged whether the set mode of the camera is set at the “image pickup mode” (step S 1 ). As a result, when it is judged that the camera mode is set at the “image pickup mode”, the process goes to step  10 , but when judged that it is not set at the “image pickup mode”, the process goes to step  20 .  
         [0066]     First, a flow at the time of being judged that the camera mode is set at the “image pickup mode” at step  1  will be explained.  
         [0067]     When judged that the camera mode is set at the “image pickup mode”, the main CPU  30  makes the state of the camera the image pickup standby state, and displays a through image on the LCD monitor  34  (step S 10 ). A camera person looks at this through image and checks an image pickup angle, a focused state, etc.  
         [0068]     The main CPU  30  judges the presence of the “single push” of the release switch  36  under this state (step S 11 ), and determines the existence of a command of image pickup execution. Then, when detecting the “single push” of the release switch  36 , the main CPU  30  judges the presence of the display of a preview image (step S 12 ). Then, checking that the preview image is not displayed, the main CPU  30  loads image data and displays the preview image on the LCD monitor  34  (step S 13 ).  
         [0069]     A camera person checks the preview image displayed on this LCD monitor  34 . The camera person performs “double push” of the release switch  36  when wishing for recording an image on the memory card  46 , and when canceling the recording, the camera person performs “single push” of the release switch  36 .  
         [0070]     That is, when the preview image is displayed, the main CPU  30  first judges the presence of the “single push” of the release switch  36  so as to check the execution and cancellation of recording a taken image (step S 11 ).  
         [0071]     Here, when judging that the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed, the main CPU  30  determines that the execution of recording a taken image is cancelled, and judges the presence of the preview image (step S 12 ) to check the display of the preview image. Then, when the display of the preview image is confirmed, the preview image is erased, and in order to prepare for a next image pickup, the display of the LCD monitor  34  is changed to a through image (step S 10 ).  
         [0072]     On the other hand, after the display of the preview image, when judging at step  11  that the “single push” of the release switch  36  is not performed, the main CPU  30  judges the presence of the “double push” next (step S 14 ).  
         [0073]     Here, when judging that the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed, the main CPU  30  determines that the execution of recording a taken image is commanded, and judges the presence of the preview image (step S 15 ) to check the display of the preview image. Then, when the display of the preview image is confirmed, the taken image is recorded on the memory card  46  (step S 16 ). Then, the main CPU  30  erases the preview image displayed on the LCD monitor  34 , and in order to prepare for a next image pickup, the main CPU  30  changes the display of the LCD monitor  34  to a through image (step S 10 ).  
         [0074]     In addition, when judging at step  14  that the “double push” of the release switch  36  is not performed, the main CPU  30  advances the process to step  17 , and judges the presence of a preview image. Here, when the preview image is displayed on the LCD monitor  34 , the main CPU  30  determines that the camera is in the state of waiting for an input, advances the process to step  11 , and judges the presence of the “single push” of the release switch  36  again.  
         [0075]     On the other hand, when judging at step  17  that the preview image is not displayed, the main CPU  30  determines that the command of execution of image pickup is not inputted yet. The main CPU  30  advances the process to step  10 , and displays a through image on the LCD monitor  34  succeedingly to wait for inputting the command of execution of image pickup.  
         [0076]     In addition, when judging at step  15  that the preview image is not displayed on the LCD monitor  34  after judging at step  14  that the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed, the main CPU  30  advances the process to step  11 , and judges the presence of the “single push” of the release switch  36  again. This is a flow at the time of the “double push” of the release switch  36  being performed during the display of a through image. Hence, when the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed during the display of a through image, the main CPU  30  disregards the operation and waits for the command of execution of image pickup being inputted correctly.  
         [0077]     Next, a flow at the time of being judged at step  1  that the camera mode is not set at the “image pickup mode” will be explained.  
         [0078]     When judging at step  1  that the camera mode is not set at the “image pickup mode”, the main CPU  30  advances the process to step  20 , and judges whether it is set at the “replay mode”.  
         [0079]     Here, the main CPU  30  next judges whether the taken image is replayed on the LCD monitor  34  (step S 21 ) after judging that the camera mode is set at the “replay mode”. When it is not under replay, the setting of a first frame is performed (step S 22 ). That is, the image of the frame finally recorded on the memory card  46  is set, and the image concerned is replayed on the LCD monitor  34  (step S 23 ).  
         [0080]     The main CPU  30  judges the presence of the “single push” of the release switch  36  after image replay (step S 24 ). When judging that the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed, the main CPU  30  performs normal frame feed (step S 25 ). That is, the display on the LCD monitor  34  is changed and a next image is displayed on the LCD monitor  34 .  
         [0081]     When performing the normal frame feed of the replayed image, the main CPU  30  advances the process to step  1  and checks the set mode of the camera. Then, when confirming that it is not set at the “image pickup mode”, the main CPU  30  judges whether it is set at the “replay mode” (step S 20 ). When judging that the mode is set at the “replay mode”, the main CPU  30  judges whether the taken image is replayed on the LCD monitor  34  (step S 21 ). In the case that the image is replayed, the main CPU  30  continues the image replay (step S 23 ), and waits for an input from the release switch  36 .  
         [0082]     When judging at step  24  that the “single push” of the release switch  36  is not performed, the main CPU  30  judges the presence of the “double push” of the release switch  36  next (step S 26 ). Here, when judging that the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed, the main CPU  30  executes the processing of a printing order (step S 27 ).  
         [0083]     When executing the processing of the print order, the main CPU  30  advances the process to step  1  again and checks the set mode of the camera. Then, when confirming that it is not set at the “image pickup mode”, the main CPU  30  judges whether it is set at the “replay mode” (step S 20 ). When judging that the mode is set at the “replay mode”, the main CPU  30  judges whether the taken image is replayed on the LCD monitor  34  (step S 21 ). In the case that the image is replayed, the main CPU  30  continues the image replay (step S 23 ), and waits for an input from the release switch  36 .  
         [0084]     When judging at step  24  that the “single push” of the release switch  36  is not performed, the main CPU  30  judges the presence of the “double push” of the release switch  36  next (step S 26 ). Here, when judging that the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed, the main CPU  30  executes the processing of a printing order (step S 27 ).  
         [0085]     In addition, when judging at step  26  that the “double push” of the release switch  36  is not performed, the main CPU  30  determines that a command of normal frame feed or a command of a printing order is not issued yet, and advances the process to step  1 . Then, the main CPU  30  waits for an input of the command from the release switch  36 .  
         [0086]     Furthermore, when judging at step  20  that the camera mode is not set at the “replay mode”, the main CPU  30  judges the presence of image replay (step S 30 ). When judging that replay is performed, the main CPU  30  advances the process to step  1  after stopping the image replay (step S 31 ), and judges the set mode of the camera.  
         [0087]     As explained above, under the image pickup mode, image pickup is performed by the “single push” of a release switch  36 , and when the image pickup is performed, the preview image of the taken image is displayed on the LCD monitor  34 . A camera person checks the preview image displayed on this LCD monitor  34 , and when wishing for recording the image on the memory card  46 , he/she performs the “double push” of the release switch  36 . Thereby, the taken image is recorded on the memory card  46 . On the other hand, when looking at the preview image and determining that recording is needless, he/she performs the “single push” of the release switch  36 . Thereby, the recording of the taken image on the memory card  46  is canceled. After the execution or cancellation of recording of the taken image on the LCD monitor  34 , the main CPU  30  displays a through image again, and waits for next image pickup.  
         [0088]     On the other hand, under the “replay mode”, it is possible to perform the normal frame feed of a replayed image by the “single push” of the release switch  36 , and to process a printing order by the “double push.” 
         [0089]     Thus, according to the digital camera  10  of this embodiment, it is possible to command the execution or cancellation of recording of the taken image, the frame feed of replayed images, and a printing order by pushing operation of the release switch  36 . Thereby, it becomes unnecessary to separately provide operating members, used for commanding the execution and cancellation of recording a taken image, the frame feed of replayed images, and a printing order, in a camera body. Hence, it is possible to reduce the number of the operation members provided in the camera body.  
         [0090]     In addition, since it is made that these operation commands are given by the “single push” and “double push” of the push button type release switch  36 , operation becomes simple and operability improves.  
         [0091]     Furthermore, the digital camera  10  of this embodiment is configured so that, in the “replay mode”, normal frame feed may be executed when the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed, and the processing of a printing order may be executed when the “double push” is performed. Nevertheless, it is also acceptable to execute the functions concerned with other buttons. For example, by assigning the functions to a right button of the cross key, the normal frame feed may be executed when the “single push” of the right button of the cross key is performed, and the processing of a printing order may be executed when the “double push” is performed. In this case, reverse frame feed may be executed when the “single push” of a left button of the cross key is performed, and the processing of a printing order may be executed when the “double push” is performed. In addition, the recording of a taken image may be executed when the “single push” of the right button of the cross key is performed in the state of a preview image being displayed, for example, after the execution of image pickup, and the recording of a taken image may be canceled when the “double push” of the right button is performed.  
         [0092]     Furthermore, usually, a release switch  36  is usually located in the location which a forefinger touches naturally when a camera person grips a camera body. Hence, operability improves by adopting such configuration that various operation commands may be given by the “single push” and “double push” of this release switch  36 .  
         [0093]     In addition, in the digital camera  10  of this embodiment, two kinds of operational actions of the “single push (single click)” and “double push (double click)” of the release switch  36  are given to one release button  36 . Nevertheless, the operational actions are not limited to these. Operational actions may be judged according to the pushing time of a push button. For example, the “first operation” may be given if the push button is pushed for less than two seconds and the “second operation” may be given if the push button is pushed for two seconds or more. In addition, with a two-step type push button having a “halfway push” step and a “full push” step, the “first operation” may be given by the “halfway push”, and the “second operation” may be given by the “full push.” Furthermore, with a seesaw button rocking in the vertical or horizontal direction, the “first operation” may be given by an “upward push (or a leftward push)”, and the “second operation” may be given by a “downward push (or a rightward push).” 
         [0094]     In addition, the digital camera  10  of this embodiment may be configured so that the recording of a taken image is executed when the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed in the state that a preview image is displayed under the image pickup mode and the recording of a taken image is canceled when the “single push” is performed, and vice versa. The recording of a taken image may be executed when the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed, and the recording of a taken image may be canceled when the “double push” is performed.  
         [0095]     Normal frame feed may be performed when the “single push” of the release switch  36  is performed under the “replay mode”, and the processing of a printing order may be executed when the “double push” is performed. Normal frame feed may also be performed when the “double push” of the release switch  36  is performed, and the processing of a printing order may be executed when the “single push” is performed.  
         [0096]     Furthermore, it is also acceptable to assign another function of not executing the processing of a printing order, as a function at the time of the “double push”. For example, it is also acceptable to perform reverse frame feed when the “double push” is performed, or to display a menu screen.  
         [0097]     In addition, the digital camera  10  of this embodiment uses the function of the “single push” and “double push” of the release button  36  in both modes of the “image pickup mode” and “replay mode”. The function concerned may also be used in only one of the “image pickup mode” and “replay mode.” That is, the function of the “single push” and “double push” of the release button  36  may be enabled only in the “image pickup mode”, or the function of the “single push” and “double push” of the release button  36  may be enabled only in the “replay mode”.  
         [0098]     Furthermore, the digital camera  10  of this embodiment makes the LCD monitor  34  display a through image before the execution of image pickup under the “image pickup mode”. Nevertheless, in a digital camera equipped with an optical finder, it is preferable that a camera person can arbitrarily set the display of a through image. In addition, when taking an image without displaying a through image, the LCD monitor  34  is made to display a preview image after image pickup is executed, and the preview image is erased from the LCD monitor  34  after the processing of execution or cancellation of recording. Thereby, it is possible to save electricity.  
         [0099]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The present invention is applicable to a digital camera, and applicable similarly to electronic equipment comprising an image pickup function such as a cellular phone with a camera or a PDA with a camera.