Patent ID: 8488012

Claim:
An automatic image-capturing apparatus comprising: image-capturing means for capturing an image of a subject so as to obtain captured image data; automatic captured-image obtaining means for automatically obtaining the captured image data obtained by the image-capturing means at a first predetermined timing of a plurality of predetermined timings without being based on an operation of a user; inclination detection means for detecting an inclination in at least one of a pan direction and a tilt direction; and control means for controlling an obtaining operation performed by the automatic captured-image obtaining means based on information on the inclination in the pan direction and/or in the tilt direction, the inclination being detected by the inclination detection means, the controlling comprising: determining at the first predetermined timing whether the inclination detected by the inclination detection means is within a predetermined range; if the inclination is within the predetermined range at the first predetermined timing, causing captured image data to be obtained; and if the inclination is not within the predetermined range at the first predetermined timing, causing captured image data to be obtained at a third timing, after the first predetermined timing and before a second predetermined timing of the plurality of predetermined timings, at which an inclination detected by the inclination detection means is within the predetermined range, wherein the control means calculates an average value of a plurality of inclinations that are obtained from the inclination detection means, and performs control so that, when an inclination detected by the inclination detection means is within a predetermined range in which the calculated average value is used as a reference, captured image data is obtained by the automatic captured-image obtaining means.