Patent ID: 7639304

Claim:
An image pickup device comprising: an image pickup element which receives light from an object and outputs an image signal; an image display unit which performs display of an image representing the image signal output from the image pickup element; an exposure control; unit which performs exposure control in each of a first exposure control mode for performing an automatic exposure control for obtaining a proper exposure state and a second exposure control mode for performing the exposure control on the basis of an exposure control value set by a user; an operation unit which is used for transmitting an image pickup instruction for starting storage of image data on the basis of the output of the image pickup element; an instruction unit which instructs the exposure control unit to perform the exposure control in the first exposure control mode before and until the image pickup instruction is transmitted; and a selection unit that selects one of the first and second exposure control modes, wherein the selection unit selects the exposure control mode in which the exposure control unit performs exposure control after the operation unit transmits the image pickup instruction, so that exposure control after the transmission of the image pickup instruction occurs in either the first exposure control mode or the second exposure control mode, depending on the exposure control mode selected by the selection unit, wherein when the selection unit selects the second exposure control mode as the exposure control mode in which exposure control is performed by the exposure control unit after the operation unit transmits the image pickup instruction: the exposure control unit performs the exposure control in the first exposure control mode before and until the image pickup instruction is transmitted when the instruction unit instructs the exposure control unit to perform the exposure control in the first exposure control mode before and until the image pickup instruction is transmitted; and the exposure control unit performs the exposure control in the second control mode before and until the image pickup instruction is transmitted when the instruction unit does not instruct the exposure control unit to perform the exposure control in the first exposure control mode before and until the image pickup instruction is transmitted, and wherein the image display unit displays the image on the basis of the output of the image pickup element until the image pickup instruction is transmitted.