Patent ID: 7609295

Claim:
An image processing apparatus having a moving image shooting mode of operation for taking a moving image, a still image shooting mode of operation for taking a still image, and a playback mode of operation for playing back a moving image or a still image, the apparatus comprising: a first manipulation module which is manipulated when a moving image is taken; a second manipulation module which is manipulated when a still image is taken; a moving image shooting module which starts taking a moving image if the image processing apparatus is in the moving image shooting mode of operation when the first manipulation module is manipulated; a moving image shooting mode transition module which changes the mode of operation to the moving image shooting mode that can start taking a moving image by the moving image shooting module if the image processing apparatus is in the still image shooting mode of operation or the playback mode of operation when the first manipulation module is manipulated; a still image shooting module which starts taking a still image if the image processing apparatus is in the still image shooting mode of operation when the second manipulation module is manipulated; a still image shooting mode transition module which changes the mode of operation to the still image shooting mode that can start taking a still image by the still image shooting module if the image processing apparatus is in the moving image shooting mode of operation or the playback mode of operation when the second manipulation module is manipulated, wherein the first manipulation module and the second manipulation module are disposed at different positions; and a third manipulation module at a position different from the positions of the first manipulation module and the second manipulation module, the third manipulation module being manipulated to switch the moving image shooting mode of operation, the still image shooting mode of operation, and the playback mode of operation.