Patent ID: 8179453

Claim:
An imaging method comprising the steps of: setting an exposure time of a imaging part of an X-Y address type, in which an exposure time is controlled by a shutter signal for starting exposure for scanning plural pixels arranged in a matrix shape in a vertical direction and a readout signal for ending the exposure; and setting a zoom magnification when a digital zoom operation mode is selected for enlarging an image imaged by a imaging part, and enlarging the image imaged by the imaging part at the zoom magnification set; setting an imaging range in a vertical direction of the imaging part according to the zoom magnification set in the digital zoom step; outputting a driving signal for scanning the shutter signal and the readout signal to perform exposure in the imaging range set in the imaging range setting step at the exposure time set in the exposure time setting step and driving the imaging part; calculating, when the zoom magnification is changed in the digital zoom step, a maximum exposure time of the imaging part on the basis of the zoom magnifications before the change and after the change to prevent a shutter signal for scanning the imaging range corresponding to the zoom magnification after the change from interfering with a readout signal for scanning the imaging range corresponding to the zoom magnification before the change; and comparing the maximum exposure time calculated in the calculating step and the exposure time set in the exposure time setting step and discarding, when the exposure time set in the exposure time setting step exceeds the maximum exposure time calculated in the calculating step, images imaged by the imaging part before and after the change of the zoom magnification to prevent the images from being used.