Patent ID: 7317485

Claim:
A digital camera having a function for giving advice on composition, comprising: an imaging unit for sensing an image of a subject and outputting image data representing the image of the subject; a display unit for displaying the image of the subject represented by the image data output from said imaging unit; a display controller for controlling said display unit so as to display the advice on composition for the purpose of taking a picture of the subject; a controller configured to set a photographic skill level of a user based on a photographic skill level selection from the user; and a recording controller responsive to depression of a shutter-release button for recording the image data, which is output from said imaging unit, on a recording medium, wherein said display controller controls the display unit so as to display the advice prior to recording the image data to the recording medium, wherein the advice is a textual warning message of a potential defect of the composition, wherein the advice is based on a current picture taking mode selected by the user and based on the photographic skill level of the user, wherein the photographic skill level of the user is selectable between a first photographic skill level and a second photographic skill level such that first advice data corresponding to the first photographic skill level are different from second advice data corresponding to the second photographic skill level, and wherein the display controller retrieves the advice from the first advice data when the first photographic skill level is selected and retrieves the advice from the second advice data when the second photographic skill level is selected.