Patent ID: 7236306

Claim:
An electronic camera having an express zoom mode for producing an output image of a scene, said electronic camera comprising: a first image sensor for generating a first sensor output; a first zoom lens for forming a first image of the scene on the first image sensor; a first zoom positioner for adjusting the first zoom lens through a first plurality of discrete zoom positions between a minimum focal length and a maximum focal length to provide the first image; a second image sensor for generating a second sensor output; a second zoom lens for forming a second image of the scene on the second image sensor; a second zoom positioner for adjusting the second zoom lens through a second plurality of discrete zoom positions between a minimum focal length and a maximum focal length to provide the second image, wherein the maximum focal length of the first zoom lens is less than or equal to the minimum focal length of the second zoom lens; a user control for selecting a zoom setting, whereby the zoom positioners are responsive to the user control for adjusting the zoom lenses through the first plurality of discrete zoom positions for the first zoom lens and through the second plurality of discrete zoom positions for the second zoom lens; and a zoom controller for controlling the zoom positioners and enabling an express mode when a user initiated change in the user control specifies a zoom transition from a present zoom setting within one said plurality of discrete zoom positions to a target zoom setting within the other said plurality of discrete zoom positions, whereupon the controller causes the zoom positioner for the target position to immediately move the corresponding zoom lens to the target zoom position without powering the other zooming positioner through any intervening discrete zoom positions, thereby enabling an express zooming sequence in which the zoom positioners do not have to traverse all of the intervening zoom positions between the present zoom setting and the target zoom setting.