Patent ID: 7787045

Claim:
A digital camera having a movable mirror provided so as to enter or retract with respect to an optical path of an image pickup optical system for purpose of guiding a subject image to an optical viewfinder, comprising: an image pickup element that captures the subject image formed by the image pickup optical system to generate image data; a display portion that displays the image data generated by the image pickup element or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the image pickup element to predetermined processing; a release portion that receives instruction from the user by receiving halfway depression or full depression; a photometric portion that measures an amount of light from a subject when the movable mirror is positioned in the optical path of the image pickup optical system; an illumination portion that illuminates the subject with light; a diaphragm that adjusts an amount of light of the subject image formed by the image pickup optical system; and a control portion having a live view mode controlling so that the image data generated by the image pickup element or the image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the image pickup element to predetermined processing is displayed on the display portion as a moving image in real time, wherein the control portion controls so that the amount of light from the subject is obtained based on the image data generated by the image pickup element while the movable mirror is operated under a condition of being retracted outside the optical path of the image pickup optical system in a live view mode, and controls so that the movable mirror is allowed to enter the optical path of the image pickup optical system when the release portion receives an instruction to start capturing an image, the illumination portion is allowed to emit light, and measurement results of the photometric portion are obtained when the control portion receives an instruction of measuring light in light emission of the illumination portion.