Patent ID: 7756349

Claim:
An image processing apparatus which has functions for capturing a still image and a moving image, comprising: a moving image capture selection determination unit which determines whether a moving image capture mode is selected or not; a moving image capture start determination unit which determines whether a start of a moving image capture is instructed or not in the moving image capture mode; an encoded data generation unit which generates encoded data by encoding image data in accordance with a predetermined parameter; a parameter adjusting unit which adjusts the predetermined parameter by selecting a predetermined parameter from a plurality of registered predetermined parameters based on a bit rate of the encoded data generated by the encoded data generation unit, and a moving image capture control unit which causes the parameter adjusting unit to start adjustment of the predetermined parameter in response to a determination by the moving image capture selection determination unit that the moving image capture mode is selected, causes the parameter adjusting unit to repeat the adjustment of the predetermined parameter while the moving image capture start determination unit determines that a start of a moving image capture is not instructed in the moving image capture mode, causes the parameter adjusting unit to terminate the adjustment of the predetermined parameter in response to a determination by the moving image capture start determination unit that a start of a moving image capture is instructed in the moving image capture mode, and causes the encoded data generation unit, after the capturing of a moving image is started, to encode image data obtained by the capturing of the moving image, in accordance with the predetermined parameter at a timing of terminating the adjustment, wherein the parameter adjusting unit includes: a bit rate calculation unit which calculates an average bit rate in a predetermined period, from an amount of encoded data generated by the encoded data generation unit in the predetermined period; a bit rate determination unit which determines whether the average bit rate calculated by the bit rate calculation unit is larger than a predetermined threshold or not; and a bit rate change unit which changes a bit rate by selecting a predetermined parameter from the plurality of registered predetermined parameters to approximate the average bit rate to the predetermined threshold based on a determination result of the bit rate determination unit.