Patent ID: 8300118

Claim:
An imaging method comprising the steps of: setting an exposure time of an 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 the 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; and 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, the digital zoom magnification setting step includes a step of 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 in the exposure time setting step, an exposure time of the imaging part is set not to exceed the maximum exposure time calculated in the calculating step.