Patent ID: 7782376

Claim:
An imaging method comprising a step of setting a zoom magnification when a digital zoom operation mode is selected for enlarging an image imaged by a 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 enlarging the image imaged by the imaging part at the zoom magnification set, wherein the imaging method includes the steps of: setting an imaging range in a vertical direction of the imaging part according to the zoom magnification set in the digital zoom step; 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 and driving the imaging part; and discarding, when the zoom magnification is changed in the digital zoom step, images imaged by the imaging part before and after the change of the zoom magnification to prevent the images from being used and discarding, when the digital zoom operation mode is selected and when an exposure time is increased, images imaged by the imaging part before the exposure time is increased to prevent the images from being used.