초록 ▼

In an electronic camera, during a photographing operation for photographing a white sheet of paper or the like to obtain white balance data, a plurality of distance measuring points provided in an automatic focusing mechanism are restricted to only the one that is located at a central portion of the

In an electronic camera, during a photographing operation for photographing a white sheet of paper or the like to obtain white balance data, a plurality of distance measuring points provided in an automatic focusing mechanism are restricted to only the one that is located at a central portion of the image plane. Further, a determination level used for determining an in-focus state in the automatic focusing mechanism is set lower than where an ordinary object is photographed. Accordingly, the photographing operation for obtaining white balance data can be completed for a short time. Furthermore, if the automatic focusing operation itself is inhibited during the photographing operation for photographing a white sheet of paper or the like to obtain white balance data, that photographing operation can be completed for a very short time.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A camera comprising: a white balance correcting circuit for correcting white balance of a picked-up image by picking up an image of first object on the basis of white balance data obtained by picking up an image of second object; a focusing circuit arranged to drive a l

The invention claimed is: 1. A camera comprising: a white balance correcting circuit for correcting white balance of a picked-up image by picking up an image of first object on the basis of white balance data obtained by picking up an image of second object; a focusing circuit arranged to drive a lens, wherein said lens is used for a focusing operation; and a control circuit for controlling to pick up the image of the second object without driving said lens used for said focusing operation after operation for picking up said image of said second object is selected by a user. 2. A camera according to claim 1, the second object is white in color. 3. A camera according to claim 1, further comprising: an operation element by which a user selects at least a first mode and a second mode; wherein said first mode is a mode in which said white balance correcting circuit corrects white balance of a picked-up image by picking up an image of third object on the basis of white balance data corresponding to a light source, which has been beforehand prepared, and said second mode is a mode in which said white balance correcting circuit corrects said white balance of said picked-up image by picking up said image of said first object on the basis of said white balance data obtained by picking up said image of said second object, a second control circuit for displaying a screen used for picking up an image of said second object in a display in said camera. 4. A camera according to claim 3, further comprising: a release switch, for picking up said image of said first object, which is operated by a user; a third control circuit for operating said focusing circuit and then picking up said image of said first object according to operation of said release switch. 5. A camera according to claim 4, wherein said image of said second object is picked up by operation of said release switch in said second mode. 6. A control method for controlling a camera having a focusing circuit arranged to drive a lens, wherein said lens is used for a focusing operation, said control method comprising the steps of: correcting white balance of a picked-up image by picking up an image of first object on the basis of white balance data obtained by picking up an image of second object; controlling to pick up the image of the second object without driving said lens used for said focusing operation after operation for picking up said image of said second object is selected.