초록 ▼

In a still image shooting mode, when a user does not specify a position of an AF frame, an AF process is performed for an AF region of a comparatively large range whose center is in a center of a shooting frame. When the user taps on any position in an EVF area, a touch panel superimposed on a displ

In a still image shooting mode, when a user does not specify a position of an AF frame, an AF process is performed for an AF region of a comparatively large range whose center is in a center of a shooting frame. When the user taps on any position in an EVF area, a touch panel superimposed on a display detects its coordinates. An AF region smaller than the AF region when the user does not specify the position of the AF frame is arranged so that a center of the AF frame is on the coordinates. The AF process is carried out for the smaller AF region. When the user taps on the EVF area 221 twice at a short predetermined interval, a PDA returns the AF region to a state where the position of the AF frame 261 is not specified by the user.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An imaging method comprising: imaging a subject and capturing an image of the subject; adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range; receiving a user designation regarding a position in the firs

What is claimed is: 1. An imaging method comprising: imaging a subject and capturing an image of the subject; adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range; receiving a user designation regarding a position in the first region within the imaging range; and setting the first region initially at a first range and at a position within the imaging range, whereby a center of the first region is located at a center of the imaging range if the user designation is not received, and upon receiving the user designation, the center of the first region being located at specified coordinates and the range of the first region being set up is smaller than the first range, and upon receiving a further user designation, returning the center of the first region to the center of the imaging range and the range of the first region to the first range. 2. The imaging method according to claim 1, further comprising: displaying a moving image obtained by imaging of the subject. 3. The imaging method according to claim 2, further comprising: initializing the setup of the first region and returning the setup from a state where the user designation is received, to a state where the user designation is not received, wherein: the received designation further receives an instruction to initialize the setup of the first region with a second method, and the initialization instruction initializes the setup of the first region based on the instruction received. 4. The imaging method according to claim 1, wherein: the focusing adjusts the focal length and focus on the subject if the imaging takes in a still image and if the setting sets up the position of the first region. 5. The imaging method according to claim 4, further comprising: prohibiting an adjusting process of the focusing if the focusing focuses on the subject that is included in the first region and if the imaging takes in the still image. 6. The imaging method according to claim 1, further comprising: adjusting an exposure for a second predetermined region within the imaging range, wherein the setting sets up a position of the second region so that a center of the second region is positioned at a center of the first region that is set at an arbitrary position within the imaging range based on the user designation. 7. The imaging method of claim 1, wherein: if the user designation is received, the range of the first region setup is always smaller than that of the case that the user designation is not received. 8. A computer readable memory including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform an imaging process, the imaging process comprising: imaging a subject to be imaged and capturing an image of the subject; adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range; receiving a user designation regarding a position in the first region within the imaging range; a display step for displaying an autofocus frame corresponding to the first region; and setting the first region initially at a first range and at a position within the imaging range whereby a center of the first region is located at a center of the imaging range if the user designation is not received, wherein a center of the first region is located at specified coordinates if the user designation is received; and the range of the first region being set up whereby, if the user designation is received, the range of the first region set up is smaller than the first range, and upon receiving a further user designation, returning the center of the first region to the center of the imaging range and the range of the first region to the first range. 9. The computer readable memory including computer executable instructions of claim 8, further comprising: displaying the image obtained by imaging of the subject. 10. The computer readable memory including computer executable instructions, according to claim 9, further comprising: initializing the setup of the first region and returning the setup from a state where the user designation is received, during receiving to a state where the user designation is not received; wherein the receiving further receives an instruction to initialize the setup of the first region with a second method, and the initialization instruction initializes the setup of the first region based on the instruction received during receiving. 11. The computer readable memory including computer executable instructions, according to claim 8, wherein: the focusing adjusts the focal length and focus on the subject if the imaging takes in a still image and if the setting sets up the position of the first region. 12. The computer readable memory including computer executable instructions, according to claim 11, further comprising: prohibiting an adjusting process of the focusing if the focusing focuses on the subject that is included in the first region and if the imaging takes in the still image. 13. The computer readable memory including computer executable instructions, according to claim 8, further comprising: adjusting an exposure for a second predetermined region within the imaging range, wherein the setting sets up a position of the second region so that a center of the second region is positioned at a center of the first region that is set at an arbitrary position within the imaging range based on the user designation received during receiving. 14. The computer readable memory including computer executable instructions, according to claim 8, wherein: if a user designation is received, the range of the first region setup is always smaller than that of a case that the user designation is not received. 15. An imaging apparatus comprising: imaging means for imaging a subject to be imaged and capturing an image of the subject; focusing means for adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range of the imaging means; reception means for receiving a user designation regarding a position at the first region within the imaging range; position setting means for setting the first region initially at a first range and at a position within the imaging range, whereby a center of the first region is located at a center of the imaging range, and upon receiving the user designation, the center of the first region is located at specified coordinates if the position designation is received by the reception means; and range setting means for setting up a range of the first region in such a way that, if the user designation is received by the reception means, the range of the first region set up is smaller than the first range, and upon receiving a further user designation, returning the center of the first region to the center of the imaging range and the range of the first region to the first range. 16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: display means for displaying a moving image obtained by imaging of the subject by the imaging means. 17. The imaging apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising: initialization means for initializing the setup of the first region and returning the setup from a state where the user designation is received by the reception means to a state where the user designation is not received, wherein: the reception means further receives an instruction to initialize the setup of the first region with a second method, and the initialization means initialize the setup of the first region based on the instruction received by the reception means. 18. The imaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein: the focusing means adjust the focal length and focus on the subject if the imaging means take in a still image and if the position setting means set up the position of the first region. 19. The imaging apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising: prohibition means for prohibiting an adjusting process of the focusing means if the focusing means focus on the subject that is included in the first region and if the imaging means takes in the still image. 20. The imaging apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: exposure adjustment means for adjusting an exposure for a second predetermined region within the imaging range, wherein the position setting means set up a position of the second region so that a center of the second region is positioned at a center of the first region that is set at an arbitrary position within the imaging range based on the user designation received by the reception means. 21. The imaging apparatus of claim 15, wherein: if the user designation is received, the range of the first region setup is always smaller than that of a case that the user designation is not received. 22. An imaging apparatus comprising: imaging means for imaging a subject to be imaged and capturing an image of the subject; focusing means for adjusting a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range of the imaging means; reception means for receiving a user designation regarding a position at the first region within the imaging range; position setting means for setting the first region initially at a first range and at a position within the imaging range, whereby a center of the first region is located at a center of the imaging range, and upon receiving the user designation, the center of the first region is located at specified coordinates if the position designation is received by the reception means; range setting means for setting up a range of the first region whereby if the user designation is received by the reception means, the range of the first region set up is smaller than the first range, and upon receiving a further user designation, returning the center of the first region to the center of the imaging range and the range of the first region to the first range; and prohibition means for prohibiting adjustment of the focal length by the focusing means, wherein the focusing means adjust the focal length and focus on the subject if the imaging means take in a still image and if the position setting means set up the position of the first region; and the prohibition means prohibit the adjustment of the focusing means if the focusing means focus on the subject that is included in the first region and if the imaging means takes in the still image. 23. The imaging apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising: display means for displaying a moving image obtained by imaging of the subject by the imaging means. 24. The imaging apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising: initialization means for initializing the setup of the first region and returning the setup from a state where the user designation is received by the reception means to a state where the position designation is not received; wherein the reception means further receives an instruction to initialize the setup of the first region with a second method, and the initialization means initialize the setup of the first region based on the instruction received by the reception means. 25. The imaging apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising: exposure adjustment means for adjusting an exposure for a second predetermined region within the imaging range, wherein the position setting means set up a position of the second region so that a center of the second region is positioned at a center of the first region that is set at an arbitrary position within the imaging range based on the user designation received by the reception means. 26. The imaging apparatus of claim 22, wherein: if the user designation is received, the range of the first region setup is always smaller than that of a case that the user designation is not received. 27. An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging section for imaging a subject to be imaged and capturing an image of the subject; a focusing section configured to adjust a focal length and focusing on the subject which is included in a first predetermined region within an imaging range of the imaging section; a reception section configured to receive a user designation regarding a position in the first region within the imaging range; a position setting section configured to set the first region initially at a first range and at a position within the imaging range, whereby a center of the first region is located at a center of the imaging range, and upon receiving the user designation, the center of the first region is located at specified coordinates if the user designation is received by the reception section; and a range setting section sets up the range of the first region whereby, if the user designation is received by the reception section, the range of the first region set up is smaller than the first range, and upon receiving a further user designation, returning the center of the first region to the center of the imaging range and the range of the first region to the first range. 28. The imaging apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising: a display section configured to display a moving image obtained by imaging of the subject by the imaging section. 29. The imaging apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising: an initialization section configured to initialize the setup of the first region and to return the setup from a state where the user designation is received by the reception section to a state where the user designation is not received; wherein the reception section is further configured to receive an instruction to initialize the setup of the first region with a second method, and the initialization section is configured to initialize the setup of the first region based on the instruction received by the reception section. 30. The imaging apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising: an exposure adjustment section configured to adjust an exposure for a second predetermined region within the imaging range, wherein the position setting section sets up a position of the second region so that a center of the second region is positioned at a center of the first region that is set at an arbitrary position within the imaging range based on the user designation received by the reception section. 31. The imaging apparatus of claim 27, wherein: if the user designation is received, the range of the first region setup is always smaller than that of a case that the user designation is not received.