초록 ▼

There is provided an image capturing apparatus. An image capturing unit acquires a signal in a first acquisition mode or a second acquisition mode for each pixel of an image sensor. In the first acquisition mode, an image signal obtained by adding focus detection signals of a plurality of photoelect

There is provided an image capturing apparatus. An image capturing unit acquires a signal in a first acquisition mode or a second acquisition mode for each pixel of an image sensor. In the first acquisition mode, an image signal obtained by adding focus detection signals of a plurality of photoelectric conversion units of the pixel is acquired. In the second acquisition mode, the focus detection signals are acquired in addition to the image signal. The image capturing alternately captures a recording image and a focus detection image having a smaller number of pixels than the recording image, applies all pixels to the first acquisition mode when capturing the recording image, and applies at least a part of the pixels to the second acquisition mode when capturing the focus detection image.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An image capturing apparatus comprising: an image sensor including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that generate focus detection signals from light flux that have passed through different regions in an exit pupil in an optical system; anda

1. An image capturing apparatus comprising: an image sensor including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that generate focus detection signals from light flux that have passed through different regions in an exit pupil in an optical system; andan image capturing unit configured to continuously capture a plurality of images by using the image sensor, the image capturing unit being configured to acquire a signal in a first acquisition mode or a second acquisition mode for each pixel, the first acquisition mode being a mode in which an image signal obtained by adding the focus detection signals of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units is acquired, and the second acquisition mode being a mode in which the focus detection signals are acquired in addition to the image signal,wherein the image capturing unit is configured to alternately capture a recording image and a focus detection image having a smaller number of pixels than the recording image, apply all pixels to the first acquisition mode when capturing the recording image, and apply at least a part of the pixels to the second acquisition mode when capturing the focus detection image. 2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selecting unit configured to select a first continuous image capturing mode or a second continuous image capturing mode based on a predetermined condition, wherein the image capturing unit is configured to, if the first continuous image capturing mode is selected, continuously capture the recording image and apply at least a part of the pixels to the second acquisition mode when capturing the recording image, andthe image capturing unit is configured to, if the second continuous image capturing mode is selected, alternately capture the recording image and the focus detection image, apply all pixels to the first acquisition mode when capturing the recording image, and apply at least a part of the pixels to the second acquisition mode when capturing the focus detection image. 3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selecting unit is configured to select the first continuous image capturing mode if an expected noise level based on an image capturing condition is a first level, and select the second continuous image capturing mode if the expected noise level is a second level that is higher than the first level. 4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image capturing condition includes at least one of sensitivity, whether or not to execute black subtraction processing, temperature, and exposure time for capturing the recording image. 5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selecting unit is configured to select the first continuous image capturing mode if an aperture value for capturing the recording image is less than a threshold value, and select the second continuous image capturing mode if the aperture value for capturing the recording image is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and the image capturing unit is configured to, if the second continuous image capturing mode is selected, set an aperture value for capturing the focus detection image to be smaller than the aperture value for capturing the recording image. 6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect a speed of a subject, wherein the selecting unit is configured to select the first continuous image capturing mode if the speed of the subject is less than a threshold value, and select the second continuous image capturing mode if the speed of the subject is greater than or equal to the threshold value. 7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit configured to display the focus detection image in real time. 8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a display unit configured to display the focus detection image in real time, wherein the selecting unit is configured to select the first continuous image capturing mode if an expected noise level based on an image capturing condition is a first level, and select the second continuous image capturing mode if the expected noise level is a second level that is higher than the first level or a third level that is higher than the second level, andwhen capturing the focus detection image in the second continuous image capturing mode, the image capturing unit is configured to: apply a part of the pixels to the second acquisition mode if the expected noise level is the second level; andapply all pixels to the second acquisition mode if the expected noise level is the third level. 9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image capturing condition includes at least one of sensitivity, whether or not to execute black subtraction processing, temperature, and exposure time for capturing the recording image. 10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an exposure time for the focus detection image is shorter than an exposure time for the recording image. 11. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image capturing unit is configured to, if a part of the pixels is applied to the second acquisition mode when capturing the focus detection image, determine a position and a number of the part of the pixels each time image capturing is performed. 12. An image capturing apparatus comprising: an image sensor configured to output an image signal for generating an image and a focus detection signal for performing focus detection; anda controller configured to control a number of pixels used to output the image signal and the focus detection signal from the image sensor and a predetermined region for outputting the focus detection signal in the image sensor,wherein the controller, when successively acquiring first frames for recording from the image sensor, controls the number of pixels used to output the image signal and the focus detection signal from the image sensor in a second frame acquired between the successively acquired first frames, based on an image capturing condition, andthe controller performs control so as to not record the second frame acquired between the successively acquired first frames if the second frame has a smaller number of pixels than the successively acquired first frames. 13. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control so as to record the successively acquired first frames and the second frame acquired between the successively acquired first frames if the second frame has an equal number of pixels to the successively acquired first frames. 14. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control so as to not read the focus detection signal with respect to the successively acquired first frames if the second frame acquired between the successively acquired first frames has a smaller number of pixels than the successively acquired first frames. 15. An image capturing method for an image capturing apparatus comprising an image sensor including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that generate focus detection signals from light flux that have passed through different regions in an exit pupil in an optical system, the method comprising: continuously capturing a plurality of images by using the image sensor, wherein a signal is acquired in a first acquisition mode or a second acquisition mode for each pixel, the first acquisition mode being a mode in which an image signal obtained by adding the focus detection signals of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units is acquired, and the second acquisition mode being a mode in which the focus detection signals are acquired in addition to the image signal,wherein a recording image and a focus detection image having a smaller number of pixels than the recording image are alternately captured, all pixels are applied to the first acquisition mode when capturing the recording image, and at least a part of the pixels are applied to the second acquisition mode when capturing the focus detection image. 16. An image capturing method for an image capturing apparatus comprising an image sensor configured to output an image signal for generating an image and a focus detection signal for performing focus detection, the method comprising: controlling a number of pixels used to output the image signal and the focus detection signal from the image sensor and a predetermined region for outputting the focus detection signal in the image sensor,wherein, when first frames are successively acquired from the image sensor, the number of pixels used to output the image signal and the focus detection signal from the image sensor in a second frame acquired between the successively acquired first frames is controlled based on an image capturing condition, andthe second frame acquired between the successively acquired first frames is not recorded if the second frame has a smaller number of pixels than the successively acquired first frames. 17. An image capturing apparatus comprising: an image sensor including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that generate focus detection signals from light flux that have passed through different regions in an exit pupil in an optical system; anda processor and a memory which function as: an image capturing unit configured to continuously capture a plurality of images by using the image sensor, the image capturing unit being configured to acquire a signal in a first acquisition mode or a second acquisition mode for each pixel, the first acquisition mode being a mode in which an image signal obtained by adding the focus detection signals of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units is acquired, and the second acquisition mode being a mode in which the focus detection signals are acquired in addition to the image signal,wherein the image capturing unit is configured to alternately capture a recording image and a focus detection image having a smaller number of pixels than the recording image, apply all pixels to the first acquisition mode when capturing the recording image, and apply at least a part of the pixels to the second acquisition mode when capturing the focus detection image. 18. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the processor and the memory further function as: a selecting unit configured to select a first continuous image capturing mode or a second continuous image capturing mode based on a predetermined condition,wherein the image capturing unit is configured to, if the first continuous image capturing mode is selected, continuously capture the recording image and apply at least a part of the pixels to the second acquisition mode when capturing the recording image, andthe image capturing unit is configured to, if the second continuous image capturing mode is selected, alternately capture the recording image and the focus detection image, apply all pixels to the first acquisition mode when capturing the recording image, and apply at least a part of the pixels to the second acquisition mode when capturing the focus detection image. 19. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the selecting unit is configured to select the first continuous image capturing mode if an expected noise level based on an image capturing condition is a first level, and select the second continuous image capturing mode if the expected noise level is a second level that is higher than the first level. 20. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first frames are frames for recording still images, and the second frame is a frame for a live display still image. 21. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controller performs control such that the second frame acquired between the successively acquired first frames has a smaller number of pixels than the successively acquired first frames, thereby reducing noise generated in the image sensor.