Television – Camera – system and detail – Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-19
2004-01-06
Ho, Tuan (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
C348S096000, C358S506000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06674466
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for obtaining image data for outputting, by carrying out predetermined image processing of image data obtained by optically reading an image recorded on a film.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a technique is known in which frame images recorded on a photographic film are optically read by a reading sensor such as a CCD (charge coupled device) or the like, image processing such as enlargement and/or contraction, various corrections, or the like is performed with respect to digital image data obtained from the aforementioned reading, and an image is thereby formed on a recording material by using laser light which is modulated on the basis of digital image data for which the image processing has been completed.
In such a technique in which frame images are digitally read by the reading sensor such as the CCD or the like as described above, in order to realize highly accurate image reading, frame images are read preparatorily (so-called prescanning), reading conditions in accordance with densities or the like of frame images (for example, amount of light to be irradiated onto the frame images, time during which charge is accumulated in the CCD or the like) are determined, and the frame images are again read on the basis of the determined reading conditions (so-called fine scanning).
At the time of photographing using a camera, there are some cases in which an electronic flash is used. If photographing is carried out having emitted the electronic flash, although the light amount can be forced to increase, because the electronic flash has light distribution characteristics (distribution of a light amount), there is a tendency in which the light-dark contrast between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the image increases such that a main subject (a person) located at the center of the image becomes whitish while the peripheral background becomes dark, for example.
In this case, if the electronic flash is of a type to be loaded into a comparatively expensive camera, light amount can be adjusted, a light diffusing plate can be placed so as to make a light amount distribution even, and indirect lighting can be carried out.
However, especially in the case of an LF (lenticular film: film equipped with lens), since the electronic flash is designed to increase the light amount irradiated onto the main subject (because the light amount is concentrated at the image central portion, where the probability is high that the main subject is located thereat), a large difference is thereby caused between light distribution characteristics corresponding to the photographing distance between a photographer and the main subject and light distribution characteristics corresponding to the photographing distance between the photographer and the background.
FIG. 6
is a side view of a scene where a photographer
102
is taking a picture of a subject (person)
104
by locating the subject
104
as a center. A wall
106
is placed behind the subject
104
.
In this case, a photographing distance d from the photographer
102
to the subject
104
and a photographing distance d′ from the photographer
102
to the wall
106
have a relationship of d<d′.
When the photographer
102
takes a picture, as is shown in
FIG. 7A
, the center of light distribution characteristics of an electronic flash
100
S at a position of the subject
104
is located near an end of a shoulder of the subject
104
(see a point dc) while, as is shown in
FIG. 7B
, the center of the light distribution characteristics of the electronic flash
100
S at a position of the wall
106
is located behind the neck of the subject
104
(see a point d′c). Namely, as the photographing distance becomes longer, the center of the light distribution characteristics of the electronic flash
100
S moves closer to the center of the image photographed.
When the light distribution characteristics at the position of the subject
104
, which is shown in the graph of
FIG. 8A
, and the light distribution characteristics at the position of the wall
106
, which is shown in the graph of
FIG. 8B
, are compared to each other, it can be clearly seen that the light distribution characteristics at the position of the wall
106
are darker.
If there is such a light-dark contrast between the main subject and the background of an image, the image is not preferable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In consideration of the aforementioned facts, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus that can reduce the light-darkness contrast between the main subject and the background when the image, which is photographed by a camera by using the electronic flash, is read optically.
A first aspect of the present invention is an image processing apparatus for obtaining image data for outputting, by carrying out predetermined image processing of image data, comprising: photographing information obtaining means that obtains light distribution characteristics of an electronic flash, corresponding to a photographing distance; computing means that reads the light distribution characteristics of the electronic flash, and computes a light amount adjusting amount of the image on the basis of the light distribution characteristics read; and correcting means that corrects the image on the basis of the light amount adjusting amount which is computed by the computing means.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, the photographic information obtaining means obtains the light distribution characteristics of the electronic flash corresponding to the photographing distance. The computing means carries out light amount correction on the basis of the light distribution characteristics obtained.
When an image is photographed using the electronic flash, light distribution characteristics of the electronic flash vary in accordance with a photographing distance. Especially with an electronic flash having light distribution characteristics whose center is placed at the main subject of the image, the light amount of the background tends to decrease. Therefore, a feeling of visual disorder which is caused by the light amount difference between the main subject and the background can be mitigated by correcting the decreased light amount of the background through the aforementioned computation.
A second aspect of the present invention is an image processing apparatus for obtaining image data for outputting, by carrying out predetermined image processing of image data, comprising: photographing information obtaining means that obtains photographing information including light distribution characteristics of the electronic flash and the photographing distance of a camera; image separating means that separates the image into a main subject image portion and a background image portion; computing means that reads the light distribution characteristics of the electronic flash corresponding to the photographing distance to each of the main subject image portion and the background image portion, which have been separated from each other by the separating means, and computes a light amount adjusting amount of each of the main subject image portion and the background image portion on the basis of the light distribution characteristics thereof; correcting means that corrects each of the main subject image portion and the background image portion on the basis of the light amount adjusting amount which has been computed by the computing means; and combination means that combines the main subject image portion and the background image portion which have been corrected by the correcting means.
In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, after the photographed image has been read optically, it is converted to, for example, a digital image. Therefore, it becomes easy to separate the main subject image portion and the background image portion from each other. As a result, the main subj
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Ho Tuan
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