Photography – Pseudo zoom
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-05
2003-01-14
Perkey, W. B. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Pseudo zoom
C396S311000, C355S040000, C358S451000, C358S453000, C358S487000, C358S302000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06507704
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing system in which an image having an angle of view different from that of a corresponding image actually photographed with a camera can be formed as a pseudo-zoomed print, and a pseudo-zoom camera used for the image processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In ordinary photographic printing systems, an image photographed on a film is printed at a standard printing magnification such that the entire photographed image area generally lies within an area of a photosensitive member having a certain size. On the other hand, a technique called digital zoom or pseudo-zoom is known which prints an image photographed on a film in such a manner that a predetermined central area of the image obtained by removing top, bottom, left-hand and right-hand portions of the photographed image each defined by a predetermined distance from the corresponding side is printed on a photosensitive member having the above-mentioned size at a magnification greater than the above-mentioned standard magnification. Cameras having a function of performing such pseudo-zoom function have been developed.
For example, JP 5-158111 A discloses a finder and a camera using the finder, the finder having an ordinary photography function, a pseudo-zoom photography function, i.e., designating an image area to be printed at a desired trimming magnification with respect to an area to be printed in ordinary photography, and a panoramic photography function, designating an area to be printed by removing top and bottom portions of an area to be printed in ordinary photography, the finder capable of changing the visual field area according to each photography function. The visual field area in the finder is changed according to each photography function so that the area to be actually printed from the image photographed by the photography function is indicated as a visual field area, so that an image viewed through the finder by a photographer coincides with the actually printed image, thereby ensuring that the photographer feels the printed image accord with the photographer's intention without giving any unnatural feeling to him/her.
JP 5-303129 A discloses a camera capable of changing the photography frame size in which the upper limit of the trimming magnification in pseudo-zoom is controlled, depending on the photography frame size on a film to prevent deterioration of granularity and lowering of resolution of a print in pseudo-zoom photography.
JP 6-266003 A discloses a camera capable of selecting any of a pseudo-zoom mode and a panoramic mode other than an ordinary photography mode in which, to obtain a high-quality image by such a construction where the panoramic mode cannot be set when the pseudo-zoom mode is selected to obtain a print which produces a pseudo-zoom effect.
JP 11-242261 A discloses a photographic camera for use in a pseudo-zoom printing system in which information on the pseudo-zoom magnification of each photographed frame is written into a photographic film or a recording medium provided in a film cartridge, the information on the pseudo-zoom magnification is read out during photograph printing, and the image area corresponding to the pseudo-zoom magnification is printed. A photographer taking a picture using this camera can easily select the pseudo-zoom magnification in accordance with the photographer's intention by visually confirming the image area corresponding to the pseudo-zoom magnification through a finder optical system.
Further JP 11-242289 A discloses a camera having a zoom lens as a picture-taking lens and a pseudo-zoom function, which is designed to improve operability by integrating the zoom function of the picture-taking lens and the pseudo-zoom function, so that a photographer using the zoom functions does not have any desirable feeling.
However, in the conventional cameras and photographic printing systems having pseudo-zoom functions, however, the method of designating in a photographed image a trimmed area to be printed is for center-timing such that the printed area is determined basically in a given size about a center of the frame when a photographer designates a pseudo-zoom magnification. The photographer cannot designate a particular printed area in the frame at will.
There are also problems that a print image quality by the pseudo-zoom function based on the conventional arts is not satisfactory.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-described problems of the conventional art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pseudo-zoom camera and an image processing system with which a photographer can take a picture by at the photographer's will, selecting a pseudo-zoom magnification and an image area when using a pseudo-zoom function, enabling printing with improved image quality when used the pseudo-zoom function. direction.
In order to overcome the above-mentioned problems, in the first aspect of the present invention, the pseudo-zoom camera is provided, in which at least a pseudo-zoom magnification is recorded as pseudo-zoom information on a photographic film, a film cartridge or a recording medium, and with which a service is available in which the pseudo-zoom magnification in pseudo-zoom information is read out at photographic printing and a picture area corresponding to the pseudo-zoom magnification is printed from a photographed image, the camera comprising: at least one of a pseudo-zoom magnification designation unit which designates the pseudo-zoom magnification and a pseudo-zoom pattern designation unit which designates a number representing a pseudo-zoom pattern obtained by patterning the pseudo-zoom pattern; or at least one of the pseudo-zoom magnification designation unit and said pseudo-zoom pattern designation unit, and a picture area designation unit which designates said picture area, wherein any of the pseudo-zoom magnification and the pseudo-zoom magnification number, or any of the pseudo-zoom magnification and the pseudo-zoom magnification pattern in combination with the picture area is recorded as pseudo-zoom information.
In a camera of the first aspect, it is preferable that the pseudo-zoom information can be recorded by each frame, each sequence of exposures, each designated area, or each image.
Therein, it is preferable that any of the pseudo-zoom information is recorded, when the photographic film, the film cartridge and the recording medium is fabricated, when any of the photographic film, the film cartridges and the recording medium is loaded into the camera, when any of the photographic film, the film cartridge and the recording medium is taken out from the camera, and any of when, before, and after the image is photographed.
Further, therein, it is preferable that the pseudo-zoom information is selected and designated from a plurality of kinds prepared in the pseudo-zoom printing service.
Furthermore, therein, it is preferable that the pseudo-zoom information comprises information items designated as a set with respect to a vertical and horizontal directions of the picture area, or designated with respect to a vertical and horizontal directions, separately.
Furthermore, therein, it is preferable that the pseudo-zoom magnification designated by the pseudo-zoom magnification designation unit or the pseudo-zoom pattern designated by the pseudo-zoom magnification pattern designation unit is limited corresponding to a kind of film.
Furthermore, therein, it is preferable that the pseudo-zoom magnification designated by the pseudo-zoom magnification designation unit or the pseudo-zoom pattern designated by the pseudo-zoom magnification pattern designation unit is limited corresponding to an exposure condition.
Additionally, in order to overcome the above-mentioned problems in a same way, in the second aspect of the present invention, an image processing system is provided, in which pseudo-zoom information recorded by the pseudo-zoom camera capable of recording a pseudo-zoom information is read out the pseudo-zo
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Perkey W. B.
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