Image capturing apparatus, control method thereof, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016173759-A1
Application number	US-201514961473-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image capturing apparatus capable of setting a focus detection area in an imaging range includes a photometry unit, a face detection unit configured to detect a face area, and a photometry area setting unit configured to set a position of a main photometry area. When a user sets the focus detection area and the face detection unit detects a face area, the photometry area setting unit determines whether to set a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the face area or to set a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the focus detection area based on information regarding the face area and information regarding the focus detection area set by the user, and the photometry unit performs photometry on the object based on the position of the main photometry area set by the photometry area setting unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image capturing apparatus enabling a user to set a focus detection area to a position in an imaging range, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
a photometry unit configured to perform photometry on an object; a face detection unit configured to detect a face area included in the imaging range; and a photometry area setting unit configured to set a position of a main photometry area in the imaging range, wherein, in a case where a user sets the focus detection area to a position in the imaging range and the face detection unit detects the face area, the photometry area setting unit determines whether to set a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the face area or to set a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the focus detection area based on information regarding the face area and information regarding the focus detection area set by the user, and wherein the photometry unit performs photometry on the object based on a position of the main photometry area set by the photometry area setting unit.

2 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in a case where a user sets the focus detection area to a position in the imaging range and the face detection unit detects the face area, the photometry area setting unit sets a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the face area if a distance between a position of the face area and a position of the focus detection area is smaller than a predetermined threshold value and sets a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the focus detection area if a distance between a position of the face area and a position of the focus detection area is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value.

3 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein, in a case where a plurality of the face areas is detected and the main photometry area is set to any of the plurality of the face areas, the photometry area setting unit sets a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to a face area of which a distance to the focus detection area is smallest among the plurality of the face areas.

4 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a human body detection unit configured to detect a human body area included in the imaging range,
wherein, in a case where a user sets the focus detection area to a position in the imaging range, the face detection unit detects the face area, and the human body detection unit detects the human body area, the photometry area setting unit sets a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the face area corresponding to the human body area if the focus detection area is superimposed on the human body area.

5 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in a case where a user sets the focus detection area to a position in the imaging range and the face detection unit does not detect the face area, the photometry area setting unit sets a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the focus detection area.

6 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
an exposure control unit configured to execute exposure control based on a photometry result by the photometry unit,
wherein the exposure control unit makes a degree of weighting regarding exposure control with respect to the photometry result at a position of the main photometry area in the imaging range larger than that in an area other than the main photometry area in the imaging range to execute exposure control.

7 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the exposure control unit executes exposure control based on only a photometry result of the photometry unit corresponding to an object included in the main photometry area set by the photometry area setting unit.

8 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the main photometry area is an area of which a degree of weighting with respect to a photometry result of the photometry unit used for the exposure control is made larger than other areas in the imaging range.

9 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, even in a case where a position of the main photometry area is set to a position other than a position of the focus detection area set by a user, the position of the focus detection area is not changed until the user sets the focus detection area next.

10 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in a case where a user sets the focus detection area to a position in the imaging range and the face detection unit detects the face area, the photometry area setting unit sets a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the face area if a deviation amount of the imaging range in a predetermined period is larger than a value set in advance.

11 . An image capturing apparatus enabling a user to set a focus detection area to a position in an imaging range, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
a photometry unit configured to perform photometry on an object; a face detection unit configured to detect a face area included in the imaging range; a calculation unit configured to calculate a face evaluation value regarding a face area detected by the face detection unit; and a photometry area setting unit configured to set a position of a main photometry area in the imaging range, wherein, in a case where a user sets the focus detection area to a position in the imaging range and the face detection unit detects the face area, the photometry area setting unit sets the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the face area if an evaluation value regarding the face area calculated by the calculation unit is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value and sets the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the focus detection area if the evaluation value calculated by the calculation unit is smaller than the predetermined threshold value, and wherein the photometry unit performs photometry on the object based on a position of the main photometry area set by the photometry area setting unit.

12 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 11 ,
wherein, in a case where a user sets the focus detection area to a position in the imaging range and the face detection unit detects the face area, the photometry area setting unit sets a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the face area if a size of the face area is equal to or larger than a first threshold value and sets a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to the focus detection area if a size of the face area is smaller than the first threshold value.

13 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12 ,
wherein, in a case where a plurality of the face areas is detected and the main photometry area is set to any of the plurality of the face areas, the photometry area setting unit sets a position of the main photometry area to a position corresponding to a face area occupying a largest area in the imaging range among the plurality of the face areas.

14 . A method for controlling an image capturing apparatus enabling a user to set a focus detection area to a position in an imaging range, the method comprising:
performing photometry on an object; detecting a face area included in the imaging range; and performing photometry area setting for setting a position of a

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Nakamura Hinako

Classifications

• H04N23/71

  Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation · CPC title

• H04N23/635

  Region indicators; Field of view indicators · CPC title

• H04N23/611

  where the recognised objects include parts of the human body · CPC title

• H04N23/61

  based on recognised objects · CPC title

• H04N23/675 Primary

  comprising setting of focusing regions · CPC title