Electronic camera having continuous shooting function

Abstract

An electronic camera having a continuous shooting function includes a resolution conversion unit capable of performing resolution conversion at least at a high resolution and at a low resolution that is lower than the high resolution, an image compression unit capable of performing image compression at least at a low compression factor and at a high compression factor that is higher than the low compression factor, and when a continuous shooting unit executes continuous shooting, the image compression unit performs image compression at a high compression factor if the resolution at the resolution conversion unit is set to a low resolution.

1 . An electronic camera having a continuous shooting function, comprising: 
 an image capturing unit that captures a subject image;    a setting unit that sets operating parameters related to image processing performed during image capturing;    a resolution conversion unit that performs resolution conversion on image data of an image captured by said image capturing unit in correspondence to a resolution set at said setting unit;    an image compression unit that performs image compression on image data converted by said resolution conversion unit in correspondence to a compression factor set at said setting unit; and    a continuous shooting unit that performs continuous shooting of a subject image by continuously driving said image capturing unit, said resolution conversion unit and said image compression unit, wherein:    said resolution conversion unit is capable of performing resolution conversion at least at a high resolution and at a low resolution that is lower than the high resolution;    said image compression unit is capable of performing image compression at least at a low compression factor and at a high compression factor that is higher than the low compression factor; and    when said continuous shooting unit executes continuous shooting, said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor if the resolution at said resolution conversion unit is set to the low resolution.    
   
   
       2 . An electronic camera having a continuous shooting function according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 an instruction unit that issues instructions to ensure that said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution and said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor, without having to change settings for the resolution and the compression factor that have been set by said setting unit, is provided; and    when said continuous shooting unit executes continuous shooting, said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution and said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor in conformance to instructions issued at said instruction unit.    
   
   
       3 . An electronic camera having a continuous shooting function, comprising: 
 an image capturing unit that captures a subject image;    a setting unit that sets operating parameters related to image processing performed during image capturing;    a resolution conversion unit that performs resolution conversion on image data of an image captured by said image capturing unit in correspondence to a resolution set at said setting unit;    an image compression unit that performs image compression on image data converted by said resolution conversion unit in correspondence to a compression factor set at said setting unit; and    a continuous shooting unit that performs continuous shooting of a subject image by continuously driving said image capturing unit, said resolution conversion unit and said image compression unit, wherein:    said resolution conversion unit is capable of performing resolution conversion at least at a high resolution and at a low resolution that is lower than the high resolution;    said image compression unit is capable of performing image compression at least at a low compression factor and at a high compression factor that is higher than the low compression factor; and    when said continuous shooting unit executes continuous shooting, said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution if the compression factor at said image compression unit is set to the high compression factor.    
   
   
       4 . An electronic camera having a continuous shooting function according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 an instruction unit that issues instructions to ensure that said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution and said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor, without having to change settings for the resolution and the compression factor that have been set by said setting unit, is provided; and    when said continuous shooting unit executes continuous shooting, said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution and said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor in conformance to instructions issued at said instruction unit.    
   
   
       5 . An electronic camera having a continuous shooting function, comprising: 
 an image capturing unit that captures a subject image;    a setting unit that sets operating parameters related to image processing performed during image capturing;    a resolution conversion unit that performs resolution conversion on image data of an image captured by said image capturing unit in correspondence to a resolution set at said setting unit;    an image compression unit that performs image compression on image data converted by said resolution conversion unit in correspondence to a compression factor set at said setting unit; and    a continuous shooting unit that performs continuous shooting of a subject image by continuously driving said image capturing unit, said resolution conversion unit and said image compression unit, wherein:    said setting unit is capable of setting a continuous shooting speed at said continuous shooting unit at least at a normal speed and at a high speed that is higher than the normal speed;    said resolution conversion unit is capable of performing resolution conversion at least at a high resolution and at a low resolution that is lower than the high resolution;    said image compression unit is capable of performing image compression at least at a low compression factor and a high compression factor that is higher than the low compression factor; and    when said continuous shooting unit executes continuous shooting, said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution and said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor if the continuous shooting speed is set to the high speed.    
   
   
       6 . An electronic camera having a continuous shooting function according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 an instruction unit that issues instructions to ensure that said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution and said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor, without having to change settings for the resolution and the compression factor that have been set by said setting unit, is provided; and    when said continuous shooting unit executes continuous shooting and the continuous shooting speed is set to the high speed, said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution and said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor in conformance to instructions issued at said instruction unit.    
   
   
       7 . An electronic camera having a continuous shooting function, comprising: 
 an image capturing unit that captures a subject image;    a setting unit that sets operating parameters related to image processing performed during image capturing;    a resolution conversion unit that performs resolution conversion on image data of an image captured by said image capturing unit in correspondence to a resolution set at said setting unit;    an image compression unit that performs image compression on image data converted by said resolution conversion unit in correspondence to a compression factor set at said setting unit; and    a continuous shooting unit that performs continuous shooting of a subject image by continuously driving said image capturing unit, said resolution conversion unit and said image compression unit, wherein:    said resolution conversion unit is capable of performing resolution conversion at least at a high resolution and at a low resolution that is lower than the high resolution;    said image compression unit is capable of performing image compression at least at a low compression factor and at a high compression factor that is higher than the low compression factor; and    when said continuous shooting unit executes continuous shooting, said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution and said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor.    
   
   
       8 . An electronic camera having a continuous shooting function according to  claim 7 , wherein: 
 an instruction unit that issues instructions to ensure that said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution and said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor, without having to change settings for the resolution and the compression factor that have been set by said setting unit, is provided; and    when said continuous shooting unit executes continuous shooting, said resolution conversion unit performs resolution conversion at the low resolution and said image compression unit performs image compression at the high compression factor in conformance to instructions issued at said instruction unit.