Image file generation device, camera and image file generation method

Abstract

An image file generation device includes: an image file generation unit that generates an image file having stored therein a plurality of sets of image data obtained in a batch via an image sensor; and an image recording unit that records the image file into a storage medium, wherein: if the image file generation unit determines that an image file-splitting condition has been satisfied while the batch of image data is being obtained via the image sensor, the image file generation unit ends image data storage into the current image file and starts image data storage into a new image file.

1 . An image file generation device, comprising:
 an image file generation unit that generates an image file having stored therein a plurality of sets of image data obtained in a batch via an image sensor; and   an image recording unit that records the image file into a storage medium, wherein:   if the image file generation unit determines that an image file-splitting condition has been satisfied while the batch of image data is being obtained via the image sensor, the image file generation unit ends image data storage into the current image file and starts image data storage into a new image file.   
   
   
       2 . An image file generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the image file generation unit determines that the image file-splitting condition has been satisfied when a number of sets of image data stored in the image file exceeds a predetermined value.   
   
   
       3 . An image file generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the image file generation unit determines that the image file-splitting condition has been satisfied when a data size of the image file exceeds a predetermined data size.   
   
   
       4 . An image file generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a FAT file system is adopted as a file system in the storage medium;   the image file generation device further comprises a FAT memory where FAT information read out from a FAT area in the storage medium is stored; and   the image file generation unit determines that the image file-splitting condition has been satisfied with timing with which the FAT information having been rewritten in the FAT memory while the image data are recorded into the storage medium is written back into the storage medium from the FAT memory.   
   
   
       5 . An image file generation device according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the image file generation unit determines that the image file-splitting condition has been satisfied each time the FAT information in the FAT memory is written back into the storage medium.   
   
   
       6 . An image file generation device according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the image file generation unit determines that the image file-splitting condition has been satisfied when the FAT information in the FAT memory has been written back into the storage medium a predetermined number of times.   
   
   
       7 . An image file generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a user is allowed to select a setting for the image file-splitting condition.   
   
   
       8 . An image file generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the batch of image data is a batch of image data made up with a plurality of image data obtained through a single continuous shooting operation.   
   
   
       9 . An image file generation device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the batch of image data is a batch of image data made up with a plurality of image data obtained through a single continuous shooting operation; and   the image file generation unit determines that the image file-splitting condition has been satisfied when a continuous shooting speed has become lower.   
   
   
       10 . An image file generation device according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a focus adjustment unit that executes focus adjustment, wherein:   the focus adjustment unit executes focus adjustment before starting the continuous shooting operation and when the continuous shooting speed has become lower.   
   
   
       11 . An image file generation device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a deletion unit that deletes at least one set of image data among the plurality of image data stored in the image file in response to an instruction issued by the user; and   an integration unit that integrates a plurality of image files having been generated in correspondence to a batch of image data into a single image file by ensuring that the image file-splitting condition is satisfied if the deletion unit has deleted image data in an image file.   
   
   
       12 . A camera, comprising:
 an image sensor that obtains image data by capturing a subject image; and   an image file generation device according to  claim 1 .   
   
   
       13 . An image file generation method, comprising:
 an image file generation step of generating an image file having stored therein a plurality of image data obtained in a batch via an image sensor; and   an image recording step of recording the image file into a storage medium, wherein:   in the image file generation step, image data storage into a current image file is ended and image file storage into a new image file is started if an image file-splitting condition is determined to have been satisfied while the batch of image data is being obtained via the image sensor.   
   
   
       14 . An image file generation method, comprising:
 a deletion step of deleting at least one set of image data among a plurality of sets of image data stored in an image file in response to an instruction issued by a user; and   an integration step of integrating a plurality of image files generated in correspondence to a batch of image data into a single image file by ensuring that an image file-splitting condition is satisfied if image data have been deleted in the deletion step.   
   
   
       15 . A computer program product containing a program enabling a computer to execute an image file generation method according to  claim 13 .