Display control apparatus, display control method, and image capturing apparatus

Abstract

A display control apparatus, comprises: a focus detection unit configured to detect, based on an image signal obtainable from an image sensor, a focus state and reliability of the image signal; and a display control unit configured to display in a display unit, when focus adjustment is performed by a manual operation, an index that indicates the focus state that was detected by the focus detection unit, wherein the display control unit changes a display format of the index according to the reliability.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display control apparatus, comprising:
 a focus detection unit configured to detect, based on an image signal obtainable from an image sensor, a focus state and reliability of the image signal; and   a display control unit configured to display in a display unit, when focus adjustment is performed by a manual operation, an index that indicates the focus state that was detected by the focus detection unit,   wherein the display control unit changes a display format of the index according to the reliability.   
     
     
         2 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the focus detection unit detects a defocus amount and a direction to an in-focus position, and
 the display control unit displays, as the index that indicates the focus state, in a case where the reliability is more than a first threshold value that has been determined in advance, an index that indicates the defocus amount and the direction.   
     
     
         3 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the first threshold value is set to a value for judging whether or not it is possible to rely on the defocus amount. 
     
     
         4 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the display control unit displays, as the index that indicates the focus state, in a case where the reliability is the first threshold value or less and is more than a second threshold value that is less than the first threshold value, an index that indicates the direction without indicating the defocus amount. 
     
     
         5 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the second threshold value is set to a value for judging whether or not it is possible to rely on the direction. 
     
     
         6 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the display control unit does not display, as the index that indicates the focus state, in a case where the reliability is the second threshold value or less, an index that indicates the defocus amount and the direction. 
     
     
         7 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the display control unit displays, in a case where the reliability is more than the second threshold value and the defocus amount is outside of a range that has been determined in advance, an index that indicates the defocus amount, fixed at a position that has been determined in advance. 
     
     
         8 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the display control unit performs display that indicates the defocus amount by performing display so as to move the index by a movement amount corresponding to the defocus amount, relative to a reference position. 
     
     
         9 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the display control unit changes a defocus amount that corresponds to a unit movement amount of the index, according to at least any of the defocus amount that was detected by the focus detection unit and an image shooting state. 
     
     
         10 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the display control unit performs control such that, in a case where the defocus amount that was detected by the focus detection unit is a first value, the defocus amount that corresponds to the unit movement amount of the index is increased in comparison to a case of a second value that is less than the first value. 
     
     
         11 . The display control apparatus according to claim  9 , wherein the image shooting state includes an aperture state, and the display control unit performs control such that, in a case of a first aperture value, the defocus amount that corresponds to the unit movement amount of the index is increased in comparison to a case of a second aperture value on a full-open aperture side relative to the first aperture value. 
     
     
         12 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the display control unit performs display such that, in a case where the defocus amount that was detected by the focus detection unit is within a predetermined range, the index moves by a movement amount corresponding to the defocus amount, and
 the predetermined range is set larger in the case of the first aperture value than in the case of the second aperture value.   
     
     
         13 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the image shooting state includes an illuminance state, and the display control unit performs control such that, in a case of a first illuminance, the defocus amount that corresponds to the unit movement amount of the index is increased in comparison to a case of a second illuminance that is brighter than the first illuminance. 
     
     
         14 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the image shooting state includes a state of focal length, and the display control unit performs control such that, in a case of a first focal length, the defocus amount that corresponds to the unit movement amount of the index is increased in comparison to a case of a second focal length on a wide angle side relative to the first focal length. 
     
     
         15 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the display control unit performs display such that, in a case where the defocus amount that was detected by the focus detection unit is within a predetermined range, the index moves by a movement amount corresponding to the defocus amount, and
 the predetermined range is set larger in the case of the first focal length than in the case of the second focal length.   
     
     
         16 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein a defocus amount that corresponds to a unit movement amount of the index is determined based on a depth of focus. 
     
     
         17 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined range is determined based on a depth of focus. 
     
     
         18 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the display control unit calculates an average value of defocus amounts that were obtained by a plurality of instances of detection, and based on the average value of a predetermined number of the defocus amounts, determines the defocus amount that corresponds to the unit movement amount of the index. 
     
     
         19 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the display control unit changes the predetermined number according to at least any of the defocus amount detected by the focus detection unit, an aperture state, and an illuminance state. 
     
     
         20 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the display control unit increases the predetermined number according to satisfaction of at least any of a case where the defocus amount is more than a predetermined value, a case where the aperture is on a small aperture side relative to a predetermined aperture value, and a case where illuminance is less than a predetermined illuminance. 
     
     
         21 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the display control unit calculates, a plurality of times, a movement amount of the index relative to the reference position, and based on an average value of a predetermined number of the movement amounts, determines a position to display the index. 
     
     
         22 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the display control unit changes the predetermined number according to at least any of the defocus amount detected by the focus detection unit, an aperture state, and an illuminance state. 
     
     
         23 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the display control unit increases the predetermined number according to satisfaction of at least any of a case where the defocus amount is more than a predetermined value, a case where the aperture is on a small aperture side relative to a predetermined aperture value, and a case where illuminance is less than a predetermined illuminance. 
     
     
         24 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an in-focus state determination unit configured to set an in-focus range of the defocus amount used for determining in-focus state based on the defocus amount that was detected by the focus detection unit,
 wherein the in-focus state determination unit changes the in-focus range in accordance with a focal length.   
     
     
         25 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the in-focus state determination unit performs control such that, in a case of a third focal length, the in-focus range is increased in comparison to a case of a fourth focal length on a wide angle side relative to the third focal length. 
     
     
         26 . The display control apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the in-focus state determination unit changes the in-focus range further based on a depth of focus. 
     
     
         27 . An image capturing apparatus, comprising:
 an image sensor having a plurality of pixels provided with a plurality of photoelectric converters for a single microlens, the image sensor receiving luminous flux incident through an imaging optical system with the plurality of photoelectric converters and outputting a pair of image signals; and   a display control apparatus that comprises:
 a focus detection unit configured to detect, based on the par of image signals output from the image sensor, a focus state by performing focus detection using a phase difference method and reliability of the pair of image signals; and 
 a display control unit configured to display in a display unit, when focus adjustment is performed by a manual operation, an index that indicates the focus state that was detected by the focus detection unit, 
   wherein the display control unit changes a display format of the index according to the reliability.   
     
     
         28 . A display control method, comprising:
 performing focus detection to detect, based on an image signal obtainable from an image sensor, a focus state and reliability of the image signal; and   performing display control to display in a display unit, when focus adjustment is performed by a manual operation, an index that indicates the focus state that was detected in the focus detection,   wherein in the display control, a display format of the index is changed according to the reliability.   
     
     
         29 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a display control method, comprising:
 performing focus detection to detect, based on an image signal obtainable from an image sensor, a focus state and reliability of the image signal; and   performing display control to display in a display unit, when focus adjustment is performed by a manual operation, an index that indicates the focus state that was detected in the focus detection,   wherein in the display control, a display format of the index is changed according to the reliability.