Method and apparatus for capturing a first image using a first configuration of a camera and capturing a second image using a second configuration of a camera
According to one aspect of the inventive concept there is provided a method of capturing images using a camera. The method comprises analyzing a view depicted by the digital camera and determining, based on the analysis, a subset of configurations of the digital camera. The method further comprises capturing, in response to a detection of an image capturing command at the camera, a set of at least two images using at least two different configurations of said subset of configurations.
1. A method of capturing images using a camera comprising:
at a processor analyzing a view depicted by the camera;
at said processor determining based on said analysis, a first configuration of the camera;
capturing, in response to a detection of an image capturing command at the camera, at least two images using at least two different configurations of the camera;
wherein a first image is captured using the first configuration of the camera; and wherein a second image is captured automatically using a second configuration in response to analysis of the first image, wherein the second configuration is determined based on analysis of the first image captured by the camera;
at the camera selecting a source image from the at least two images:
at the camera identifying a source area within the source image;
at the camera, identifying a target image selected from the at least two images, wherein the target image is an image selected by the processor based on a set of criteria in response to the source area of the source image being identified;
at the camera identifying a target area from the target image, wherein the target area is identified based on a location of the source area within the source image; and
at said processor replacing the source area with the target area from the target image to form a composite image.
2. A method of capturing images using a camera according to claim 1 wherein the analysing of a view includes identifying at least one feature of the view.
3. A method of capturing images using a camera according to claim 1 further comprising capturing, prior to detecting the image capturing command, at least one image of said view.
4. A method of capturing images according to claim 1 wherein the identifying of a source area is done using a user interface.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein a configuration comprises a camera related parameter and the camera related parameter includes at least one of: aperture, exposure time, exposure value, ISO, flash usage, flash strength, flash synchronization speed, colour settings, white balance, or focus point.
6. A camera comprising;
a processor configured for analysing a view depicted by a camera and based on said analysing determining a subset of configurations of said camera;
an image sensor configured to capture a plurality of images in response to an image capture command, at least two images using at least two different configurations of said camera;
wherein a first image is captured using the first configuration of the camera; and wherein a second image is automatically captured using a second configuration in response to analysis of the first image, wherein the second configuration is determined based on analysis of the first image captured by the camera;
a memory configured to store a plurality of images;
a display configured to present a source image from the plurality of images;
said processor configured for selecting a source area within the source image;
said processor configured for selecting a target image from the plurality of images based on a set of criteria in response to the source area of the source image being selected, and replacing the source area with a target area from the target image to form a composite image, wherein the target area is identified based on a location of the source area within the source image.
7. A camera according to claim 6 configured to capture at least one image of said view prior to detecting the image capturing command.
8. A camera according to claim 7 wherein the processor is configured to determine further configurations based on the at least one image.
9. A camera according to claim 8 wherein the further configuration comprise a camera related parameter which contains at least one of: aperture, exposure time, exposure value, ISO, flash usage, flash strength, flash synchronization speed, colour settings, white balance, or focus point.
10. A camera according to claim 6 wherein the processor is configured to identify the target area based on a coordinate location of the source area or a common feature in the source image and target image.
11. A camera according to claim 10 wherein the set of criteria include one or more criteria relating to image quality, such as; image sharpness, image contrast, dynamic range, or noise level.
12. A camera according to claim 10 wherein the set of criteria is a facial quality comprising at least one of: no closed eyes, the presence of a smile, and image sharpness in a region containing a face.
13. A camera according to claim 6 wherein a configuration is determined prior to capturing a plurality of images.
14. A camera according to claim 6 wherein a configuration comprises a camera related parameter which contains at least one of: aperture, exposure time, exposure value, ISO, flash usage, flash strength, flash synchronization speed, colour settings, white balance, or focus point.
15. A camera according to claim 6 wherein the processor is configured to identify at least one feature of said view during said act of analysing, said one feature including at least one of a light condition in the view, a color content of the view, or a type of the view depicted, such as a portrait, a group-portrait, a landscape, an urban environment or a moving object.
16. A camera according to claim 6 wherein the display is configured to show viewfinder images of the view, said viewfinder images being of lower than maximum quality and/or resolution supported by the image capturing device.
17. A camera according to claims 6 wherein the plurality of images are stored in the memory as an image sequence.
18. A camera comprising;
a processor configured for analysing a capturing condition of the camera and based on said analysing determining a subset of configurations of said camera;
an image sensor configured to capture a plurality of images in response to an image capture command, at least two images using at least two different configurations of said camera;
wherein a first image is automatically captured using the first configuration of the camera; and wherein a second image is captured using a second configuration in response to analysis of the first image, wherein the second configuration is determined based on analysis of the first image captured by the camera;
a memory configured to store a plurality of images;
a display configured to present a source image from the plurality of images;
said processor configured for selecting a source area within the source image;
said processor configured for selecting a target image from the plurality of images based on a set of criteria in response to the source area of the source image being selected; and
replacing the source area with a target area from the target image to form a composite image, wherein the target area is identified based on a location of the source area within the source image.
19. A camera according to claim 18 wherein the capturing condition is any one of: a time of day, a geographical location of the camera, an orientation of the camera, a sound received by the camera, or a movement condition of the camera.