Method for photographing a target subject
A photographing method includes (a) setting a subject as a target subject; (b) determining, automatically, at least one of whether the target subject is at a periphery of a photographer's photographing range and whether the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range; and (c) responsive to one of a determination that the target subject is at a periphery of the photographer's photographing range and a determination that the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range, cropping, automatically, an image include the target subject using a digital zoom operation.
1. A photographing method comprising:
a) setting a subject as a target subject;
b) determining, automatically, at least one of whether the target subject is at a periphery of a photographer's photographing range and whether the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range;
c) responsive to one of a determination that the target subject is at a periphery of the photographer's photographing range, or a determination that the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range, cropping, automatically, an image include the target subject using a digital zoom operation; and
d) responsive to one of a determination that the target subject is at a periphery of the photographer's photographing range or a determination that the target subject is going out of the photographer's photographing range, zooming out using an optical zoom operation,
wherein a timing of the cropping operation is controlled in accordance with a speed of the optical zoom.
2. The photographing method according to claim 1 further comprising:
responsive to a determination that the target subject is at a periphery of the photographer's photographing range, reducing at least one of a zoom-in speed of the optical zoom operation and a cropping range changing speed of the digital zoom operation.
3. A photographing method comprising:
a) setting a subject as a target subject;
b) determining, automatically, at least one of whether the target subject is at a periphery of a photographer's photographing range and whether the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range;
c) responsive to one of a determination that the target subject is at a periphery of the photographer's photographing range, or a determination that the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range, cropping, automatically, an image include the target subject using a digital zoom operation; and
d) responsive to one of a determination that the target subject is at a periphery of the photographer's photographing range and a determination that the target subject is going out of the photographer's photographing range, zooming out using an optical zoom operation,
wherein the optical zooming out and the cropping are performed when it is determined that the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range due to at least one of the optical zooming in, a moving of the photographer's photographing range and motion of the target subject.
4. The photographing method according to claim 1 wherein the act of cropping the image is performed such that the target subject is provided near a center of the photographer's photographing range.
5. A photographing method comprising:
a) setting a subject as a target subject;
b) determining, automatically, at least one of whether the target subject is at a periphery of a photographer's photographing range and whether the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range;
c) responsive to one of a determination that the target subject is at a periphery of the photographer's photographing range, or a determination that the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range, cropping, automatically, an image include the target subject using a digital zoom operation; and
d) responsive to one of a determination that the target subject is at a periphery of the photographer's photographing range and a determination that the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range, zooming out using an optical zoom operation,
wherein the cropping and optical zooming out are combined such that a changing speed of a photographer's photographing range is constant.
6. For use in a digital imaging apparatus including an image capturing unit and a lens system for directing light onto the image capturing unit and being capable of providing an optical zoom operation, the digital imaging apparatus capable of performing a digital zoom operation, a photographing method for maintaining a target subject within a photographer's photographing range defined by the smaller of the bounds of the image capturing unit and a cropped portion of the image capturing unit, the method comprising:
a) repeatedly capturing, by the image capturing unit, an image including the target subject;
b) for each of the images captured,
1) determining, automatically, a distance of the target subject from a center of the photographer's photographing range, and
2) when an optical zooming in is performed, responsive to a determination that a distance of the target subject from the center of the photographer's photographing range is greater than a predetermined value, performing (A) an optical zooming out and (B) a digital cropping, such that the target subject remains within the photographer's photographing range.
7. The method according to claim 6 wherein:
responsive to zoom operation to zooming telephoto angle, performing at least one of (A) the optical zooming out or (B) the digital cropping.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein:
performing at least one of (A) the optical zooming out or (B) the digital cropping so that the photographing range is a telephoto angle.
9. The method according to claim 6 wherein:
the optical zooming out and the digital cropping are performed cooperatively.
10. The method according to claim 9 wherein:
the optical zooming out and the digital cropping are performed cooperatively so that the photographing range is a telephoto angle.