Imaging element, imaging apparatus, and control method for imaging element
An imaging apparatus including a frame buffer executes high-speed shooting consecutively in plural sessions. An imaging element includes a buffer, an image producing unit, a managing unit, and an output unit. The image producing unit produces an image in the case where an empty capacity of any of plural areas in the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The managing unit causes an area whose empty capacity exceeds the predetermined threshold value, of the plural areas to retain the image as a buffering image. The output unit extracts the buffering image from the buffer and outputting the buffering image, in order of the retention of the buffering image.
1. An imaging element comprising:
a buffer that has a plurality of areas disposed therein; and
processing circuitry configured to:
produce an image in a case where an empty capacity of any of the plurality of areas exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
cause an area whose empty capacity exceeds the predetermined threshold value, of the plurality of areas to retain the image as a buffering image; and
extract the buffering image from the buffer and output the buffering image, in order of the retention of the buffering image,
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to produce the image as a preview image every time a predetermined cycle elapses in a predetermined normal shooting period and, in the case where an empty capacity of any of the plurality of areas exceeds the predetermined threshold value in a high-speed shooting period that is different from the predetermined normal shooting period, produce the image as a high-speed shooting image every time a cycle that is shorter than the predetermined cycle elapses, and cause the high-speed shooting image to be retained as the buffering image.
2. The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to output the preview image together with the buffering image every time the predetermined cycle elapses.
3. The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to
cause the buffer to retain the preview image together with the buffering image, and
extract the buffering image and the preview image from the buffer and output these images, in order of retention of these images.
4. The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to
extract the buffering image from the buffer and output the buffering image when a predetermined operation is executed.
5. The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to
extract the buffering image from the buffer and output the buffering image when the high-speed shooting period comes to an end.
6. The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to
extract and output the plurality of buffering images every time the predetermined cycle elapses.
7. An imaging apparatus comprising:
a buffer that has a plurality of areas disposed therein;
processing circuitry configured to:
produce an image in a case where an empty capacity of any of the plurality of areas exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
cause an area whose empty capacity exceeds the predetermined threshold value, of the plurality of areas to retain the image as a buffering image; and
extract the buffering image from the buffer and output the buffering image, in order of the retention of the buffering image; and
a recording device configured to record the output image,
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to produce the image as a preview image every time a predetermined cycle elapses in a predetermined normal shooting period and, in the case where an empty capacity of any of the plurality of areas exceeds the predetermined threshold value in a high-speed shooting period that is different from the predetermined normal shooting period, produce the image as a high-speed shooting image every time a cycle that is shorter than the predetermined cycle elapses, and cause the high-speed shooting image to be retained as the buffering image.
8. A control method for an imaging element, the control method comprising:
producing an image in a case where an empty capacity of any of a plurality of areas in a buffer that has the plurality of areas disposed therein exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
causing an area whose empty capacity exceeds the predetermined threshold value, of the plurality of areas to retain the image as a buffering image;
extracting the buffering image from the buffer and outputting the buffering image, in order of the retention of the buffering image;
producing the image as a preview image every time a predetermined cycle elapses in a predetermined normal shooting period and, in the case where an empty capacity of any of the plurality of areas exceeds the predetermined threshold value in a high-speed shooting period that is different from the predetermined normal shooting period, producing the image as a high-speed shooting image every time a cycle that is shorter than the predetermined cycle elapses; and
causing the high-speed shooting image to be retained as the buffering image.