Image capturing apparatus and method of reading out pixel signals from an image sensor
An image capturing apparatus including an image sensor including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and a column direction, and readout unit for reading out pixel signals from the plurality of pixels, setting unit for setting an imaging condition and control unit for selecting one of a readout mode between thinning readout mode in which the pixel signals are read out from the plurality of pixels while thinning out the plurality of pixels and a mixing readout mode in which the pixel signals of the plurality of pixels are mixed and readout according to the imaging condition set by the setting unit.
1. An image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and a column direction, and readout circuit configured to read out pixel signals from the plurality of pixels; and
a controller configured to select one of a thinning readout mode in which the pixel signals are read out from the plurality of pixels while thinning out the plurality of pixels and a combining readout mode in which the pixel signals of the plurality of pixels are combined and read out, and to control the readout circuit to read out the pixel signals in the selected readout mode,
wherein the controller controls the readout circuit to read out the pixel signals in the combining readout mode in a case where a sensitivity is equal to or lower than a predetermined sensitivity, and to read out the pixel signals in the thinning readout mode in a case where the sensitivity is higher than the predetermined sensitivity.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein thinning processing or combining processing performed in a case where the readout circuit reads out the pixel signals is performed in the column direction.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller further controls the readout circuit according to the temperature at the time of imaging.
4. An image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and a column direction, and a readout circuit configured to read out pixel signals from the plurality of pixels; and
a controller configured to select one of a thinning readout mode in which the pixel signals are read out from the plurality of pixels while thinning out the plurality of pixels and a combining readout mode in which the pixel signals of the plurality of pixels are combined and read out, and to control the readout circuit to read out the pixel signals in the selected readout mode,
wherein the controller controls the readout circuit to read out the pixel signals in the combining mode in a case where a noise level included in the pixel signals is not greater than a predetermined noise level, and to read out the pixel signals in the thinning readout mode in a case where the noise level is greater than the predetermined noise level.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein thinning processing or combining processing performed in a case where the readout circuit reads out the pixel signals is performed in the column direction.
6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the controller evaluates the noise level included in the pixel signals read out from the pixels of partial regions.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller evaluates the noise level included in the pixel signals read out from pixels of an optical black pixel region.
8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller evaluates the noise level included in the pixel signals read out from the pixels of a partial region in the combining readout mode.
9. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein a signal level difference between the combining readout mode and the thinning readout mode is corrected.
10. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein in the combining readout mode, charges of floating diffusions of the plurality of pixels are combined.
11. A method of controlling an image capturing apparatus including an image sensor that includes a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and a column direction and a readout circuit configured to read out pixel signals from the plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
selecting by a controller one of a thinning read mode in which the pixel signals are read out from the plurality of pixels while thinning out the plurality of pixels and a combining readout mode in Which the pixel signals of the plurality of pixels are combined and read out, and to control the readout circuit to read out the pixel signals in the selected readout mode,
wherein the controller controls the readout circuit to read out pixel signals in the combining readout mode in a case where a sensitivity is equal to or lower than a predetermined sensitivity, and to read out the pixel signals in the thinning readout mode in a case where the sensitivity is higher than the predetermined sensitivity.
12. A method of controlling an image capturing apparatus including an image sensor that includes a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and a column direction and a readout circuit configured to read out pixel signals from the plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
selecting by a controller one of a thinning readout mode in which the pixel signals are read out from the plurality of pixels while thinning out the plurality of pixels and a combining readout mode in which the pixel signals of the plurality of pixels are combined and read out, and to control the readout circuit to read out the pixel signals in the selected readout mode,
wherein the controller controls the readout circuit to read out the pixel signals in the combining readout mode in a case where a noise level included in the pixel signals is not greater than a predetermined noise level, and to read out the pixel signals in the thinning readout mode in a case where the noise level is greater than the predetermined noise level.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer of an image capturing apparatus to function as each unit of an image capturing apparatus, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and a column direction, and readout circuit configured to read out pixel signals from the plurality of pixels; and
a controller configured to select one of a thinning readout mode in which the pixel signals are read out from the plurality of pixels While thinning out the plurality of pixels and a combining readout mode in which the pixel signals of the plurality of pixels are combined and read out, and to control the readout circuit to read out the pixel signals in the selected readout mode,
wherein the controller controls the readout circuit to read out the pixel signals in the combining readout mode in a case where a sensitivity is equal to or lower than a predetermined sensitivity, and to read out the pixel signals in the thinning readout mode in a case where the sensitivity is higher than the predetermined sensitivity.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the combining readout mode, charges of floating diffusions of the plurality of pixels are combined.