1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image pickup apparatus, and more particularly to an image pickup apparatus capable of switching modes and capable of selecting shooting conditions for still image shooting.
2. Description of the Related Art
In image pickup apparatuses, conventionally, well-known methods for viewing an object image are those using an optical viewfinder and using an electronic viewfinder. In a viewing method using an optical viewfinder, light flux for viewing is reflected by a mirror to present an object image, which is viewed by the user through the optical viewfinder. In a method of viewing with an electronic viewfinder, light flux for viewing is captured by, for example, a CMOS image sensor to display an object image on, e.g., a liquid crystal display device, which is viewed by the user.
Regarding capturing an object image with image pickup apparatuses, still image shooting and movie shooting are both well-known. In still image shooting, light flux for viewing is captured by, for example, a CMOS image sensor to display an object image on, for example, a liquid crystal display device. In movie shooting, light flux for viewing is continuously captured by, e.g., a CMOS image sensor for a short time, and the continuously captured still image is continuously reproduced on, e.g., a liquid crystal display device for a short time. Typically, when an image pickup apparatus performs still image shooting or movie shooting, imaging conditions are optimized to meet the purposes of each type of shooting; a still image shooting mode and a movie shooting mode are provided in such a manner.
As is well known, there are compact digital cameras and video cameras that improve operability in switching between a still image shooting mode and a movie shooting mode to perform still image shooting and movie shooting, respectively. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-208194 discusses a compact digital camera capable of instantaneous switching between a still image shooting mode and a movie shooting mode. Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-205009 discusses a video camera designed such that a user can perform shooting without making an error in switching between a still image shooting mode and a movie shooting mode.
Some recent-model digital single-lens reflex cameras are also capable of movie shooting. Such digital cameras have three shooting modes (namely, an optical viewfinder still image mode, a live view still image mode, and a movie mode) as will be discussed later in detail, and are switchable among those modes of operation. The optical viewfinder still image mode is a shooting mode in which a user takes a still image of an object while viewing the object image shown in the optical viewfinder. The live view still image mode is a shooting mode in which a user takes a still image of an object while viewing the object image shown in the electronic viewfinder. In the movie mode, a user takes a movie of an object while viewing the object image shown in the electronic viewfinder. In compact digital cameras and video cameras, an electronic viewfinder is typically employed to view an object. In other words, in compact digital cameras and video cameras, a still image shooting mode is the above-mentioned live view still image mode, and a movie shooting mode is the above-mentioned movie mode.
Patent Documents described above discuss techniques for improving the operability in switching between a live view still image mode and a movie mode, and do not discuss any techniques for improving operability in switching among three modes of operation including an optical viewfinder still image mode. In conventional digital single-lens reflex cameras, however, a complicated procedure is to be used to select an optical viewfinder still image mode, a live view still image mode, or a movie mode. For example, in many conventional digital single-lens reflex cameras, switching between an optical viewfinder still image mode and a live view still image mode may require pressing of a push button provided for purposes that are unrelated to mode switching, thus causing a user who is trying to switch the mode to press a wrong button. Likewise, operations for starting and stopping movie shooting also may require pressing of a push button provided for purposes that are unrelated to movie shooting; thus, this may cause a user performing the operation for starting or stopping movie shooting to press a wrong button down.
Furthermore, in many cases, a procedure used to switch between an optical viewfinder still image mode and a live view still image mode is the same as that used to switch between the optical viewfinder still image mode and a movie mode. Hence, such mode switching operation is difficult for a user who does not know that a viewfinder mode certainly becomes an electronic viewfinder mode when the live view still image mode or the movie mode is selected. In addition, in the case of a camera in which different mode-switching operations use the same procedure as described above, a user may erroneously press a movie start button while performing still image shooting in a live view still image mode, resulting in a misoperation in which unintended movie shooting occurs.
Moreover, in some digital cameras, switching between an optical viewfinder still image mode and a live view still image mode is performed by controlling a push button provided only for switching operation, while switching between the optical viewfinder still image mode and a movie mode is accomplished by turning a mode dial. A mode dial refers to typically an operation member used to select and set shooting conditions for still image shooting. For example, when a user selects a manual mode, still image shooting is performed based on the shutter speed and aperture value determined by the user. In switching operation performed using such a mode dial, the user can avoid a misoperation that may occur in a camera in which different mode-switching operations are carried out by the same procedure as described above. Nevertheless, since switching to a movie mode is made by rotating a mode dial, a user who desires to perform still image shooting during the movie mode cannot select still image shooting conditions, such as shutter speed and aperture value, in performing the still image shooting.
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