JP2006332831A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus enabling appropriate automatic night mode operation by a simple configuration. <P>SOLUTION: The imaging apparatus comprises a photography optical system 1; an imaging means 7 for converting an object image formed by the photography optical system to an electric video signal; a near-infrared light removal means 4 for removing near-infrared light entering the optical path of the photography optical system; an insertion and removal means 3 for inserting and removing the near-infrared light removal means into and from the optical path; a brightness detection means 8 for detecting brightness in the visible light wavelength of the object; and a control means for controlling the insertion and removal means by at least one of output by detection at the side of the imaging means, and that by the detection of the brightness detection means. The range of the brightness detected by the brightness detection means is equal to, or is within the photography range of the photography optical system, and is set narrower than the photography ranges. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus having a near-infrared light removing unit configured to be inserted into and removed from an optical path in a photographing optical system.

  Since a color image can obtain color information as well as information on shape and brightness, identification of a photographing object is remarkably superior to a monochrome image. For this reason, a color image is usually taken by a surveillance camera or the like. However, image sensors such as CCDs widely used in cameras for monitoring purposes are sensitive not only to light in the visible range (λ = about 400 nm to about 700 nm) but also to light in the near infrared range (λ = about 700 nm or more). Therefore, the color balance of the photographed color image is out of order and the color of the subject cannot be reproduced correctly. Therefore, when shooting a color image using an image sensor, a near-infrared light cut filter (hereinafter referred to as an IR cut filter) for cutting near-infrared light is arranged in the incident light path of the shooting light. Yes.

  On the other hand, when photographing very dark subjects such as outdoors at night or indoors without lighting, the amount of incident light is insufficient. For this reason, a technique for clearly photographing a subject by amplifying an image signal output from the image sensor or the like is generally used. However, if the color image signal is greatly amplified, the S / N of the color signal is deteriorated and the image becomes noisy. On the contrary, the contour and shape of the subject are unclear. Also, under low illuminance, the color information is relatively low and the value of the color image is relatively low.

For this reason, a technique called night mode has been developed in which near-infrared light is also added to luminance information to photograph a subject more clearly and brightly. This is because in low-light shooting, the color information that deteriorates the S / N is discarded and the processing is changed to a monochrome image with only a luminance signal, and the IR cut filter is escaped from the optical path, and instead for optical path length correction. The dummy glass is inserted to add near infrared light to the luminance information. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an auto night mode technology that automatically switches between color and monochrome shooting modes.
Further, in Patent Document 2, a illuminance sensor for visible light is provided separately from the photographing optical system, and the illuminance detection means configured by the illuminance sensor detects the illuminance of the subject. A technique for switching to is proposed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-45512 JP 2000-224469 A

However, the conventional imaging device equipped with the auto night mode has the following problems in performing the auto night mode operation.
Conventionally, no consideration is given to the relationship between the illuminance detection range (view angle) of the illuminance detection means and the photographic range (view angle) of the photographic optical system. For example, when the illuminance detection range is wider than the shooting range of the photographic optical system, or when the illuminance detection range does not exist within the shooting range of the photographic optical system, the accurate brightness of the subject is not known. The night mode operation cannot be performed. Such a problem also occurs when the photographing range of the photographing optical system changes due to lens replacement or zoom operation.
Further, in the conventional apparatus, no consideration is given to the relationship between the imaging range (view angle) of the imaging optical system that changes with the zoom operation and the insertion / removal timing of the IR cut filter. For this reason, when the photographing range of the photographing optical system and the illuminance detection range of the illuminance detection means change relatively, it is impossible to perform an appropriate auto night mode operation.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus capable of performing an appropriate auto night mode operation with a simple configuration.

In order to achieve the above object, an imaging apparatus configured as follows is provided.
That is, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a photographic optical system, imaging means for converting a subject image formed by the photographic optical system into an electrical video signal, and near-infrared light incident on an optical path of the photographic optical system. A near-infrared light removing means for removing light, an insertion / removal means for inserting / removing the near-infrared light removing means into / from the optical path, a brightness detection means for detecting the brightness of the visible light wavelength of the subject, and the imaging means A control unit that controls the insertion / removal unit by at least one of an output by detection on the side or an output by detection by the brightness detection unit, and a range of brightness detected by the brightness detection unit is The imaging range of the imaging optical system is equal to or within the imaging range of the imaging optical system, and is set narrower than these imaging ranges. At this time, the control means for controlling the insertion / removal means controls to switch from the color mode to the black and white mode when the luminance detected on the imaging means side is a predetermined value or less, and detects on the imaging means side. When the luminance that has been detected is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and the luminance detected by the lightness detection means is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, control can be performed to switch from the monochrome mode to the color mode.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately detect the illuminance of the photographing range with a simple configuration, and it is possible to perform an appropriate auto night mode operation.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described by the following examples.

In the first embodiment, an imaging apparatus is configured by applying the above-described present invention.
First, a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus in the present embodiment.
In FIG. 1, 1 is an imaging lens, 2 is an optical axis of the imaging lens 1, and 3 is a filter switching mechanism. 4 is an infrared cut filter, 5 is a transparent substrate, and 6 is a motor.
The infrared cut filter 4 and the transparent substrate 5 are configured to be switched by a motor 6 as appropriate.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a CCD, 8 denotes a visible light sensor for detecting the illuminance in the photographing range, 9 denotes an optical axis of the visible light sensor, and 10 denotes a control circuit for controlling the imaging apparatus.
The control circuit 10 is configured to be able to input an external power supply and output an external video signal.

Next, the circuit configuration of the image pickup apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a circuit configuration in the image pickup apparatus of the present embodiment.
In FIG. 2, 21 is a camera control circuit, 22 is a CCD control circuit, 23 is a visible light sensor control circuit, 24 is a video signal processing circuit, 25 is an IR cut filter control circuit, 26 is a photometry circuit, and 27 is a video signal output circuit. It is.
As shown in FIG. 2, the control circuit 10 includes a camera control circuit 21, a CCD control circuit 22, a visible light sensor control circuit 23, a video signal processing circuit 24, an IR cut filter control circuit 25, a photometry circuit 26, and a video signal output circuit. 27.
Incident light that contributes to imaging enters the imaging lens 1, passes through the infrared cut filter 4 or the transparent substrate 5, and then enters the CCD 7. The light incident on the CCD 7 is signal-processed by the video signal processing circuit 24 and a color signal or a monochrome signal is output from the video signal output circuit 27 as a video signal.

Next, the relationship between the imaging range of the imaging apparatus and the illuminance detection range of the visible light sensor in this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 3 shows a diagram for explaining these relationships.
In FIG. 3, 31 is an imaging range of the imaging apparatus, and 32 is an illuminance detection range of the visible light sensor 8.
As shown in FIG. 3, the illuminance detection range 32 is set within the shooting range 31 and narrower than the shooting range 31. Further, in order to set the illuminance detection range 32 within the photographing range 31, the visible light sensor 8 is provided at a location different from the photographing lens. Specifically, the optical axis 9, which is the direction in which the sensitivity of the visible light sensor 8 is maximized, and the optical axis 2 of the imaging lens 1 are parallel and arranged in the vicinity thereof.
In the above configuration, the infrared cut filter 4 is inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7 in the color photographing mode, the color signal is output to the outside from the control circuit 10 as the video signal, and in the monochrome photographing mode. The transparent substrate 5 is inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, and the control circuit 10 outputs a black and white signal to the outside as a video signal.

Next, the operation of the control circuit 10 for switching between the color photographing mode and the black and white photographing mode of this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 4, the camera control circuit 21 determines whether or not the current shooting mode is the color mode in step S1. Here, when the result is Yes, the process proceeds to step S2, and it is determined whether or not the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or less than the threshold A2. When the luminance A is less than or equal to the threshold value A2, the process proceeds to step S3, and the switching operation to the monochrome mode is performed. That is, the filter switching mechanism 3 is driven by the motor 6 to switch from the infrared cut filter 4 to the transparent substrate 5, and the video signal output from the control circuit 10 is switched from the color signal to the monochrome signal.
If the current shooting mode is the monochrome mode in step S1, the process proceeds to step S4, and it is determined whether the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is greater than or equal to the threshold A1. Here, when the luminance A is equal to or higher than the threshold A1, it is determined whether or not the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is equal to or higher than the threshold B1 in step S5.

Here, when the luminance B is equal to or higher than the threshold value B1, a switching operation to the color mode is performed in step S6. That is, the filter switching mechanism 3 is driven by the motor 6 to switch from the transparent substrate 5 to the infrared cut filter 4, and the video signal output from the control circuit 10 is switched from the monochrome signal to the color signal.
The threshold A1 is set to a value larger than the threshold A2, and when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is between the threshold A1 and the threshold A2, step S1 to step S2 or step S1 to step S4 are repeated. It will be.

Further, the threshold value B1 is a value determined independently of the threshold value A1 and the threshold value A2 in accordance with the capability of the CCD 7 and the application of the imaging device. For example, if the application gives priority to color photography, the CCD 7 can perform color imaging. The brightness will be set to the limit.
Only when the luminance detected by the camera control circuit 21 in step S4 is greater than or equal to the threshold A1, the process proceeds to step S5, and it is determined whether or not the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is greater than or equal to the threshold B1.
That is, switching from the color mode to the monochrome mode is performed when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or less than the threshold value A2. The switching from the monochrome mode to the color mode is performed when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or higher than the threshold A1 and the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is equal to or higher than the threshold B1. At other times, the current imaging mode is maintained.

Note that when the infrared cut filter 4 and the transparent substrate 5 are inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, the focal position of the imaging optical system at a predetermined transmission wavelength is within the focal depth of the imaging optical system. The glass material and the plate thickness are configured so that the surfaces are arranged.
For example, in the case of an imaging device that prioritizes the sharpness of a captured image during illumination with infrared light, the focal position of the imaging optical system near the wavelength of 840 nm is the imaging surface of the CCD 7 within the focal depth of the imaging optical system. What is necessary is just to select a glass material, plate | board thickness, etc. so that it may arrange | position. In the case of an imaging apparatus that prioritizes the sharpness of a captured image at the time of color imaging, for example, the focal position of the imaging optical system at a wavelength of about 587 nm is arranged, and the imaging surface of the CCD 7 is arranged within the focal depth of the imaging optical system. The glass material and the plate thickness may be selected as shown.

  According to the present embodiment, the illuminance detection range 32 of the visible light sensor 8 is set to be narrower than the shooting range 31 in the shooting range 31. As a result, even when there is disturbance light such as high-intensity illumination outside the shooting range 31 and in the vicinity of the shooting range 31, the visible light sensor 8 detects illuminance by direct light from a light source outside the shooting range. It is possible to suppress this. Therefore, the illuminance of the shooting range 31 can be detected appropriately. That is, the visible light sensor control circuit 23 appropriately detects the luminance B, and it is possible to appropriately switch between the color photographing mode and the monochrome photographing mode in the flow in the flowchart.

In the second embodiment, an imaging apparatus having a different form from the first embodiment is configured by applying the present invention described above. FIGS. 5 to 8 are diagrams for explaining the present embodiment. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of overlapping portions is omitted.
First, a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus in the present embodiment.
In FIG. 5, 11 is a lens information storage unit, and 12 is a signal contact.
The lens information storage unit 11 is provided in the imaging lens 1 and stores optical information such as identification information and focal length of the imaging lens 1 and control information. The lens information storage unit 11 is electrically connected to the control circuit 10 via a signal contact 12 provided in a camera mount unit (not shown).
The lens information storage unit 11 stores a threshold value A1, a threshold value A2, and a threshold value B1. As in the first embodiment, the control circuit 10 is configured to be able to input an external power supply and output a video signal to the outside.

Next, the circuit configuration of the image pickup apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a circuit configuration in the image pickup apparatus of the present embodiment.
In FIG. 6, reference numeral 28 denotes a mounted lens determination circuit.
As shown in FIG. 6, the control circuit 10 includes a camera control circuit 21, a CCD control circuit 22, a visible light sensor control circuit 23, a video signal processing circuit 24, an IR cut filter control circuit 25, a photometry circuit 26, and a video signal output circuit. 27, a mounted lens determination circuit 28.
Incident light that contributes to imaging enters the imaging lens 1, passes through the infrared cut filter 4 or the transparent substrate 5, and then enters the CCD 7. The light incident on the CCD 7 is signal-processed by the video signal processing circuit 24 and a color signal or a monochrome signal is output from the video signal output circuit 27 as a video signal.

Next, the relationship between the imaging range of the imaging apparatus and the illuminance detection range of the visible light sensor in this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining these relationships.
7A, 7B, and 7C, reference numeral 33 denotes a shooting range when the imaging lens 1 is a wide-angle lens, 34 denotes a shooting range when the imaging lens 1 is a standard lens, and 35 denotes imaging. An imaging range when the lens 1 is a telephoto lens, and 36 is an illuminance detection range of the visible light sensor 8.

As shown in FIG. 7, the illuminance detection range 36 is set within the shooting ranges 33, 34, and 35 and narrower than the shooting ranges 33, 34, and 35.
Further, the optical axis 9 which is the direction in which the sensitivity of the visible light sensor 8 is maximized in order to set the illuminance detection range 32 within the photographing ranges 33, 34 and 35, and the optical axis 2 of the imaging lens 1 are parallel, and It is arranged in the vicinity. Here, the shooting range varies depending on the lens to be mounted, but the illuminance detection range 36 of the visible light sensor 8 is constant.
In the above configuration, the infrared cut filter 4 is inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7 in the color photographing mode, the color signal is output to the outside from the control circuit 10 as the video signal, and in the monochrome photographing mode. The transparent substrate 5 is inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, and the control circuit 10 outputs a black and white signal to the outside as a video signal.

Next, the operation of the control circuit 10 for switching between the color photographing mode and the black and white photographing mode of this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 8, in step S11, the currently mounted imaging lens 1 is determined by the mounted lens determination circuit. In step S 12, the threshold information A 1, threshold value A 2, and threshold value B 1 of the imaging lens 1 are read from the lens information storage unit 11 into the mounted lens determination circuit 28. In step S13, the camera control circuit 21 determines whether the current shooting mode is the color mode. Here, when the result is Yes, the process proceeds to step S14, and it is determined whether or not the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or less than the threshold value A2.

Here, when the luminance A is equal to or less than the threshold value A2, the process proceeds to step S15, and the switching operation to the monochrome mode is performed. That is, the filter switching mechanism 3 is driven by the motor 6 to switch from the infrared cut filter 4 to the transparent substrate 5, and the video signal output from the control circuit 10 is switched from the color signal to the monochrome signal.
If the current shooting mode is the monochrome mode in step S13, the process proceeds to step S16, and it is determined whether or not the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or higher than the threshold value A1. When the luminance A is equal to or higher than the threshold A1, the process proceeds to step S17, and it is determined whether or not the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is equal to or higher than the threshold B1.

If the luminance B is greater than or equal to the threshold value B1, the process proceeds to step S18, and a switching operation to the color mode is performed. That is, the filter switching mechanism 3 is driven by the motor 6 to switch from the transparent substrate 5 to the infrared cut filter 4, and the video signal output from the control circuit 10 is switched from the monochrome signal to the color signal.
The threshold value A1 is set to a value larger than the threshold value A2, and when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is between the threshold value A1 and the threshold value A2, step S13 to step S14 or step S13 to step S16 are repeated. It will be.

Further, the threshold value B1 is a value determined independently of the threshold value A1 and the threshold value A2 in accordance with the capability of the CCD 7 and the application of the imaging device. For example, if the application gives priority to color photography, the CCD 7 can perform color imaging. The brightness will be set to the limit.
Only when the luminance detected by the camera control circuit 21 in step S16 is greater than or equal to the threshold A1, it is determined whether or not the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is greater than or equal to the threshold B1 in step S17. That is, switching from the color mode to the monochrome mode is performed when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or less than the threshold value A2. The switching from the monochrome mode to the color mode is performed when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or higher than the threshold A1 and the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is equal to or higher than the threshold B1. At other times, the current imaging mode is maintained.

As in the first embodiment, when the infrared cut filter 4 and the transparent substrate 5 are inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, the focal position of the imaging optical system at a predetermined transmission wavelength is the focus of the imaging optical system. The glass material, the plate thickness, and the like are configured so that the imaging surface of the CCD 7 is disposed within the depth.
For example, in the case of an imaging device that prioritizes the sharpness of a captured image during illumination with infrared light, the focal position of the imaging optical system near the wavelength of 840 nm is the imaging surface of the CCD 7 within the focal depth of the imaging optical system. It is only necessary to select a glass material, a plate thickness, etc. as arranged, and in the case of an imaging apparatus that prioritizes the sharpness of a captured image at the time of color imaging, for example, the focal position of the imaging optical system at a wavelength near 587 nm The glass material, the plate thickness, and the like may be selected so that the imaging surface of the CCD 7 is disposed within the focal depth of the imaging optical system.

In the present embodiment, not only the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained, but also the optimum threshold value A1, threshold value A2, and threshold value B1 are stored in the lens information storage unit 11 of the imaging lens 1 to be mounted, and this information is read out. Since the color photographing mode and the black and white photographing mode are switched, the imaging lens 1 can be exchanged. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately switch between the color photographing mode and the black and white photographing mode regardless of the photographing range (angle of view) of the mounted imaging lens 1.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the shooting range varies depending on the lens mounted, but the illuminance detection range 36 of the visible light sensor 8 is constant regardless of the mounted lens. For this reason, the ratio of the imaging ranges 33, 34, 35 and the illuminance detection range 36 of the visible light sensor 8 changes. In other words, the proportion of the illuminance detection range 36 of the visible light sensor 8 becomes smaller as the photographing range becomes wider than the photographing range. Therefore, for example, if the threshold A2 when the wide-angle lens is mounted is made larger than when the telephoto lens is mounted, and the shooting range becomes dark when the wide-angle lens is mounted, the monochrome mode is switched earlier than when the telephoto lens is mounted. This makes it possible to reliably photograph the subject.
Needless to say, the threshold A1, the threshold A2, and the threshold B1 may be determined not only by the photographing range of the lens but also by the open F number.

The third embodiment is configured by applying the above-described present invention to an imaging apparatus having a different form from the above-described embodiments. 9 to 12 are diagrams for explaining the present embodiment. The same components as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the overlapping portions is omitted.
First, a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 9 shows a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus in the present embodiment.
In FIG. 9, 8 a is a lens portion provided in the visible light sensor 8, 13 is a condensing lens provided movably in the direction of the optical axis 9 to adjust the illuminance detection range of the visible light sensor 8, and 14 is a collecting lens. It is a motor for moving the optical lens 13 in the direction of the optical axis 9 (indicated by an arrow in the figure).
As in the first and second embodiments, the control circuit 10 is configured to be able to input an external power supply and output a video signal to the outside.

Next, the circuit configuration of the image pickup apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of a circuit configuration in the image pickup apparatus of the present embodiment.
In FIG. 10, reference numeral 29 denotes a visible light sensor angle of view control circuit.
As shown in FIG. 10, the control circuit 10 includes a camera control circuit 21, a CCD control circuit 22, a visible light sensor control circuit 23, a video signal processing circuit 24, an IR cut filter control circuit 25, a photometry circuit 26, and a video signal output circuit. 27, a mounted lens determination circuit 28, and a visible light sensor field angle control circuit 29.
Incident light that contributes to imaging enters the imaging lens 1, passes through the infrared cut filter 4 or the transparent substrate 5, and then enters the CCD 7. The light incident on the CCD 7 is signal-processed by the video signal processing circuit 24 and a color signal or a monochrome signal is output from the video signal output circuit 27 as a video signal.

Next, the relationship between the imaging range of the imaging apparatus and the illuminance detection range of the visible light sensor in this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating these relationships. 11A shows a case where the mounted imaging lens 1 is a wide-angle lens, FIG. 11B shows a case where the mounted imaging lens 1 is a standard lens, and FIG. 11C shows a mounted imaging lens 1. Is a telephoto lens.
In FIG. 11, 37 is an illuminance detection range when the imaging lens 1 is a wide-angle lens, 38 is an illuminance detection range when the imaging lens 1 is a standard lens, and 39 is an illuminance detection range when the imaging lens 1 is a telephoto lens. .
As shown in FIG. 11, the illuminance detection ranges 37, 38, and 39 are adjusted to be narrower than the shooting ranges 33, 34, and 35 within the respective shooting ranges 33, 34, and 35. In other words, the visible light sensor angle-of-view control circuit 29 drives the motor 14 to move the condenser lens 13 in the direction of the optical axis 9 so that it is narrower than the photographing range within the photographing range.

Here, the position of the condenser lens 13 is stored in the lens information storage unit 11 of the mounted interchangeable lens, and this information is read by the mounted lens determination circuit 28 and then by the visible light sensor angle-of-view control circuit 29. The motor 14 is driven to move the condenser lens 13 to a predetermined position.
Further, in order to set the respective illuminance detection ranges 37, 38, 39 in the photographing ranges 33, 34, 35, the optical axis 9 that is the direction in which the sensitivity of the visible light sensor 8 is maximized and the optical axis 2 of the imaging lens 1. Are parallel and arranged in the vicinity thereof.
In the above configuration, in the color photographing mode, the infrared cut filter 4 is inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, and the control circuit 10 outputs a color signal to the outside as a video signal. In the monochrome imaging mode, the transparent substrate 5 is inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, and a monochrome signal is output from the control circuit 10 to the outside as a video signal.

Next, the operation of the control circuit 10 for switching between the color photographing mode and the black and white photographing mode of this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 12, in step S21, the currently mounted imaging lens 1 is determined by the mounted lens determination circuit. In step S 22, the position of the condenser lens 13 of the imaging lens 1 is read from the lens information storage unit 11 into the mounted lens determination circuit 28. In step S23, the visible light sensor field angle control circuit 29 drives the motor 14 to move the condenser lens 13 to the above position.
In step S24, the camera control circuit 21 determines whether or not the current shooting mode is the color mode. If Yes, it is determined in step S25 whether the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or less than the threshold value A2.

Here, when the luminance A is equal to or less than the threshold value A2, the process proceeds to step S26, and the switching operation to the monochrome mode is performed, that is, the filter switching mechanism 3 is driven by the motor 6, and the infrared cut filter 4 is transferred to the transparent substrate 5. And the video signal output from the control circuit 10 is switched from a color signal to a monochrome signal.
If the current shooting mode is the monochrome mode in step S24, the process proceeds to step S27, and it is determined whether or not the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is greater than or equal to the threshold A1. When the luminance A is equal to or higher than the threshold A1, the process proceeds to step S28, and it is determined whether the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is equal to or higher than the threshold B1.

When the brightness B is equal to or greater than the threshold value B1, the process proceeds to step S29 to perform the switching operation to the color mode, that is, the filter switching mechanism 3 is driven by the motor 6 and the transparent substrate 5 to the infrared cut filter 4 is driven. In addition to switching, the video signal output from the control circuit 10 is switched from a monochrome signal to a color signal.
The threshold value A1 is set to a value larger than the threshold value A2, and when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is between the threshold value A1 and the threshold value A2, step S24 to step S25, or step S24 to step S27 are repeated. It will be.

Further, the threshold value B1 is a value determined independently of the threshold value A1 and the threshold value A2 in accordance with the capability of the CCD 7 and the application of the imaging device. For example, if the application gives priority to color photography, the CCD 7 can perform color imaging. The brightness will be set to the limit.
Only when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 in step S27 is greater than or equal to the threshold A1, it is determined whether or not the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is greater than or equal to the threshold B1 in step S28. That is, switching from the color mode to the monochrome mode is performed when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or less than the threshold value A2. The switching from the monochrome mode to the color mode is performed when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or higher than the threshold A1 and the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is equal to or higher than the threshold B1. At other times, the current imaging mode is maintained.

  As in the first embodiment, when the infrared cut filter 4 and the transparent substrate 5 are inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, the focal position of the imaging optical system at a predetermined transmission wavelength is the focus of the imaging optical system. The glass material, the plate thickness, and the like are configured so that the imaging surface of the CCD 7 is disposed within the depth. For example, in the case of an imaging device that prioritizes the sharpness of a captured image during illumination with infrared light, the focal position of the imaging optical system near the wavelength of 840 nm is the imaging surface of the CCD 7 within the focal depth of the imaging optical system. What is necessary is just to select a glass material, plate | board thickness, etc. so that it may arrange | position. In the case of an imaging apparatus that prioritizes the sharpness of a captured image during color imaging, for example, the focal position of the imaging optical system at a wavelength of about 587 nm is disposed, and the imaging surface of the CCD 7 is disposed within the focal depth of the imaging optical system. The glass material and the plate thickness may be selected as shown.

In this embodiment, not only the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained, but also the optimum position of the condenser lens 13 can be stored in the lens information storage section 11 of the imaging lens 1 to be mounted. And this information is read and the condensing lens 13 is moved, and each illuminance detection range 37, 38, 39 with respect to the imaging ranges 33, 34, 35 of the mounted imaging lens 1 can be optimized. For example, the ratio of the illuminance detection ranges 37, 38, 39 to the shooting range can be made almost constant regardless of the shooting range of the mounted imaging lens 1, and thus the threshold value regardless of the shooting range of the mounted imaging lens 1. The values of A1, threshold A2, and threshold B1 can be made constant.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the imaging lens 1 can be exchanged, and the color imaging mode and the monochrome imaging mode can be performed regardless of the imaging range (field angle) of the mounted imaging lens 1. Can be appropriately switched.

The fourth embodiment is configured by applying the above-described present invention to an imaging apparatus having a different form from the above-described embodiments. Although FIGS. 13 to 16 are diagrams for explaining the present embodiment, the same components as those in the first to third embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of overlapping portions is omitted.
First, a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 13 shows a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus in the present embodiment.
In FIG. 13, reference numeral 15 denotes a motor for moving at least a part of the imaging lens 1 as a zoom lens in the direction of the optical axis 2 to change the focal length of the imaging lens 1 from the wide angle to the telephoto. Similarly to the first and second embodiments, the control circuit 10 is configured to be able to input an external power supply and output a video signal to the outside.

Next, the circuit configuration of the image pickup apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 14 shows a block diagram of a circuit configuration in the image pickup apparatus of the present embodiment.
In FIG. 14, reference numeral 30 denotes a focal length control circuit.
As shown in FIG. 14, the control circuit 10 includes a camera control circuit 21, a CCD control circuit 22, a visible light sensor control circuit 23, a video signal processing circuit 24, an IR cut filter control circuit 25, a photometry circuit 26, and a video signal output circuit. 27, a focal length control circuit 30.
Incident light that contributes to imaging enters the imaging lens 1, passes through the infrared cut filter 4 or the transparent substrate 5, and then enters the CCD 7. The light incident on the CCD 7 is signal-processed by the video signal processing circuit 24 and a color signal or a monochrome signal is output from the video signal output circuit 27 as a video signal.

Next, the relationship between the imaging range of the imaging apparatus and the illuminance detection range of the visible light sensor in this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 15 shows a diagram for explaining these relationships.
15A shows a case where the imaging lens 1 as a zoom lens has a wide-angle focal length, FIG. 15B shows a case where the imaging lens 1 as a zoom lens has an intermediate focal length, and FIG. 15C shows a zoom lens. This shows a case where the imaging lens 1 is a telephoto focal length.
In FIG. 15, reference numeral 40 denotes a shooting range when the imaging lens 1 has a wide-angle focal length, 41 denotes a shooting range when the imaging lens 1 has an intermediate focal length, and 42 denotes a shooting range when the imaging lens 1 has a telephoto focal length. . Reference numeral 43 denotes an illuminance detection range of the visible light sensor 8. As shown in the figure, the illuminance detection range 43 is set within the shooting range 40 and narrower than the shooting range 40.
Further, in order to set the illuminance detection range 43 within the photographing range 40, the optical axis 9 which is the direction in which the sensitivity of the visible light sensor 8 is maximized and the optical axis 2 of the imaging lens 1 are parallel and arranged in the vicinity thereof. Has been. Here, the shooting range varies depending on the lens to be mounted, but the illuminance detection range 43 of the visible light sensor 8 is constant.
In the above configuration, in the color photographing mode, the infrared cut filter 4 is inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, and the control circuit 10 outputs a color signal to the outside as a video signal. In the monochrome imaging mode, the transparent substrate 5 is inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, and a monochrome signal is output from the control circuit 10 to the outside as a video signal.

Next, the operation of the control circuit 10 for switching between the color photographing mode and the black and white photographing mode of this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 16, the focal length of the imaging lens 1 is detected by the focal length control circuit 30 in step S31. Then, the camera control circuit 21 reads out the optimum threshold value A1, threshold value A2, and threshold value B1 for each focal length of the imaging lens 1 stored in the focal length control circuit 30 in step S32. In step S33, the camera control circuit 21 determines whether or not the current shooting mode is the color mode. If Yes, it is determined in step S34 whether the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or less than the threshold value A2. To do.

Here, when the luminance A is equal to or less than the threshold value A2, the process proceeds to step S35, and the switching operation to the monochrome mode is performed, that is, the filter switching mechanism 3 is driven by the motor 6, and the infrared cut filter 4 is transferred to the transparent substrate 5. And the video signal output from the control circuit 10 is switched from a color signal to a monochrome signal.
If it is determined in step S33 that the current shooting mode is the monochrome mode, the process proceeds to step S36 to determine whether the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is greater than or equal to the threshold A1. When the luminance A is equal to or higher than the threshold A1, the process proceeds to step S37, and it is determined whether the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is equal to or higher than the threshold B1.
When the brightness B is greater than or equal to the threshold value B1, the process proceeds to step S38, where the switching operation to the color mode is performed, that is, the filter switching mechanism 3 is driven by the motor 6 and the transparent substrate 5 to the infrared cut filter 4 is driven. In addition to switching, the video signal output from the control circuit 10 is switched from a monochrome signal to a color signal.
The threshold value A1 is set to a value larger than the threshold value A2, and when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is between the threshold value A1 and the threshold value A2, steps S31 to S34 or steps S31 to S36 are repeated. It will be.

Further, the threshold value B1 is a value determined independently of the threshold value A1 and the threshold value A2 in accordance with the capability of the CCD 7 and the application of the imaging device. For example, if the application gives priority to color photography, the CCD 7 can perform color imaging. The brightness will be set to the limit.
Only when the luminance detected by the camera control circuit 21 in step S36 is greater than or equal to the threshold A1, it is determined whether or not the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is greater than or equal to the threshold B1 in step S37. That is, switching from the color mode to the monochrome mode is performed when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or less than the threshold value A2. The switching from the monochrome mode to the color mode is performed when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or higher than the threshold A1 and the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is equal to or higher than the threshold B1. At other times, the current imaging mode is maintained.

As in the first embodiment, when the infrared cut filter 4 and the transparent substrate 5 are inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, the focal position of the imaging optical system at a predetermined transmission wavelength is the focus of the imaging optical system. The glass material, the plate thickness, and the like are configured so that the imaging surface of the CCD 7 is disposed within the depth.
For example, in the case of an imaging device that prioritizes the sharpness of a captured image during illumination with infrared light, the focal position of the imaging optical system near the wavelength of 840 nm is the imaging surface of the CCD 7 within the focal depth of the imaging optical system. What is necessary is just to select a glass material, plate | board thickness, etc. so that it may arrange | position. In the case of an imaging apparatus that prioritizes the sharpness of a captured image at the time of color imaging, for example, the focal position of the imaging optical system at a wavelength of about 587 nm is arranged, and the imaging surface of the CCD 7 is arranged within the focal depth of the imaging optical system. The glass material and the plate thickness may be selected as shown.

In the present embodiment, not only the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained, but also the optimum threshold A1, threshold A2, and threshold B1 for each focal length are set in the focal length control circuit 30 that controls the imaging lens 1 that is a zoom lens. It can be memorized. Thus, since this information is read and the color photographing mode and the black and white photographing mode are switched, it is possible to correspond to the imaging lens 1 which is a zoom lens, and the color can be obtained regardless of the photographing range (field angle) of the imaging lens 1. It is possible to appropriately switch between the shooting mode and the monochrome shooting mode.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the shooting range changes depending on the focal length of the imaging lens 1, but the illuminance detection range 43 of the visible light sensor 8 is constant regardless of the focal length of the imaging lens 1. The ratio of the shooting ranges 40, 41, 42 and the illuminance detection range 43 of the visible light sensor 8 changes. In other words, the proportion of the illuminance detection range 43 of the visible light sensor 8 becomes smaller as the photographing range becomes wider than the photographing range.
Further, when the shooting range becomes narrow, the illuminance detection range 43 may become wider than the shooting ranges 41 and 42 as in the present embodiment. For this reason, if the threshold A2 in the wide-angle state is increased compared to when the imaging lens 1 is in the telephoto state, the shooting range becomes dark in the wide-angle state, and the black-and-white mode is switched earlier than in the telephoto state. The subject can be reliably photographed.
Needless to say, the threshold value A1, the threshold value A2, and the threshold value B1 may be determined by using not only the focal length of the imaging lens 1 but also the open F number that changes depending on the focal length of the imaging lens 1 as one of the parameters.

In the fifth embodiment, an imaging apparatus having a form different from those of the above embodiments is configured by applying the above-described present invention. FIGS. 17 to 20 are diagrams for explaining the present embodiment. The same components as those in the first to fourth embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of overlapping portions is omitted.
FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment, and the control circuit 10 can input an external power source and output a video signal to the outside in the same manner as the first and second embodiments. It is configured as follows.
FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a circuit configuration of the image pickup apparatus of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 18, the control circuit 10 includes a camera control circuit 21, a CCD control circuit 22, a visible light sensor control circuit 23, a video signal processing circuit 24, an IR cut filter control circuit 25, a photometry circuit 26, and a video signal output circuit. 27, a visible light sensor angle of view control circuit 29, and a focal length control circuit 30.
Incident light that contributes to imaging enters the imaging lens 1, passes through the infrared cut filter 4 or the transparent substrate 5, and then enters the CCD 7. The light incident on the CCD 7 is signal-processed by the video signal processing circuit 24 and a color signal or a monochrome signal is output from the video signal output circuit 27 as a video signal.

Next, the relationship between the imaging range of the imaging apparatus and the illuminance detection range of the visible light sensor in this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 19 shows a diagram for explaining these relationships. 19A shows a case where the imaging lens 1 as a zoom lens has a wide-angle focal length, FIG. 19B shows a case where the imaging lens 1 as a zoom lens has an intermediate focal length, and FIG. 19C shows a zoom lens. This shows a case where the imaging lens 1 is a telephoto focal length.
In FIG. 19, reference numeral 44 denotes a shooting range when the imaging lens 1 has a wide-angle focal length, 45 denotes a shooting range when the imaging lens 1 has an intermediate focal length, and 46 denotes a shooting range when the imaging lens 1 has a telephoto focal length. . Reference numeral 47 denotes an illuminance detection range when the imaging lens 1 has a wide focal length, 48 denotes an illuminance detection range when the imaging lens 1 has an intermediate focal length, and 49 denotes an illuminance detection range when the imaging lens 1 has a telephoto focal length. is there.
As shown in the figure, the illuminance detection ranges 47, 48, and 49 are adjusted to be narrower than the shooting ranges 44, 45, and 46 in the respective shooting ranges 44, 45, and 46. That is, the visible light sensor angle of view control circuit 29 drives the motor 14 to move the condenser lens 13 in the direction of the optical axis 9 so that it is narrower in the illuminance detection range and in the shooting range.
Further, in order to set the illuminance detection ranges 47, 48, and 49 within the shooting ranges 44, 45, and 46, the optical axis 9 that is the direction in which the sensitivity of the visible light sensor 8 is maximized and the optical axis 2 of the imaging lens 1. Are parallel and arranged in the vicinity thereof.
In the above configuration, in the color photographing mode, the infrared cut filter 4 is inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, and the control circuit 10 outputs a color signal to the outside as a video signal. In the monochrome imaging mode, the transparent substrate 5 is inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, and a monochrome signal is output from the control circuit 10 to the outside as a video signal.

Next, the operation of the control circuit 10 for switching between the color photographing mode and the black and white photographing mode of this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 20, the focal length of the imaging lens 1 is detected by the focal length control circuit 30 in step S39. And the said detected from the positional information on the condensing lens 13 for setting it as the optimal illumination intensity detection range of the visible light sensor 8 for every focal distance of the imaging lens 1 memorize | stored in the focal distance control circuit 30 by step S40. The position of the condenser lens 13 corresponding to the focal length is read out. In step S41, the visible light sensor field angle control circuit 29 drives the motor 14 to move the condenser lens 13 to the above position. In step S42, the camera control circuit 21 determines whether or not the current shooting mode is the color mode. If Yes, it is determined in step S43 whether the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or less than the threshold value A2.

Here, when the luminance A is equal to or less than the threshold value A2, the process proceeds to step S44, and the switching operation to the monochrome mode is performed. That is, the filter switching mechanism 3 is driven by the motor 6 to switch from the infrared cut filter 4 to the transparent substrate 5, and the video signal output from the control circuit 10 is switched from the color signal to the monochrome signal.
If the current shooting mode is the monochrome mode in step S42, it is determined in step S45 whether or not the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or greater than the threshold value A1. When the luminance A is greater than or equal to the threshold A1, it is determined in step S46 whether or not the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is greater than or equal to the threshold B1.

On the other hand, when the luminance B is equal to or higher than the threshold value B1, the process proceeds to step S47, and the switching operation to the color mode is performed. That is, the filter switching mechanism 3 is driven by the motor 6 to switch from the transparent substrate 5 to the infrared cut filter 4, and the video signal output from the control circuit 10 is switched from the monochrome signal to the color signal.
The threshold value A1 is set to a value larger than the threshold value A2. When the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is between the threshold value A1 and the threshold value A2, steps S39 to S43 or steps S39 to S45 are repeated. It will be.

Further, the threshold value B1 is a value determined independently of the threshold value A1 and the threshold value A2 in accordance with the capability of the CCD 7 and the application of the imaging device. For example, if the application gives priority to color photography, the CCD 7 can perform color imaging. The brightness will be set to the limit.
Only when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 in step S45 is greater than or equal to the threshold A1, it is determined whether or not the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is greater than or equal to the threshold B1 in step S46. That is, switching from the color mode to the monochrome mode is performed when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or less than the threshold value A2. The switching from the monochrome mode to the color mode is performed when the luminance A detected by the camera control circuit 21 is equal to or higher than the threshold A1 and the luminance B detected by the visible light sensor control circuit 23 is equal to or higher than the threshold B1. At other times, the current imaging mode is maintained.

  As in the first embodiment, when the infrared cut filter 4 and the transparent substrate 5 are inserted between the imaging lens 1 and the CCD 7, the focal position of the imaging optical system at a predetermined transmission wavelength is the focal depth of the imaging optical system. The glass material, the plate thickness, and the like are configured so that the imaging surface of the CCD 7 is disposed therein. For example, in the case of an imaging device that prioritizes the sharpness of a captured image during illumination with infrared light, the focal position of the imaging optical system near the wavelength of 840 nm is the imaging surface of the CCD 7 within the focal depth of the imaging optical system. What is necessary is just to select a glass material, plate | board thickness, etc. so that it may arrange | position. In the case of an imaging apparatus that prioritizes the sharpness of a captured image at the time of color imaging, for example, the focal position of the imaging optical system at a wavelength of about 587 nm is arranged, and the imaging surface of the CCD 7 is arranged within the focal depth of the imaging optical system. The glass material and the plate thickness may be selected as shown.

In the present embodiment, not only the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained, but also when the imaging lens 1 is a zoom lens, the video signal can be appropriately switched from the color signal to the monochrome signal. That is, the position of the condensing lens 13 is adjusted so as to obtain an optimum illuminance detection range of the visible light sensor 8 in accordance with the focal length of the imaging lens 1 so that an appropriate auto night mode operation can be performed. For this reason, it is possible to optimize the respective illuminance detection ranges 47, 48, and 49 with respect to the shooting ranges 44, 45, and 46 based on the focal length of the imaging lens 1. For example, the ratio of the illuminance detection ranges 47, 48, and 49 to the shooting range can be made substantially constant regardless of the shooting range 44, 45, 46 of the imaging lens 1, so that it does not depend on the shooting range of the mounted imaging lens 1. The threshold value A1, the threshold value A2, and the threshold value B1 may be constant.
As described above, the focal length of the imaging lens 1 can be adjusted, and switching between the color photographing mode and the monochrome photographing mode can be appropriately performed regardless of the photographing range (field angle) of the imaging lens 1.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a shooting range of the imaging apparatus and an illuminance detection range of a visible light sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIGS. 7A to 7C are diagrams illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 7A to 7C are diagrams illustrating a relationship between an imaging range of an imaging apparatus and an illuminance detection range of a visible light sensor. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. FIGS. 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a relationship between an imaging range of an imaging apparatus and an illuminance detection range of a visible light sensor. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an imaging apparatus according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. FIGS. 15A to 15C are diagrams illustrating a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 15A to 15C are diagrams illustrating a relationship between an imaging range of an imaging apparatus and an illuminance detection range of a visible light sensor. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an imaging apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 19A to 19C are diagrams illustrating a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 19A to 19C are diagrams illustrating a relationship between an imaging range of an imaging apparatus and an illuminance detection range of a visible light sensor. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the operation of an imaging apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: Imaging lens
2: Optical axis 3: Filter switching mechanism
4: Infrared cut filter 5: Transparent substrate 6: Motor 7: CCD
8: Visible light sensor 9: Optical axis 10: Control circuit 11: Lens information storage unit
12: Signal contact 13: Condensing lens 14: Motor 15: Motor 21: Camera control circuit 22: CCD control circuit 23: Visible light sensor control circuit 24: Video signal processing circuit 25: IR cut filter control circuit 26: Photometry circuit 27 : Video signal output circuit 28: Mounted lens determination circuit
29: Visible light sensor angle of view control circuit 30: Focal length control circuit

Claims (9)

Photographic optics,
Imaging means for converting a subject image formed by the imaging optical system into an electrical video signal;
Near-infrared light removing means for removing near-infrared light incident on the optical path of the photographing optical system;
Insertion / removal means for inserting / removing the near-infrared light removing means into / from the optical path;
Brightness detection means for detecting the brightness of the visible light wavelength of the subject;
In an imaging apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls the insertion / removal unit by at least one of an output by detection on the imaging unit side or an output by detection of the brightness detection unit;
The brightness range detected by the brightness detection means is equal to or within the shooting range of the shooting optical system and is set narrower than these shooting ranges. An imaging device. The control means for controlling the insertion / removal means controls to switch from the color mode to the monochrome mode when the luminance detected on the imaging means side is a predetermined value or less,
When the luminance detected on the imaging means side is a predetermined value or more and the luminance detected by the lightness detection means is a predetermined value or more, control is performed so as to switch from the monochrome mode to the color mode. The imaging device according to claim 1.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the brightness detection unit is provided at a location different from the photographing optical system.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photographing optical system includes information storage means for storing information such as optical information and control information.   The lightness detecting means is provided with a lens member, and a condenser lens is provided so as to be movable in the optical axis direction of the lens member, and according to the photographing range of the photographing optical system based on information in the information storage means. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a range of brightness detected by the brightness detection unit is controlled.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging optical system is an imaging optical system capable of adjusting a focal length.   The lightness detection means is provided with a lens member, and a condenser lens is provided so as to be movable in the optical axis direction of the lens member, and according to the focal length of the photographing optical system based on information in the information storage means. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the range of brightness detected in the above is controlled.   The image pickup apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit that controls the insertion / removal unit adjusts the insertion / removal timing of the insertion / removal unit using at least a focal length of the photographing optical system as a parameter.   The imaging apparatus, wherein the photographing optical system is configured to be replaceable.

Images