The effective focal length of an optical system can be electronically controlled using switchable wave plates in conjunction with polarized light.

The effective focal length of an optical system can be electronically controlled using switchable wave plates in conjunction with polarized light.

Provided are an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a program capable of accurately and simply controlling a movement sensitivity of an index displayed on a finder monitor to a sensitivity desired by a user by using a touch panel installed on a rear monitor. The imaging apparatus (10) has a finder that includes the finder monitor (13), the touch panel (31) that receives a swipe operation for moving the index, and an image processing unit (24). The image processing unit (24) includes a sensitivity setting unit that sets a first sensitivity for coarsely moving the index by the swipe operation or a second sensitivity for finely moving the index by detecting a contact operation to the touch panel in the swipe operation, and a movement control unit that moves the index on the basis of the swipe operation on the touch panel and the sensitivity set by the sensitivity setting unit.

In an operation by line-of-sight input, a position (designated position) designated by a gaze point is easier to view after a determination operation is performed by a user than before the determination operation is performed. An electric device includes a detector configured to detect a gaze point on a display unit, and a control unit configured to display an indicator indicating the gaze point on the display unit, wherein, in a case where a setting to keep displaying the indicator even in a case where an operation is performed on an operation unit by the user is set, the control unit performs control, in response to an operation performed on the operation unit by the user, to display a display item at the gaze point and to display the indicator and the display item in a changed display order.

In an operation by line-of-sight input, a position (designated position) designated by a gaze point is easier to view after a determination operation is performed by a user than before the determination operation is performed. An electric device includes a detector configured to detect a gaze point on a display unit, and a control unit configured to display an indicator indicating the gaze point on the display unit, wherein, in a case where a setting to keep displaying the indicator even in a case where an operation is performed on an operation unit by the user is set, the control unit performs control, in response to an operation performed on the operation unit by the user, to display a display item at the gaze point and to display the indicator and the display item in a changed display order.

An imaging apparatus includes: a main body having an imaging element; a rectangular display disposed along one surface of the main body; and a hinge unit that movably connects the display to the main body, the hinge unit includes a support portion connected to the main body so as to be rotationally movable about a first axis by a pair of first hinges on the first axis extending along one of two sides of the display which are at right angles to each other, the display is supported by the support portion so as to be rotationally movable about a second axis by a pair of second hinges on the second axis extending along other of the two sides of the display which are at right angles to each other, and one of the pair of first hinges is disposed between the pair of second hinges.

An imaging apparatus includes: a main body having an imaging element; a rectangular display disposed along one surface of the main body; and a hinge unit that movably connects the display to the main body, the hinge unit includes a support portion connected to the main body so as to be rotationally movable about a first axis by a pair of first hinges on the first axis extending along one of two sides of the display which are at right angles to each other, the display is supported by the support portion so as to be rotationally movable about a second axis by a pair of second hinges on the second axis extending along other of the two sides of the display which are at right angles to each other, and one of the pair of first hinges is disposed between the pair of second hinges.

A mobile terminal in which an imaging unit is provided on a front surface side and a display unit and a sensor are provided on a back surface side includes a signal processing unit which, from a signal output by the imaging unit, generates information to be displayed by the display unit, and a control unit into which a signal from the sensor is input and which controls the signal processing unit. A display state of the display unit based on the control performed by the control unit includes a first display state for display in a first display region if no detection signal is being input from the sensor, and a second display state for display in a second display region if a detection signal is being input from the sensor.

A system and method is disclosed for enabling user friendly interaction with a camera system. Specifically, the inventive system and method has several aspects to improve the interaction with a camera system, including voice recognition, gaze tracking, touch sensitive inputs and others. The voice recognition unit is operable for, among other things, receiving multiple different voice commands, recognizing the vocal commands, associating the different voice commands to one camera command and controlling at least some aspect of the digital camera operation in response to these voice commands. The gaze tracking unit is operable for, among other things, determining the location on the viewfinder image that the user is gazing upon. One aspect of the touch sensitive inputs provides that the touch sensitive pad is mouse-like and is operable for, among other things, receiving user touch inputs to control at least some aspect of the camera operation. Another aspect of the disclosed invention provides for gesture recognition to be used to interface with and control the camera system.

A system and method is disclosed for enabling user friendly interaction with a camera system. Specifically, the inventive system and method has several aspects to improve the interaction with a camera system, including voice recognition, gaze tracking, touch sensitive inputs and others. The voice recognition unit is operable for, among other things, receiving multiple different voice commands, recognizing the vocal commands, associating the different voice commands to one camera command and controlling at least some aspect of the digital camera operation in response to these voice commands. The gaze tracking unit is operable for, among other things, determining the location on the viewfinder image that the user is gazing upon. One aspect of the touch sensitive inputs provides that the touch sensitive pad is mouse-like and is operable for, among other things, receiving user touch inputs to control at least some aspect of the camera operation. Another aspect of the disclosed invention provides for gesture recognition to be used to interface with and control the camera system.