Image-taking apparatus and image-taking method

An image-taking apparatus, comprising:

• a solid-state image sensor for performing image-taking with a plurality of photo-electric converters arrayed in a two-dimensional array;
• first read-out means which read out from said photoelectric converters in a predetermined area image-taking, for performing reading out at a fixed subsampling ratio according to the size of the image-taking area as to a plurality of set image-taking areas, thereby outputting images of each of the set image-taking areas at the same image size;
• second read-out means which read out from said photo-electric converters in a predetermined image-taking area, for performing reading out at said fixed subsampling ratio as to a predetermined image-taking area of a size that is different from those of said plurality of set image-taking areas;
• and
• image size converting means for converting the image size of an image obtained by said second read-out means to the same image size as an image obtained by said first read-out means.

An image-taking method, comprising:

• a step of taking images with plurality of photoelectric converters arrayed in a two-dimensional array;
• a step of reading out from said photo-electric converters in a predetermined image-taking area, in a normal mode, for performing reading out at a fixed subsampling ratio according to the size of the image-taking area as to a plurality of set image-taking areas, thereby outputting images of each of the set image-taking areas at the same image size;
• a step of reading out from said photo-electric converters in a predetermined image-taking area, in a zoom mode, for performing reading out at said fixed subsampling ratio as to a predetermined image-taking area of a size that is different from those of said set plurality of image-taking areas;
• and
• a step of converting the image size of an image obtained by reading out in said zoom mode to the same image size as an image obtained by reading out in said normal mode.