Image-taking apparatus and image-taking method

Abstract

An aperture diameter of a variable diaphragm, which includes six diaphragm blades, is changed during an exposure. When image-taking operation is carried out, the variable diaphragm is set in a small aperture setting in which an f-number is one step larger than a proper aperture setting which is calculated by metering light. The variable diaphragm is driven from a small aperture position, and increases the aperture diameter gradually. The variable diaphragm is moved to a large aperture position in which the f-number is one step smaller than the proper aperture setting. The exposure is started after the variable diaphragm is driven from the small aperture position to the large aperture position. The aperture diameter changes such that the exposure amount is approximately equal to the proper aperture setting. The image taking is completed when the variable diaphragm is driven to the large aperture position after the exposure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.