Image pickup apparatus and image pickup method

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• a first cabinet containing at least image pickup means for picking up unit images, each constituting a part of the scenic range to be imaged, by sequentially shifting the image pickup direction and an image cutting out means for cutting out image regions of a predetermined size, each constituting a part of each of the unit images picked up by the image pickup means, so as to produce overlapping areas and capable of rotating around a rotary shaft linked thereto so as to sequentially shift the image pickup direction of the image pickup means;
• whole image generation means for sequentially and partly superposing the image regions cut out by the image cutting out means to generate a whole image of the whole scenic range;
• display means for displaying the whole image generated by the whole image generation means;
• drive means for driving the rotary shaft to rotate;
• specifying means for specifying the timing of starting an image pickup operation and that of ending the image pickup operation of the image pickup means;
• a battery for activating the above components;
• and
• a second cabinet linked to the first cabinet by way of the rotary shaft and adapted to be held by the user by a single hand;
• the second cabinet containing one or more than one of the whole image generation means, the display means, the drive means, the specifying means and the battery.

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• a first cabinet containing at least image pickup means for picking up unit images, each constituting a part of the scenic range to be imaged, by sequentially shifting the image pickup direction and capable of rotating around a rotary shaft linked thereto so as to sequentially shift the image pickup direction of the image pickup means;
• whole image generation means for sequentially pasting the unit images picked up by the image pickup means to generate a whole image of the whole scenic range;
• display means for displaying the whole image generated by the whole image generation means;
• drive means for driving the rotary shaft to rotate;
• specifying means for specifying the timing of starting an image pickup operation and that of ending the image pickup operation of the image pickup means;
• a battery for activating the above components;
• and
• a second cabinet linked to the first cabinet by way of the rotary shaft and adapted to be held by the user by a single hand;
• the second cabinet containing one or more than one of the whole image generation means, the display means, the drive means, the specifying means and the battery.

An image pickup method comprising:

• an image pickup step of picking up unit images, each constituting a part of the scenic range to be imaged, by sequentially shifting the image pickup direction;
• an image cutting out step of cutting out image regions of a predetermined size, each constituting a part of each of the unit images picked up in the image pickup step, so as to produce overlapping areas;
• and
• a whole image generation step of sequentially and partly superposing the image regions cut out in the image cutting out step to generate a whole image of the whole scenic range.

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• image pickup section picking up unit images, each constituting a part of the scenic range to be imaged, by sequentially shifting the image pickup direction;
• image cutting out section cutting out image regions of a predetermined size, each constituting a part of each of the unit images picked up by the image pickup section, so as to produce overlapping areas;
• and
• whole image generation section sequentially and partly superposing the image regions cut out by the image cutting out section to generate a whole image of the whole scenic range.

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• a first cabinet containing at least image pickup section picking up unit images, each constituting a part of the scenic range to be imaged, by sequentially shifting the image pickup direction and an image cutting out section cutting out image regions of a predetermined size, each constituting a part of each of the unit images picked up by the image pickup section, so as to produce overlapping areas and capable of rotating around a rotary shaft linked thereto so as to sequentially shift the image pickup direction of the image pickup section;
• whole image generation section sequentially and partly superposing the image regions cut out by the image cutting out section to generate a whole image of the whole scenic range;
• display section displaying the whole image generated by the whole image generation section;
• drive section driving the rotary shaft to rotate;
• specifying section specifying the timing of starting an image pickup operation and that of ending the image pickup operation of the image pickup section;
• a battery for activating the above components;
• and
• a second cabinet linked to the first cabinet by way of the rotary shaft and adapted to be held by the user by a single hand;
• the second cabinet containing one or more than one of the whole image generation section, the display section, the drive section, the specifying section and the battery.

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• a first cabinet containing at least image pickup section picking up unit images, each constituting a part of the scenic range to be imaged, by sequentially shifting the image pickup direction and capable of rotating around a rotary shaft linked thereto so as to sequentially shift the image pickup direction of the image pickup section;
• whole image generation section sequentially pasting the unit images picked up by the image pickup section to generate a whole image of the whole scenic range;
• display section displaying the whole image generated by the whole image generation section;
• drive section driving the rotary shaft to rotate;
• specifying section specifying the timing of starting an image pickup operation and that of ending the image pickup operation of the image pickup section;
• a battery for activating the above components;
• and
• a second cabinet linked to the first cabinet by way of the rotary shaft and adapted to be held by the user by a single hand;
• the second cabinet containing one or more than one of the whole image generation section, the display section, the drive section, the specifying section and the battery.