Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and imaging program

An imaging method using an imager

• that has a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element, a charge holder holding a charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion element such that a signal corresponding to the charge is read out by a readout circuit, and a charge discharge region to which the charge of the photoelectric conversion element is discharged without passing through the charge holder,
• that comprises a plurality of pixel rows including the plurality of pixels arranged in one direction, and
• that images a subject through an imaging optical system,
• the imaging method comprising:
• an imaging control step of performing a first drive and a second drive,
• the first drive being of a global shutter type and including
• a global reset drive of simultaneously resetting the photoelectric conversion element of each of the plurality of pixels to start exposure of the plurality of pixels,
• a global shutter drive of simultaneously transferring, to the charge holder,
• charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element of each of the plurality of pixels by the exposure to end the exposure, and
• a first rolling readout drive of sequentially reading out, for each of the pixel rows, the signal corresponding to the charge held in the charge holder by the global shutter drive,
• the second drive being of a rolling shutter type and including
• a rolling reset drive of sequentially performing, while changing the pixel rows, processing of discharging the charge of the photoelectric conversion element of the pixel row to the charge discharge region to start the exposure of the photoelectric conversion element,
• a rolling shutter drive of sequentially performing, while changing the pixel rows, processing of transferring, to the charge holder, the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element of the pixel row for which the exposure has been started by the rolling reset drive to end the exposure of the pixel row, and
• a second rolling readout drive of sequentially reading out, while changing the pixel rows, the signal corresponding to the charge held in the charge holder of the pixel row by the rolling shutter drive;
• and
• a display control step of displaying, on a display device, a live view image generated based on the signal output from the pixel of the imager by the second drive,
• wherein a time required for the first rolling readout drive is longer than a time required for each of the rolling reset drive, the rolling shutter drive, and the second rolling readout drive, and
• wherein, in the imaging control step, in an imaging mode in which the first drive is performed while the second drive is continuously performed, a first start timing of the second drive performed first after a start of the first drive is set to be during an implementation period of the first rolling readout drive in the first drive, and a second start timing of the rolling shutter drive performed first after the start of the first drive is synchronized with a display update timing of the display device that comes first after an end of the first rolling readout drive.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing an imaging program causing a computer to execute an imaging method using an imager

• that has a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element, a charge holder holding a charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion element such that a signal corresponding to the charge is read out by a readout circuit, and a charge discharge region to which the charge of the photoelectric conversion element is discharged without passing through the charge holder,
• that comprises a plurality of pixel rows including the plurality of pixels arranged in one direction, and
• that images a subject through an imaging optical system,
• the imaging method comprising:
• an imaging control step of performing a first drive and a second drive,
• the first drive being of a global shutter type and including
• a global reset drive of simultaneously resetting the photoelectric conversion element of each of the plurality of pixels to start exposure of the plurality of pixels,
• a global shutter drive of simultaneously transferring, to the charge holder, charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element of each of the plurality of pixels by the exposure to end the exposure, and
• a first rolling readout drive of sequentially reading out, for each of the pixel rows, the signal corresponding to the charge held in the charge holder by the global shutter drive,
• the second drive being of a rolling shutter type and including
• a rolling reset drive of sequentially performing, while changing the pixel rows, processing of discharging the charge of the photoelectric conversion element of the pixel row to the charge discharge region to start the exposure of the photoelectric conversion element,
• a rolling shutter drive of sequentially performing, while changing the pixel rows, processing of transferring, to the charge holder, the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element of the pixel row for which the exposure has been started by the rolling reset drive to end the exposure of the pixel row, and
• a second rolling readout drive of sequentially reading out, while changing the pixel rows, the signal corresponding to the charge held in the charge holder of the pixel row by the rolling shutter drive;
• and
• a display control step of displaying, on a display device, a live view image generated based on the signal output from the pixel of the imager by the second drive,
• wherein a time required for the first rolling readout drive is longer than a time required for each of the rolling reset drive, the rolling shutter drive, and the second rolling readout drive, and
• wherein, in the imaging control step, in an imaging mode in which the first drive is performed while the second drive is continuously performed, a first start timing of the second drive performed first after a start of the first drive is set to be during an implementation period of the first rolling readout drive in the first drive, and a second start timing of the rolling shutter drive performed first after the start of the first drive is synchronized with a display update timing of the display device that comes first after an end of the first rolling readout drive.