Imaging system, electronic camera, computer system for controlling said electronic camera, and methods of controlling same

An electronic camera connectable to and communicating with a computer system, said computer system generating a preview command, the electronic camera comprising:

• electronic image pick-up processing means for photographing a subject and producing image data representing an image of the photographed subject;
• an image memory for storing the image data produced by said electronic image pick-up processing means;
• reducing means, coupled to said imaqe memory, for reducing the amount of stored image data representing a frame of the photographed subject by a predetermined amount;
• and
• first response means, operative when the preview command has been applied thereto from said computer system, for directing said reducing means to reduce the stored image data by the predetermined amount and for transmitting the reduced image data to said computer system.

A computer system connectable to and communicating with an electronic camera, said electronic camera producing image data representing an image of a photographed subject, the computer system comprising:

• an input unit for applying a preview input;
• first command means for transmitting a preview command to said electronic camera when the preview input has been applied through said input unit, the preview command directing said electronic camera to reduce the amount of image data representing a frame of the photographed subject by a predetermined amount and to transmit the reduced image data to the computer system;
• and
• first display control means, operative when the reduced image data produced and transmitted by said electronic camera in response to the preview command has been received by the computer system, for displaying a reduced preview image, which is represented by the reduced image data, on a display unit.

A method of controlling an electronic camera connectable to and communicating with a computer system, comprising:

• photographing a subject in response to receipt of a photographic command applied from the computer system;
• producing image data representative of an image of the photographed subject;
• storing the image data;
• reducing the amount of stored image data representing a frame of the photographed subject by a predetermined amount in response to receipt of a preview command applied from the computer system;
• and
• transferring the reduced image data to the computer system.

A method of controlling a computer system connectable to and communicating with an electronic camera, comprising:

• transferring a photographic command to the electronic camera in response to application of a photographic input to the computer system, the photographic command directing the electronic camera to begin photography of a subject to produce image data of the photographed subject;
• transferring a preview command to the electronic camera in response to application of a preview input to the computer system, the preview command directing the electronic camera to reduce the amount of image data representing a frame of the photographed image and to transfer the reduced image data to the computer system;
• and
• displaying a reduced preview image, which is represented by the reduced image data, upon receipt of the reduced image data from the electronic camera.

A method of imaging a subject with an electronic camera under control of a computer system coupled to the electronic camera, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a preview command and a photograph command in response to respective application of a preview input and a photograph input to the computer system;
• transmitting the preview command and the photograph command to the electronic camera,
• the electronic camera photographing the subject to produce image data of the photographed subject and storing the image data in response to receipt of the photograph command from the computer system,
• the electronic camera reducing the amount of stored image data representing a frame of the photographed subject by a predetermined amount and transmitting the reduced image data to the computer system in response to receipt of the preview command;
• and
• displaying a reduced preview image in accordance with the reduced image data transmitted from the electronic camera.