Imaging apparatus and imaging method for generating electronic image data and performing special effect operations

An imaging apparatus, comprising:

• an imaging unit that captures images of a photographic subject and continuously generates electronic image data;
• a display unit that displays, at a predetermined display frame rate, images corresponding to the image data generated by the imaging unit;
• an image processing unit that either performs, with respect to the image data, a first-type special effect operation or a second-type special effect operation, the images, of which image data is subjected to the first-type special effect operation, being able to be displayed at the predetermined display frame rate, the images, of which image data is subjected to the second-type special effect operation being able to be displayed at a faster display frame rate than the predetermined display frame rate;
• an operation input unit that receives input of a change instruction signal that provides an instruction for changing a special effect operation performed by the image processing unit from the first-type special effect operation to the second-type special effect operation;
• and
• a control unit that, when an input of the change instruction signal is received by the operation input unit, instructs the image processing unit to switch the special effect operation from the first-type special effect operation to the second-type special effect operation, wherein
• the time required for image processing operations during the second-type special effect operation is shorter than the time required for image processing operations during the first-type special effect operation.