Digital camera with changeable operation sequence

Abstract

A battery property judging circuit measures a voltage of battery before and while a zoom motor is operated respectively. A type of the battery is determined by a voltage change of the battery. A CPU selects either one of a normal operation sequence or a power-saving operation sequence in accordance with the type of battery upon carrying out an operation mode. In the normal operation sequence, whose operation mode is zooming or focusing, the zoom motor and an AF motor are simultaneously driven so as to perform zooming and focusing, whereas in the power-saving operation sequence, zooming first, then focusing is performed.

1 . A digital camera being driven by a battery comprising: 
 a judging circuit for determining a property of said battery;    a memory having stored plural operation sequences for activating said digital camera, each operation sequence performing different power consumption of said battery and causing said digital camera to perform different operation;    a selector for selecting one of said plural operation sequences in accordance with said property of battery decided by said judging circuit, for activating said digital camera based on said selected operation sequence;    an imaging device for performing photoelectric conversion of incident light so as to output an original image signal;    an image processing circuit for performing image processing to said image signal;    a memory for storing a processed image signal that said image processing circuit processes said original image signal outputted from said imaging device upon taking a still image;    a CPU for controlling said imaging device, said image processing circuit, and said memory; and    an electric viewfinder, said electric viewfinder having a liquid crystal display panel and a light source for illuminating said liquid crystal display panel,    wherein said plural operation sequences are a power-saving operation sequence and a normal operation sequence,    wherein said power-saving operation sequence turns off said light source upon initiation of taking said still image, whereas said normal operation sequence keeps said light source on upon initiation of taking said still image, and    wherein said light source is turned on after completion of taking said still image in said power-saving operation sequence.    
     
     
         2 . A digital camera as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the light source illuminates said liquid crystal display panel from a rear of the liquid crystal display, and 
 wherein said power-saving operation sequence turns on said light source in a low brightness mode, and said normal operation sequence turns on said light source in a high brightness mode.    
     
     
         3 . A digital camera as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a zoom lens for changing a magnification of an image to be formed in said imaging device,    wherein said power-saving operation sequence performs a focusing after zooming, and said normal operation sequence simultaneously performs zooming and focusing.    
     
     
         4 . A digital camera as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a zoom lens for varying a magnification of an image to be formed in said imaging device and a zoom motor for driving said zoom lens,    wherein said power-saving operation sequence rotates said zoom motor at a low speed, and said normal operation sequence rotates said zoom motor at a high speed.    
     
     
         5 . A digital camera as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a clock pulse of said CPU is a low frequency in said power-saving operation sequence, said clock pulse is a high frequency in said normal operation sequence.  
     
     
         6 . The digital camera of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is turned off when said light source is turned off.  
     
     
         7 . The digital camera of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a flash device,    wherein, in said power-saving operation sequence, a charging current for said flash device is turned off when said light source is turned on, and    wherein, in said normal operation sequence, said charging current and said light source are both turned on.    
     
     
         8 . A digital camera being driven by a battery comprising: 
 a judging circuit for determining a property of said battery;    a memory having stored plural operation sequences for activating said digital camera, each operation sequence performing different power consumption of said battery and causing said digital camera to perform different operation;    a selector for selecting one of said plural operation sequences in accordance with said property of battery decided by said judging circuit, for activating said digital camera based on said selected operation sequence,    wherein said property of said battery includes the type of battery.