Image capturing apparatus and method for controlling the same

Abstract

An image capturing apparatus including an image capturing unit configured to obtain an image by image capturing includes a first storage unit configured to store face information of an owner of the image capturing apparatus, an estimation unit configured to estimate a photographer of the image capturing apparatus based on a relationship between an object included in the image obtained by the image capturing unit and the face information of the owner stored in the first storage unit, and a change unit configured to change a photographing mode to a simple photographing mode according to the estimated photographer.

1 . An image capturing apparatus which includes an image capturing unit configured to obtain an image by image capturing, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
 a first storage unit configured to store face information of a plurality of owners of the image capturing apparatus; and   an estimation unit configured to estimate a photographer of the image capturing apparatus based on a relationship between an object included in the image obtained by the image capturing unit and the face information of an owner stored in the first storage unit,   wherein when the object included in the image is at least one of the stored owners, the estimation unit estimates that the photographer is a person other than the at least one owner.   
     
     
         2 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a change unit configured to change a photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode according to the estimated photographer,
 wherein when the estimation unit estimates that the photographer is a person other than the at least one owner, the change unit changes the photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode corresponding to the person other than the at least one owner.   
     
     
         3 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 2 , further including
 a second storage unit configured to store information about a photographing mode corresponding to face information of a photographing object,   wherein when the image includes the photographing object, the change unit changes the photographing mode to a photographing mode corresponding to the photographing object prior to changing the photographic mode to the simple photographing mode corresponding to an estimated result.   
     
     
         4 . An image capturing apparatus which includes an image capturing unit configured to obtain an image by image capturing, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
 a first storage unit configured to store face information of a plurality of owners of the image capturing apparatus and information about respective photographing skills of the owners; and   an estimation unit configured to estimate a photographer of the image capturing apparatus based on a relationship between an object included in the image obtained by the image capturing unit and the face information of the owner stored in the first storage unit,   wherein, when the object included in the image is at least one of the stored owners, the estimation unit estimates that the photographer is the owner other than the at least one owner.   
     
     
         5 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising a change unit configured to change a photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode according to the estimated photographer,
 wherein when the estimation unit estimates that the photographer is the owner other than the at least one owner, the change unit changes the photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode corresponding to the photographing skill of the other owner.   
     
     
         6 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 5 , further including
 a second storage unit configured to store information about a photographing mode corresponding to face information of a photographing object,   wherein when the image includes the photographing object, the change unit changes the photographing mode to a photographing mode corresponding to the photographing object prior to changing the photographic mode to the simple photographing mode corresponding to an estimated result.   
     
     
         7 . An image capturing apparatus which includes an image capturing unit configured to obtain an image by image capturing, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
 a first storage unit configured to store face information of a plurality of users of the image capturing apparatus; and   an estimation unit configured to estimate a photographer of the image capturing apparatus based on a relationship between an object included in the image obtained by the image capturing unit and the face information of the user stored in the first storage unit,   wherein when the object included in the image is at least one of the stored users, the estimation unit estimates that the photographer is a person other than the at least one user.   
     
     
         8 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising a change unit configured to change a photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode according to the estimated photographer,
 wherein when the estimation unit estimates that the photographer is a person other than the at least one user, the change unit changes the photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode corresponding to the person other than the at least one user.   
     
     
         9 . An image capturing apparatus which includes an image capturing unit configured to obtain an image by image capturing, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
 a first storage unit configured to store face information of a plurality of users of the image capturing apparatus and information about respective photographing skills of the users; and   an estimation unit configured to estimate a photographer of the image capturing apparatus based on a relationship between an object included in the image obtained by the image capturing unit and the face information of the user stored in the first storage unit,   wherein, when the object included in the image is at least one of the stored users, the estimation unit estimates that the photographer is the user other than the at least one user.   
     
     
         10 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a change unit configured to change a photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode according to the estimated photographer,
 wherein when the estimation unit estimates that the photographer is the owner other than the at least one user, the change unit changes the photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode corresponding to the photographing skill of the other user.   
     
     
         11 . An image capturing apparatus which includes an image capturing unit configured to obtain an image by image capturing, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
 a first storage unit configured to store face information of a plurality of the owners of the image capturing apparatus;   an estimation unit configured to estimate a photographer of the image capturing apparatus based on a relationship between an object included in the image obtained by the image capturing unit and the face information of the owner stored in the first storage unit; and   a change unit configured to change a photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode when the object included in the image is at least one of the stored owners.   
     
     
         12 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined photographing mode is a simple photographing mode. 
     
     
         13 . An image capturing apparatus which includes an image capturing unit configured to obtain an image by image capturing, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
 a first storage unit configured to store face information of a plurality of owners of the image capturing apparatus and information about respective photographing skills of the owners; and   an estimation unit configured to estimate a photographer of the image capturing apparatus based on a relationship between an object included in the image obtained by the image capturing unit and the face information of the owner stored in the first storage unit; and   a change unit configured to change a photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode when the object included in the image is at least one of the stored owners.   
     
     
         14 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined photographing mode is a photographing mode determined in accordance with the information about at least one of photographing skills of the owners. 
     
     
         15 . An image capturing apparatus which includes an image capturing unit configured to obtain an image by image capturing, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
 a first storage unit configured to store face information of a plurality of users of the image capturing apparatus;   an estimation unit configured to estimate a photographer of the image capturing apparatus based on a relationship between an object included in the image obtained by the image capturing unit and the face information of the user stored in the first storage unit; and   a change unit configured to change a photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode when the object included in the image is at least one of the stored users.   
     
     
         16 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined photographing mode is a simple photographing mode. 
     
     
         17 . An image capturing apparatus which includes an image capturing unit configured to obtain an image by image capturing, the image capturing apparatus comprising:
 a first storage unit configured to store face information of a plurality of users of the image capturing apparatus and information about respective photographing skills of the users; and   an estimation unit configured to estimate a photographer of the image capturing apparatus based on a relationship between an object included in the image obtained by the image capturing unit and the face information of the user stored in the first storage unit; and   a change unit configured to change a photographing mode to a predetermined photographing mode when the object included in the image is at least one of the stored users.   
     
     
         18 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined photographing mode is a photographing mode determined in accordance with the information about at least one of photographing skills of the users. 
     
     
         19 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined photographing mode is auto mode for at least one of a focus control, an exposure control and a white balance control. 
     
     
         20 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined photographing mode is an intelligent mode which is able to determine scenes and corresponding sensing parameters.