1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic camera having the function of preset white balance. The preset white balance described in this specification is the function of measuring the color of a light source or the like in different timing from main photography, and determining the white balance of the main photography based on measurement results.
2. Description of the Related Art
The function of preset white balance (also known as manual white balance) is known in a conventional electronic camera. The preset white balance is a mode of determining the white balance of main photography based on color information from preparatory photography, in which white paper, a subject of achromatic color or the like is photographed. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-156869 discloses the preset white balance like this.
In the existing electronic camera, the preset white balance is carried out in the following procedure.
(1) A user takes a photograph of a white subject with the electronic camera (preparatory photography).
(2) In the electronic camera, image data of the preparatory photography is compressed and recorded on a recording medium, after being subjected to image process, as with that of main photography.
(3) The user operates a menu window of the electronic camera to select the image data of the preparatory photography out of image files recorded on the recording medium.
(4) The electronic camera obtains white balance data of the selected image data, in order to use it for white balance adjustment in main photography.
As is evident from the operation procedure having a few steps as above, the existing preset white balance is troublesome. Thus, the user has to suspend the flow of photography whenever he or she operates the preset white balance, so that there is a problem that the operability of the electronic camera is impaired.
Since the preset white balance needs the operation procedure with a few steps, and is originally used with a low frequency, it is not easy for the user to learn the operation. Therefore, there is a problem that the user cannot operate the preset white balance when the need arises.