Eastman-kodak Company

Shuji Asami

Masao Kobayashi

Kunihiko Kanai

Image data captured by digital cameras are shared among the digital cameras. Image data captured by digital cameras constituting members of an image-sharing group are shared, by way of a network, within the image-sharing group. Every time captured image data are output, the digital camera generates for each of the members distribution information, including a storage source directory, a distribution destination address, and a storage destination directory, all pertaining to the image data, by reference to a group list where member information is registered for each of the members, including a distribution destination address and a storage destination directory, to thus generate a distribution list having respective pieces of distribution information registered therein. Further, the digital camera sequentially reads distribution information from the distribution list and distributes the image data to respective other digital cameras, which constitute the members, on the basis of the read distribution information.

Digital camera and image-sharing method

Coordinated image capturing is appropriately performed even if an error occurs in the synchronization between cameras that are connected via a network. Camera A for image capturing and camera B for providing strobe light are connected via a radio network, and camera A sets a point at which to start exposure for image capturing Tx and a point at which to start strobe emission Tf such that Tx is earlier than Tf, the time difference Id between Tx and Tf becomes larger than a synchronization error Ie between a synchronous clock of camera A and a synchronous clock of camera B, and the sum (Id+If+Ie) of the time difference Id, the strobe emission period If and the synchronization error Ie becomes smaller than exposure period Ix. Then, camera A outputs a strobe emission command with Tf designated and an exposure command with Tx designated, and controls the exposure control mechanism to start exposure at Tx in response to the exposure command. On the other hand, camera B controls the strobe mechanism to start strobe emission at Tf in response to the strobe emission command received via the radio network.

Growing community of inventors

Shizuoka, Japan

Shuji Asami