JPH03192247A - Image recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve accuracy of appropriate exposure by calculating a large area average transmission density and the average transmission density of a specified main part from an original film, obtaining the exposing condition of the original film based on the linear factor of the average transmission density and exposing the image information of the original film on a photosensitive material under the condition. CONSTITUTION:The photometry of the original film 12 is performed by picture element division in an image information detecting device 14, and the large area average transmission density of the original film 12 is calculated based on the obtained photometric value of every picture element and the main part of the film 12 is specified to calculate the average transmission density of the specified main part based on the photometric value by a main part specifying device 16. Then, the exposing condition of the film 12 is obtained based on the linear relation of the large area average transmission density and the main average transmission density by an exposing condition setting part 18, and the image information of the film 12 is recorded on the photosensitive material under the exposing condition. Thus, the accuracy of the appropriate exposure is improved.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention measures image information of an original film such as a negative film (hereinafter referred to as an original film) by dividing it into pixels, and specifies the main part of the original film. Accordingly, the present invention relates to an image recording method that can be applied to a printer (for example, a photo printing device) that can record image information of the original image on a photosensitive material under appropriate exposure conditions, and a copying device that can be easily used by a user. .

<Prior Art> Conventionally, in photographic printing, the exposure amount is controlled according to the large area average transmission density (hereinafter referred to as LATD) of the original image.
This LATD method uses the transmission density averaged over most of the area of the original image, so it is difficult to determine the appropriate exposure amount for a negative film with balanced density and color, a so-called normal negative. can. However, this normal negative is about 60% of all 21 Zar negatives.
The remaining approximately 40% are negatives that have scenes with uneven density or color, such as negatives with a dark or light background or negatives in which a specific color occupies a large area.

When the LATD method is applied to such negatives having a biased density or color, there is a problem that subject defects such as density feria and color feria occur in scenes where the density or color is biased in these negatives.

In order to deal with this subject feria, the image sensor measures the light at each point on the original image, and from the photometric values at each point, the average transmitted density, maximum density, etc. Find the minimum density, contrast, etc.
There are known photographic printing methods and apparatuses that calculate a correction amount from these characteristic values and correct the exposure amount based on the LATD using the correction amount (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 52-23936 and 54-28131). (Refer to official bulletins, etc.)

Furthermore, in order to deal with this subject feria and perform exposure control with high precision, the main parts of the original image, such as faces, people, animals, flowers, etc., are specified, and these main parts are detected using an image sensor, etc. Measure the light and use this photometric value to calculate the average transmission density and LATD of the original image alone or the entire original image.
A system for specifying the main part in combination with the exposure control has been considered.

As a system that adopted this main part designation system, the
There is a system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-29412 and a system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-232441 filed by the present applicant.

Further, in order to eliminate NG prints, there is also known a photo printing apparatus with a simulator that displays a simulated image of a finished print photograph, obtained by capturing an image of the original image using an imaging means, on a monitor using a display device such as a CRT. In this photo printing apparatus with a simulator, the finish is optimized by manually correcting and optimizing the exposure amount using a correction key based on the color balance and density of the simulated image.

<Invention tries to solve! II! ! >By the way, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-29412 calculates the average density A1 maximum density Signal F to F-1 (-A) 10 to 2 (X) + to 3 (Δ
) and combine it with a signal representing the average transmission density of the entire original image, or use exposure control alone, so it is necessary to obtain multiple feature quantities even just for the main part, and the coefficients of the multiple is determined experimentally and statistically, and there is a problem in that the accuracy of determining the appropriate exposure amount is low.

In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-232441 filed by the present applicant
The method disclosed in the above-mentioned publication first divides the screen of the original film to obtain image information individually, and then calculates the appropriate exposure amount for the scene from the obtained divided image information. No. 23936, No. 52-23938 and No. 5
By the method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4-28131, etc., the LATD of the screen is Da, and the maximum density in the split screen is Dmax.
, the lowest concentration is Dmln.

a l * b I + l + d l *
When is a constant, the automatically corrected exposure amount DC by LATD
, DCm a, Da + b, Dmax + c
, D+++1n + d.

Further, a limited area including the surrounding area based on the indicated position of the main subject etc. is specified as the main part, and the correction amount CR in this area is calculated as "2 r b2 +
When ca I dl is a constant, CRm a2Da * b2Dmax + c
, Dmin + d.

Then, the appropriate corrected exposure amount DC' is determined as DC+KJ CR where KIK is a constant and DC' = l-.

However, since a large number of coefficients are used, calculations are complicated, and processing is complicated.Al*bl+
ci I dl and a2b2 + c3, dl are determined experimentally and statistically, and also,
KJ is also determined experimentally and statistically based on the number of divided pixels of the screen of the original picture, and the problem that the accuracy of the determined appropriate exposure amount is low has been solved.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art described above, calculate the large area average transmission density and the average transmission density of a designated main part from an original film such as a negative film, and calculate the average transmission density of these two average transmission densities. By determining appropriate exposure conditions for the original film from a linear function and exposing the image information of the original film to a photosensitive material under the conditions, it is possible to eliminate not only originals without subject area but also originals with subject feria, especially density feria. However, it is possible to record images with appropriate density and color balance, especially when the subject has appropriate density and color balance, and can be used not only in printers but also in low-cost copying devices aimed at a large number of general users. The goal is to provide a recording method.

Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the present invention measures the light of an original film by pixel division, and calculates the large area average transmission density of the original film from the photometric value of each pixel obtained. At the same time, specify the main part of the original film, calculate the average transmission density of the designated main part from the photometric value, and set the exposure conditions of the original film to the large area average transmission density and the main part average transmission. The present invention provides an image recording method characterized in that image information of the original film is determined from a linear relationship of density and recorded on a photosensitive material under the exposure conditions.

Dos the basic exposure density as a basic exposure condition according to the large area transmission density; DM the average transmission density of the main part;
! 1! The basic exposure density of the original film is DON, and the average transmission density of the main part is D8. .

When and b are constants, the linear relationship for determining the appropriate exposure amount as the appropriate exposure condition is D=a (Dv −b (Do −DON) −DNM
) +D.

It is preferable that

Further, when determining the appropriate corrected exposure amount d for the standard original film as the appropriate exposure condition, the basic exposure amount dn of the original film is determined according to the large area average transmission density p, and Let the constants pl and q
n, the main part average transmission density D1. Preferably, said linear relationship with l is d''dn+Pn'I)M+Qn.

<Embodiments> Below, the image recording method according to the present invention will be described in detail based on a preferred embodiment of an image recording apparatus that implements the method of the present invention as shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a photographic printing apparatus as an embodiment of an image recording apparatus that implements the image recording method of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the photographic printing apparatus 10 includes an image information detection apparatus 14 that divides image information of an original film such as a negative film 12 into pixels and detects the image information, and a negative film 12.
a main part specifying device 16 for specifying the main part of the image information detecting device 14 and the main part specifying device 16 according to the method of the present invention, and an exposure condition for setting appropriate exposure conditions that take the main part into consideration; It is characterized by having a setting section 18, a rotating mirror 20 for changing the optical path, and a filter 22 for reading image information.

In addition, the photoprinting apparatus 10 may have everything necessary for a photoprinting apparatus. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 1, a light source 24, the above-mentioned image information reading filter 22, a color correction filter 26, a density correction aperture 27, a negative carrier 28 for feeding and fixing the negative film 12 to the printing section, a lens unit 30, and a black shutter 32 and its It has a drive circuit 33, and is provided with a supply reel 36a for supplying the photosensitive material 34 behind the black shutter 32 (on the downstream side) and a take-up reel 36b for winding it up.

The negative film 12 that has been sent to the printing section along the negative carrier 28 is filtered through three primary color filters 2 each of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) for color correction.
6 and a density correction diaphragm (D) 27, or blue B, green G, and red R filters 22 for image information reading, which are inserted alternately with this filter 26 and diaphragm 27 when reading image information, are illuminated by a light source 24. It has become so. During image recording, that is, photo printing, the filter 22 and the rotating mirror 20 for changing the optical path are retracted from the optical path LS by the drive circuit 23, so that the transmitted light from the negative film 12 that has passed through the filter 26 and the aperture 2 f. The light reaches the photographic material 34 through the lens unit 30 and the black shutter 32. The photographic photosensitive material 34 is wound around a supply reel 36a, and is wound onto a take-up reel 36b&: in synchronization with the conveyance and stop of the negative film 12. The color filter 26 and the diaphragm 2 are adjusted according to the appropriate exposure conditions set by the exposure condition setting section 1B based on the information in 16, and the black shutter 32 is opened by the drive circuit 33 to remove the photographic light-sensitive material under the appropriate exposure conditions. 34 to perform photographic printing.

On the other hand, the image information detection device 14 includes a lens unit 38.
The two-dimensional image sensor 40 has a driving circuit 41 and a substrate 42, and is formed into a unit. The image information detection device 14 is provided near the negative film 12 at an angle to the optical axis LS of the light source 24 and the negative film 12, and a filter 2 is provided in front of the two-dimensional image sensor 40.
2 and a lens unit 38 for forming an image of transmitted light having an optical axis approximately at the center of the negative film 12,
A substrate 42 is attached to the back side of the unitized detection device 14, on which a processing circuit such as an IC for performing image information is mounted.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the board 42 includes a sample hold circuit (SH) 43, an A/D converter 44, a logarithmic conversion circuit 4 in the direction in which the image signal of the image sensor 40 is transmitted.
5, a write control circuit 46 and a memory 48 are provided. The image sensor 40 is driven by a drive signal from a drive circuit 41, and the light irradiated onto the imaging section of the image sensor 40 is output as an image signal PS from an output register, and is sent to a sample hold circuit 43 at a predetermined sampling period. The sample information is sampled and held, and the sample information is converted into a digital signal DS by the AD converter 44.
is converted to The digital signal DS from the A/D converter 44 is input to a logarithmic conversion circuit 45 where it is logarithmically converted, converted into a density signal DM, and then written into the memory 48 via the write control circuit 46.

The two-dimensional image sensor 40 includes, for example, a large number of small pixels 12a aligned over the entire negative film 12, as shown in FIG.
It is configured so that the entire screen of mx24rnm can be divided into 72x48 pixels for photometry, and the entire screen of the negative film 12 can be scanned in order according to the scanning line SL for photometry.

In the image information detection device 14 configured as described above, when detecting and storing image information of the negative film 12 pixel by pixel, the filter 26 and the aperture 27 are removed from the optical axis LS as shown in FIG. By driving the circuit 23 to alternately insert one of B, G, or R of the three-color separation filter 22 onto the optical axis LS (B is inserted in FIG. 14), each of the light sources 24 is B, G of white light
, R light is transmitted to illuminate the negative film 12, and image information of the yellow, magenta, or cyan layer corresponding to the B, G, and R colors of the negative film 12 is input to the image sensor 40. And the drive circuit 4
1 to the image sensor 40, the two-dimensional image sensor 40 detects the transmitted light of B, G, or R light (B light in FIG. 4) of the negative film 12 placed in the printing section. The light is received via the 1-nons unit 38. The two-dimensional image sensor 40 divides the entire negative film 12 into a large number of aligned small pixels 12a, as shown in FIG. 3a, for example, and sequentially scans the entire screen of the negative film 12 according to the scanning line SL. and,
After scanning the entire screen, the image signal PS is sequentially output from the output register of the image sensor 40, and the SH circuit 43 and A/D converter 44 convert the image signal PS into a digital signal DS and store it in the memory 48 as shown in FIG. 3b. As shown in
The density digital values of the negative film 12 are stored in an array corresponding to the pixels 12a.

Note that even if the image information detection device 14 is mounted on a digital photoprinting device with its optical axis tilted, the light receiving surface of the two-dimensional image sensor 40 is parallel to the negative film 12, so distortion of the negative film 12 may occur. An accurate image that is not accompanied by the image will be formed on the two-dimensional image sensor 40. This is an adjustment in photographic technology (Camera Adjusts).
In order to simplify the mechanism of the printing device, the optical axis of the lens for the two-dimensional image sensor 40 is not perpendicular to the center of the screen, and image information is accurately transmitted. It is made detectable.

In this way, when the digital value for each pixel of the negative film 12 or the density value for each pixel regarding the three primary colors is stored in the memory 48, the digital value for each pixel of the negative film 12 can be read out from the memory 48 and used. I can do it. Therefore, if density values as shown in FIG. 3b are determined and stored for each of the three primary colors BGR, the photographic printing exposure conditions can be set by reading out the stored values and performing calculations and other processing in the exposure condition setting section 18. Alternatively, it can be used as a correction amount. Further, since the image information detection device 14 detects and stores image information using the pixels of the entire screen, it is possible to accurately detect image information.

In the example shown in FIG.
The optical path changing mirror 20, which can be rotated between the position and the B position, is rotated to the A position to act on the optical path, changing the optical path to a substantially right angle, and projecting the image of the negative film 12 as a pure image onto the screen 50, A touch panel 52 layered on the screen 50 allows the user to specify a desired position of the projected image (for example, a main subject such as a person) from the outside with a finger or the like.

By the way, the touch panel (touch screen, touch sensor, see-through finger touch input device) 52 allows you to input information by simply touching the screen with your finger while looking at the screen. There is a digital method shown in FIG. 5b and an analog method shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b. Digital touch sensor 52
As shown in FIG. 5b, a rectangular transparent movable electrode 56 and a fixed electrode 5 are placed between the filter 54 and the substrate 55.
7 are arranged in combination vertically and horizontally, and have a structure that prevents short circuits due to a very small air gap between each other. Then, as shown in Figure 5a, a small pressing force (10~
20g), the electrodes 57a are electrically connected due to the contact between the opposing electrodes, and the position information (X, Y address) PS is obtained by the position detection circuit 58 including the limiting circuit shown in 2r11J. Further, as shown in FIG. 6b, the analog type touch sensor 52 has two transparent thin film electrode plates 62 and 63 arranged between the filter 54 and the substrate 55 with a spacer 60 made of pressure-sensitive conductive rubber or the like sandwiched therebetween. It is similar to the digital method in that it uses electrode plates 62.83.
It differs in that it utilizes the uniform conductivity of the contact point to detect current changes at the point of contact. In the analog method, as shown in FIG. 6a, for example, electrode plates 62 and 63 and a constant DC power source 64 are applied, and the detection resistor 65 of the electrode plate 63 is
The current generated at one end of the electrode plate 62 is measured by an ammeter 66a.
The current generated at one end of the detection resistor 67 is measured by an ammeter 66.
By measuring at b, the indicated position is detected. There are various types of touch panels such as transparent electrode type, infrared ray, ultrasonic, and capacitance type, and any of them may be used.

Here, the size of the main part, that is, the size of the area of the strip-shaped movable electrode 54 and the fixed electrode 55 of the touch panel 52 is not particularly limited, and depends on the size of the negative film 12 and the photosensitive material 34, the magnification magnification, etc. The window may be adjusted as appropriate, but in the case of a 24 x 36 mm negative film, it may be a 2 mm square.

The exposure condition setting section 18 reads the density information of each color of each pixel of the negative film 12 stored in the memory 48,
Based on the main part position information (X, Y address) from the main part specifying device 16, the average transmitted density of the main part (hereinafter referred to as main part density) and the average of each color of the entire negative film 12 or its large area are determined. A density calculation circuit 70 calculates the transmission density, that is, LATD, and a linear calculation is performed from the main part density and LATD to determine appropriate exposure conditions for properly exposing the subject included in the main part, that is, the absolute amount or correction amount of density and color. an exposure condition calculation circuit 72 for calculating the exposure conditions, and a correction circuit for adding various correction terms to the exposure condition calculations as necessary depending on the size of the main subject, hue, color density, difference in negative type, user preference, etc. circuit 74
and an exposure control circuit 76 that controls the color filter 26 and the aperture 27 to the appropriate exposure conditions.

The density calculation circuit 70 reads the photometric value of each color of each pixel from the memory 48, calculates the average transmission density (LATD) for each color in a predetermined large area area, and further reads out the photometric value of each color of each pixel from the memory 48, and further calculates the average transmission density (LATD) for each color in a predetermined large area area. This method calculates the average transmitted density in a predetermined area centered on the position determined by the position information (X, Y address), that is, the main part density.

The exposure condition calculation circuit 72 includes LATD (R.

G, B) D, and main part concentration DM (R, G.

From the linear relationship in B), the appropriate exposure conditions for the main subject included in the main part are calculated.

The calculation of appropriate exposure conditions in the exposure condition calculation circuit 72 is as follows:
Although it may be determined directly from LATD (R, G, B) D and main part density DM, the basic exposure conditions, especially the basic exposure density O0, are calculated from LATD Dx in advance, and this basic exposure density is used.

It is preferable to correct (Y, M, C) using the main part density D2.

The basic exposure density D0 can be determined by the following formula, where LATD or the LATD photometric gain value is D11% and the transmission density or photometric gain value of a standard negative film is DN.

Do-1/3 ・C1・(DH-Ds)+ X+ C2
+ R22, C, is a coefficient due to color slope processing, color correction processing, pre-adjustment, etc., and K is the density and color correction amount by correction keys and function keys from the user and other correction systems, and %
C2 is a negative balance, vapor balance, lens balance, and master balance, and R is data input to a ROM or the like.

Further, the basic exposure density Do may be determined as an absolute density or as a corrected density for a standard negative film.

The inventors calculated the LATD (R, G, B) values for a 140-frame color negative film.

The basic exposure density based on the standard negative film, that is, the basic correction amount d. Find (Y, M, C), -5 to +5
It was classified into negative types ranging from over to under. This value shall represent the step of the density key to be increased or decreased from the exposure amount for a standard negative.

At the same time, for each negative film, the main part,
For example, a predetermined area of the main subject such as a person's face, for example,
The average transmission density of a 2 mm square area on the negative film, that is, the main part density D2 was calculated. In this case, since the main part was a person's face, the density of the main part was represented by G (green).

Each of these negative films was exposed to light using the basic correction amount dn based only on LATD, printed on an appropriate light-sensitive material, and then developed, printed, and washed with water to obtain color prints.

We will evaluate whether density feria has occurred in the finished color print by an expert in photo printing evaluation.
For negative films in which density feria occurred, the above-mentioned expert determined the correction exposure amount Δd that needed to be added.

For all negative films, the horizontal axis is the basic correction amount dn, and the vertical axis is the correction exposure amount Δd to be added. When the average of the main part density DM of the relevant negative film was calculated for each part, as shown in Table 1, as the basic correction amount dn goes from +5 (under) to -5 (over), even if it is a negative film, the density decreases even if it is a negative film. Even if it is a normal negative, the main part density increases, and as the additional correction exposure amount Δd goes from -5 to +5, the main part density increases. The present inventors have found that .

Therefore, the present inventor has determined that the corrected exposure amount Δd to be further added to the basic correction amount dn by LATD is a function f(dn, Dv) of the basic correction amount dn and the main density DV, and Pn
, Qn are constants depending on the basic correction amount dn, it has been found that the additional correction exposure amount Δd can be expressed as a linear function of the main density DM.

When the above relationship is expressed numerically, it becomes the following formula.

Δd 瓢f (d, , DM) PnDV+qn Therefore, the appropriate corrected exposure amount d for a certain negative film is d−d n +Δd Tm dn + p7 D−+
q, 1(I).

Therefore, the exposure condition calculation circuit 72 in the present invention calculates the basic correction amount dn%, for example, p according to the negative type of classification -5 to +5.
rl and qn are stored in a storage device such as a RAM (for example, LUT), and the basic exposure density D0 calculated from the LATD value DS calculated by the density calculation circuit 70 or the basic correction amount dn based on the standard negative film is calculated. Accordingly, Pn and Qn are read out, and the appropriate exposure amount d of the negative film is calculated from the main part density D1 from the density calculation circuit 70 using the above formula (r).

Furthermore, the basic correction amount d shown in Table 1. and main part concentration D2
From the relationship between Δd and the additional corrected exposure amount, it can be seen that there is a linear relationship between the basic exposure density by LATD and the main part density.

Therefore, the LATD of the target negative film is D.

When the basic exposure density is Do, the main part density is DM, the exposure density of the standard negative film is DON, and the main part density of the standard negative is DN-, the appropriate exposure density corresponding to the appropriate exposure amount is D. a(DM -b(Do-DON) -D
NM ) + D, (II) = aD, + (
1-ab) [10+ a (bDo, 4-DNM)
=aD, +b' b. It can be obtained from the linear relational expression C'. Here a, b,
a, b', and c are constants.

Exposure density of standard negative film and main part [D. Ns
Since the DNM is uniquely determined by the negative film and photosensitive material used, it can be stored in a storage device such as a RAM.

Therefore, the exposure condition calculation circuit 72 of the present invention may be configured to calculate the appropriate exposure density of the negative film from the basic exposure density of the negative film and the main part density DM from the above formula.

That is, the exposure condition calculation circuit 72 of the present invention
Any method may be used as long as it calculates the appropriate exposure condition from the basic exposure density based on the value or the linear relationship between the basic correction amount and the main part density.

Here, if necessary, the correction circuit 74 for adding a correction term to the calculation of the appropriate exposure density or the appropriate correction amount by the exposure condition calculation circuit 72 is not necessarily provided, but the size of the main subject in the main part The external input device 7
Since it is possible to correct from 8 etc., it is preferable to provide it.

For example, in the above equation (1), when adding the size of the face of the main part of the person as a parameter, α can be set to dlllIdn+arlDM+bn+α as a constant due to the size of the face.

In addition, in the above equation (1), when correcting by taking into account differences in skin color density (for example, race), β is added to the main part density DM itself as a parameter, and dMdrl+an (Dl11+β) +brl.

In addition, in the above formula (1), in order to cancel the difference between each manufactured negative type, γ can be set as the base density of the negative, removed from the main density D, and set as dxdn+a, (DM-γ)+bn. .

In addition, it is of course possible to correct differences in photosensitive materials and main subjects (for example, people, cars, plants, etc.), and apply it to versatile films, etc., as necessary.
Various correction terms may be added to the calculation equation in the exposure condition calculation circuit 72.

In the exposure condition setting section 18, first, the image information detection device 14
The image signal vS stored in the memory 48 is read out, and the LATD (R, G, B) value D3 is calculated by the density calculation circuit 7o. In response to an instruction from the main part of the displayed image of the negative film 12, that is, the main subject, the indicated position (x, y address) signal ps detected by the position detection circuit 58 is input to the density calculation circuit 70, and the image signal VS The main part density D4 is calculated from the indicated position signal ps.

Next, the exposure condition calculation circuit 72 calculates the basic exposure density D0 or the basic correction amounts d and l from the LATD value, and
If ) or formula (1), the appropriate exposure density 0 or the appropriate corrected exposure amount d is determined, and the exposure control circuit 76 determines Y.
.

Here, it is not necessary to change the aperture 27 all the time. In a normal photographic printer, the density is changed by adjusting the Y, M, and C filters, so the aperture 27 is changed only when it is above the - window, that is, extremely under or extremely over. Just change it.

The density and exposure amount d used in the present invention are 3
One can think of the primary colors Y, M, C or B, G, R.

Therefore, even when the displayed image on the negative film 12 is a scene under special conditions such as a backlit scene of a person, in which there is a difference in brightness between the main part of the person's face, which is the main subject, and the background, that is, a density field negative, the touch panel 52 with your finger or the like to specify the main part, the main part density will be used to properly correct the exposure conditions so that the face of the main subject will have the optimum density on the print. The photo is printed with perfect brightness. Of course, even in the case of a normal negative with no density feria, the main subject, especially the main part, will be printed at the optimum density.

In the above description, the main part position is specified using the screen 50 that directly displays the image of the negative film and the touch panel 52, and the touch panel 52 is pressed with a finger or the like, but the present invention is limited to this. For example, the image information detected by the image information detection device 14 may be stored directly or in the memory 48, and then read out and displayed on a monitor device such as a CRT. The negative film image information displayed on the monitor device may be configured so that the main part is indicated using a cursor, etc., and the indicated position information is obtained.The negative film image information displayed on the monitor device may be an image of the unprocessed negative film itself. Alternatively, it may be a simulator 1 image processed according to basic exposure conditions by LATD.

Furthermore, the photographic printing apparatus IO shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is
In the image information detection device 14, image information of the entire surface of the negative film 12 is detected by one image sensor 40, and after temporarily storing it in the memory 48, LATD values (R, G, B) D
s and the positional information from the touch panel 52, the present invention is not limited to this, and the transmitted light of the negative film 12 is separately detected by an image sensor for detecting LATD and an image sensor for detecting the density of the main part. The LATD value Ds, furthermore, the basic exposure amount D0 and main portion density DM based on the LATD value may be directly determined. At this time, a memory for storing image information may or may not be used.

Although a specific explanation has been given above using a photographic printing apparatus that implements the image recording method according to the present invention, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be used to support an original film such as a negative film or a universal film. Image recording devices, image forming devices, copying devices, etc. capable of recording images on photosensitive materials, for example, the specifications and drawings of Japanese Patent Application Nos. 1-62781 and 1-62782 filed by the present applicant. Within the scope of the present invention, such as being suitably applicable to the copying apparatus disclosed in
Of course, various improvements and changes in design are possible.

<Effects of the Invention> As described in detail above, according to the present invention, when image information of an original film such as a negative film is recorded on a photosensitive material to create a printed image with optimal density and color, the original film From the large area average transmission density (LATD) of , and also from the basic exposure density and main part average transmission density from the LATD value, it is easy to expose the main subject such as a person or the face of the person at the optimum density from a linear relationship, By setting the appropriate exposure density for printing, even beginners can easily and efficiently correct the exposure of the original film for LATD photometric values, which was previously extremely difficult for only experienced workers. can do well.

Therefore, image recording devices such as photo printing devices that can be used with the method of the present invention use extremely simple calculation methods and are therefore highly accurate compared to conventional image recording devices such as photo printing devices. It can be made at low cost.

Furthermore, since the method of the present invention is easy to operate and low-cost, it can be applied to image recording devices such as copying machines, which are used not by experts but by an unspecified number of beginners. have

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a photographic printing apparatus that implements an image recording method according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the photographic printing apparatus shown in FIG. FIGS. 3a and 3b are explanatory diagrams showing an example of the correspondence between the pixel division of the original film and the data stored in the memory. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of how the color correction filter, aperture, and image information detection filter of the photographic printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 are used. Figures 5a, 5b, 6a and 6. Figure b is
Both are explanatory diagrams of a touch panel used in the photographic printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. Explanation of symbols 10...Photographic printing device, 12...Negative film, 14...Image information detection device, 16...Main part specifying device, 18...Exposure condition setting section, 40...Image Sensor, 42... Board, 48... Memory, 50... Screen, 52... Touch panel, 58... Position detection circuit, 70... Density calculation circuit, 72... Exposure condition calculation circuit , 74... Correction circuit, 76... Exposure amount control circuit FIG, 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Photometering the original film by pixel division, measuring the large area average transmission density of the original film from the photometric value obtained for each pixel, and specifying the main part of the original film. measuring the average transmission density of the main part, determining appropriate exposure conditions for the original film from the linear relationship between the basic exposure conditions according to the large area average transmission density and the average transmission density of the main part, and measuring the original film under the appropriate exposure conditions. An image recording method characterized by recording image information on a photosensitive material.