Abstract: Image processing is performed in view of the difference between the chroma component and the brightness component in an image, with a relatively smaller amount of data processed during the image processing. A frequency decomposing unit 110 performs frequency decomposition directly on Bayer image signals from an imaging element 3. With this, a high frequency component representing color information and a low frequency component representing brightness information are obtained. A filter coefficient obtaining unit 131 of a correction processing unit 130 obtains filter coefficients and the filter coefficients for the high frequency component are different from those for the low frequency component. A filtering processing unit performs a filtering process on subimages based on the filter coefficients obtained by the filter coefficient obtaining unit 131 in such a manner that processing details of the filtering process for the high frequency component are different from those for the low frequency component.

Abstract: A first line passing through a coordinate point which represents the light-source color of ambient light is drawn so as to cross a line segment connecting two coordinate points which points respectively represent colors of light emitted from the two light-emitting sources. An image of a subject is captured while light is emitted from the two light-emitting sources toward the subject in such a manner that the volumes of light emitted from the two light-emitting sources respectively correspond to those represented by a predetermined point which is, or close to, the intersection point of the first line and the line segment on the basis of the intersection point and light volume information. A White Balance adjustment correction value is obtained on the basis of light volume information with respect to the two light-emitting sources, the predetermined point, and the point representing the light-source color.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided with the following: a trial shading-correction unit that performs trial shading correction on image data for each of a plurality of types of light source on the basis of correction information stored in a correction-information storage unit for each light-source type; a correction-information selection unit (whereby the results of the shading correction performed by the trial shading-correction unit for each light-source type are compared to each other and correction information corresponding to an appropriate shading-correction result is selected from among the correction information stored by the correction-information storage unit per light-source type; and a shading correction unit that performs color-shading correction on the image data on the basis of the correction information selected by the correction-information selection unit.

Abstract: A first line passing through a coordinate point which represents the light-source color of ambient light is drawn so as to cross a line segment connecting two coordinate points which points respectively represent colors of light emitted from the two light-emitting sources. An image of a subject is captured while light is emitted from the two light-emitting sources toward the subject in such a manner that the volumes of light emitted from the two light-emitting sources respectively correspond to those represented by a predetermined point which is, or close to, the intersection point of the first line and the line segment on the basis of the intersection point and light volume information. A White Balance adjustment correction value is obtained on the basis of light volume information with respect to the two light-emitting sources, the predetermined point, and the point representing the light-source color.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided with the following: a trial shading-correction unit that performs trial shading correction on image data for each of a plurality of types of light source on the basis of correction information stored in a correction-information storage unit for each light-source type; a correction-information selection unit (whereby the results of the shading correction performed by the trial shading-correction unit for each light-source type are compared to each other and correction information corresponding to an appropriate shading-correction result is selected from among the correction information stored by the correction-information storage unit per light-source type; and a shading correction unit that performs color-shading correction on the image data on the basis of the correction information selected by the correction-information selection unit.

Abstract: Image processing is performed in view of the difference between the chroma component and the brightness component in an image, with a relatively smaller amount of data processed during the image processing. A frequency decomposing unit 110 performs frequency decomposition directly on Bayer image signals from an imaging element 3. With this, a high frequency component representing color information and a low frequency component representing brightness information are obtained. A filter coefficient obtaining unit 131 of a correction processing unit 130 obtains filter coefficients and the filter coefficients for the high frequency component are different from those for the low frequency component. A filtering processing unit performs a filtering process on subimages based on the filter coefficients obtained by the filter coefficient obtaining unit 131 in such a manner that processing details of the filtering process for the high frequency component are different from those for the low frequency component.

Abstract: An all-focused image generation method comprises the steps (i) to (vi). The step (i) is a step of taking L images of an object at different focal positions. The step (ii) is a step of acquiring gray scale images of the object at the respective focal positions. The step (iii) is a step of performing multiresolution transform for the gray scale images. The step (iv) is a step of calculating focal position probability distribution regarding the focal positions, for each pixel position. The step (v) is a step of acquiring an optimal focal position for each of the pixel positions. The step (vi) is a step of generating an in-focus image by providing a pixel corresponding to the acquired pixel value to the pixel position. In the step (v), the optimal focal position is approximately calculated by belief propagation.

Abstract: An imaging element includes: a plurality of color filters arranged in a Bayer array; photoelectric conversion elements provided for the respective color filters; a signal adder circuit which carries out additions in each of the unit grids, by (i) adding up signals outputted from two photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to different colors of two color filters out of four color filters, and (ii) adding up signals outputted from two photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to remaining two color filters; and an A/D converter. The imaging element outputs: (i) a first digital image signal where signals of one color out of Ye (yellow) and Cy (cyan), and signals of G, are alternately placed; and (ii) a second digital image signal where signals of an other color out of Ye and Cy, which is different from the one color, and signals of Mg (magenta), are alternately placed.

Abstract: An imaging element includes: a plurality of color filters arranged in a Bayer array; photoelectric conversion elements provided for the respective color filters; a signal adder circuit which carries out additions in each of the unit grids, by (i) adding up signals outputted from two photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to different colors of two color filters out of four color filters, and (ii) adding up signals outputted from two photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to remaining two color filters; and an A/D converter. The imaging element outputs: (i) a first digital image signal where signals of one color out of Ye (yellow) and Cy (cyan), and signals of G, are alternately placed; and (ii) a second digital image signal where signals of an other color out of Ye and Cy, which is different from the one color, and signals of Mg (magenta), are alternately placed.

Abstract: A MTF measuring system includes measurement result screen data indicative of an object image and an MTF curve image are generated in accordance with the object image data obtained by photographing the object and the MTF curve image data indicative of the MTF curve generated from MTF data that become an index to evaluate lens performance. The measurement result screen based on the generated measurement result screen data is displayed on a real time basis in the case of evaluation measurement operations of the lens performance. A user can grasp the necessity for a focus adjustment from the MTF curve image on the measurement result screen. If necessary, the user can adjust the focus of the object displayed together with the MTF curve image, and at the same time can evaluate the lens performance from the MTF curve image.

Abstract: An objective is to provide a solid-state image sensor which can reduce the pixel rate while restraining the reduction in the angle of view and the deterioration in image quality when image data is output from the image sensor, and an imaging apparatus using the image sensor. A solid-state image sensor includes: plural photoelectric conversion elements which respectively have color filters being divided into plural groups each including color filters of plural colors, the groups being cyclically provided; and an signal output unit which mixes up digital signals, which are output via the A/D converter, at predetermined sampling positions and at predetermined different rates, and outputs signals which are smaller in number than the photoelectric conversion elements, and sampling gravity centers of the signals output from the signal output unit are at equal intervals.

Abstract: An objective is to provide a solid-state image sensor which can reduce the pixel rate while restraining the reduction in the angle of view and the deterioration in image quality when image data is output from the image sensor, and an imaging apparatus using the image sensor. A solid-state image sensor includes: plural photoelectric conversion elements which respectively have color filters being divided into plural groups each including color filters of plural colors, the groups being cyclically provided; and an signal output unit which mixes up digital signals, which are output via the A/D converter, at predetermined sampling positions and at predetermined different rates, and outputs signals which are smaller in number than the photoelectric conversion elements, and sampling gravity centers of the signals output from the signal output unit are at equal intervals.

Abstract: Frequency characteristics of an optical low-pass filter (2) are set in such a way that a first false color passing rate indicative of the rate of frequency components passing through a frequency component region not lower than the Nyquist frequency fa for the lowest sampling frequency fs among the sampling frequencies in the longitudinal, the lateral, and the oblique directions for each color in an image sensor (5), i.e. a frequency component region lower than one half of the Nyquist frequency fs of the sampling frequency fs of the image sensor (5), is not higher than a specified value. An output image signal is created from a pixel signal created by the image sensor (5) so that N pixel signals (N is real number of 2 or above) created by the image sensor (5) correspond to one output image signal.

Abstract: An optical low pass filter (2) is formed, for example, by a birefringent plate so as to control the light beam separation width, thereby changing the cut-off frequency according to an imaging mode. The number of pixels of an imaging element (5) is set greater than the number of pixels corresponding to the dynamic image display resolution. In a still image capturing mode, the light beam separation width is set narrower so that the resolution of the imaging element (5) can be used as it is while suppressing generation of a false color to a certain degree. On the other hand, in a dynamic image capturing mode, the light beam separation width is set wider so that a high-frequency component corresponding to an unnecessary resolution component for an output image signal can be cut off and suppression of the false color can be performed strongly as compared to the still image capturing mode.

Abstract: Frequency characteristics of an optical low-pass filter (2) are set in such a way that a first false color passing rate indicative of the rate of frequency components passing through a frequency component region not lower than the Nyquist frequency fa for the lowest sampling frequency fs among the sampling frequencies in the longitudinal, the lateral, and the oblique directions for each color in an image sensor (5), i.e. a frequency component region lower than one half of the Nyquist frequency fs of the sampling frequency fs of the image sensor (5), is not higher than a specified value. An output image signal is created from a pixel signal created by the image sensor (5) so that N pixel signals (N is real number of 2 or above) created by the image sensor (5) correspond to one output image signal.