Abstract: In an image acquisition device, an optical path difference generating member can form an optical path length difference of a second optical image without splitting light in a second optical path. This can suppress the quantity of light required for the second optical path to obtain information of the focal position, whereby a quantity of light can be secured for a first imaging device to capture an image. The image acquisition device synchronizes the movement of a predetermined part of a sample within a field of an objective lens with rolling readout such that each pixel column of a second imaging device is exposed to an optical image of the predetermined part in the sample.

Abstract: In an image acquisition device, an optical path difference generating member can form an optical path length difference of a second optical image without splitting light in a second optical path. This can suppress the quantity of light required for the second optical path to obtain information of the focal position, whereby a quantity of light can be secured for a first imaging device to capture an image. The image acquisition device synchronizes the movement of a predetermined part of a sample within a field of an objective lens with rolling readout such that each pixel column of a second imaging device is exposed to an optical image of the predetermined part in the sample.

Abstract: An image acquisition device reciprocates a focal position of an objective lens with respect to a sample in the optical axis direction of the objective lens, while moving a field position of the objective lens with respect to the sample. This makes it possible to acquire contrast information of image data at the field position of the objective lens sequentially as the field position moves with respect to the sample. The image acquisition device acquires the image data by the rolling readout of the image pickup element according to the reciprocation of the focal position of the objective lens.

Abstract: In an image acquisition device, an optical path difference generating member can form an optical path length difference of a second optical image without splitting light in a second optical path. This can suppress the quantity of light required for the second optical path to obtain information of the focal position, whereby a quantity of light can be secured for a first imaging device to capture an image. The image acquisition device synchronizes the movement of a predetermined part of a sample within a field of an objective lens with rolling readout such that each pixel column of a second imaging device is exposed to an optical image of the predetermined part in the sample.

Abstract: In an image acquisition device, an optical path difference generating member can form an optical path length difference of a second light image without splitting light in a second optical path. This can suppress the quantity of light required for the second optical path to obtain information of the focal position, whereby a quantity of light can be secured for a first imaging device to capture an image. The image acquisition device synchronizes the movement of a predetermined part of a sample within a field of an objective lens with rolling readout such that each pixel column of a second imaging device is exposed to a light image of the predetermined part in the sample.

Abstract: In an image acquisition device, an optical path difference generating member can form an optical path length difference of a second light image without splitting light in a second optical path. This can suppress the quantity of light required for the second optical path to obtain information of the focal position, whereby a quantity of light can be secured for a first imaging device to capture an image. The image acquisition device synchronizes the movement of a predetermined part of a sample within a field of an objective lens with rolling readout such that each pixel column of a second imaging device is exposed to a light image of the predetermined part in the sample.

Abstract: In an image acquisition device, an optical path difference generating member can form an optical path length difference of a second optical image without splitting light in a second optical path. This can suppress the quantity of light required for the second optical path to obtain information of the focal position, whereby a quantity of light can be secured for a first imaging device to capture an image. The image acquisition device synchronizes the movement of a predetermined part of a sample within a field of an objective lens with rolling readout such that each pixel column of a second imaging device is exposed to an optical image of the predetermined part in the sample.

Abstract: An image acquisition device reciprocates a focal position of an objective lens with respect to a sample in the optical axis direction of the objective lens, while moving a field position of the objective lens with respect to the sample. This makes it possible to acquire contrast information of image data at the field position of the objective lens sequentially as the field position moves with respect to the sample. The image acquisition device acquires the image data by the rolling readout of the image pickup element according to the reciprocation of the focal position of the objective lens.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus is configured to store the control result of a focus position during scanning of segmented regions and determine an initial focus position in scanning of the (n+1)th segmented region, based on the control result stored during scanning of the nth (n is an integer of 1 or more) or earlier segmented region. The foregoing technique allows this image capturing apparatus to roughly determine the initial focus position in the next-scanned segmented region by making use of the control result of the segmented region the scanning of which has been already completed. This can suppress increase in processing time necessary for imaging, by simplification of pre-focus.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus is configured to store the control result of a focus position during scanning of segmented regions and determine an initial focus position in scanning of the (n+1)th segmented region, based on the control result stored during scanning of the nth (n is an integer of 1 or more) or earlier segmented region. The foregoing technique allows this image capturing apparatus to roughly determine the initial focus position in the next-scanned segmented region by making use of the control result of the segmented region the scanning of which has been already completed. This can suppress increase in processing time necessary for imaging, by simplification of pre-focus.

Abstract: The microscope imaging system is provided with: a stage having a mount face on which a specimen is to be mounted; an imaging unit having an imaging element for imaging a part of an imaging region set on the mount face; and a optical unit arranged between the stage and the imaging unit and having an objective lens for imaging light from a part of the imaging region onto the imaging unit. The specimen is arranged so that the mount face is orthogonal to an optical axis of the objective lens.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microscopic image capturing apparatus having a structure that, in scanning an imageable area of an imaging unit in a predetermined direction in an imaging object area, in which a sample is present, can reliably set a focal point of the imaging unit on each imaging position set inside the imaging object area regardless of the type of focusing actuator. The microscopic image capturing apparatus has a sample setting stage having a sample setting surface that is inclined with respect to a scan plane orthogonal to an optical axis of an objective lens. By moving the sample setting stage along the scan plane such that the distance in the optical axis direction between the imaging unit and the sample setting surface varies monotonously, the focal point position of the imaging unit is adjusted in only one direction along the optical axis of the objective lens.

Abstract: In acquisition of a micro image of a sample by a micro image acquiring unit, when a plurality of image acquiring ranges are set for the sample as an object of image acquisition, a plurality of corresponding focus information are set, and furthermore, when a plurality of partial images acquired by scanning the sample by the micro image acquiring unit include a partial image including mixing of a plurality of image acquiring ranges, the focus information is switched in the middle of scanning of the partial image. With such a structure, even when a plurality of objects are contained in the sample, images of the respective objects can be preferably acquired. Thereby, an image acquiring apparatus, an image acquiring method, and an image acquiring program which are capable of preferably acquiring images of a plurality of objects are realized even when the plurality of objects are contained in a sample.

Abstract: In acquisition of a micro image of a sample S by a micro image acquiring unit 30, when a plurality of image acquiring ranges are set for the sample S as an object of image acquisition, a plurality of corresponding focus information are set, and furthermore, when a plurality of partial images acquired by scanning the sample S by the micro image acquiring unit 30 include a partial image including mixing of a plurality of image acquiring ranges, the focus information is switched in the middle of scanning of the partial image. With such a structure, even when a plurality of objects are contained in the sample S, images of the respective objects can be preferably acquired. Thereby, an image acquiring apparatus, an image acquiring method, and an image acquiring program which are capable of preferably acquiring images of a plurality of objects are realized even when the plurality of objects are contained in a sample S.

Abstract: In acquisition of a micro image of a sample S by a micro image acquiring unit, when a plurality of image acquiring ranges are set for the sample S as an object of image acquisition, a plurality of corresponding focus information are set, and furthermore, when a plurality of partial images acquired by scanning the sample S by the micro image acquiring unit include a partial image including mixing of a plurality of image acquiring ranges, the focus information is switched in the middle of scanning of the partial image. With such a structure, even when a plurality of objects are contained in the sample S, images of the respective objects can be preferably acquired. Thereby, an image acquiring apparatus, an image acquiring method, and an image acquiring program which are capable of preferably acquiring images of a plurality of objects are realized even when the plurality of objects are contained in a sample S.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microscopic image capturing apparatus having a structure that, in scanning an imageable area of an imaging unit in a predetermined direction in an imaging object area, in which a sample is present, can reliably set a focal point of the imaging unit on each imaging position set inside the imaging object area regardless of the type of focusing actuator. The microscopic image capturing apparatus has a sample setting stage having a sample setting surface that is inclined with respect to a scan plane orthogonal to an optical axis of an objective lens. By moving the sample setting stage, which has such a sample setting surface, along the scan plane in a manner such that the distance in the optical axis direction between the imaging unit and the sample setting surface varies monotonously, the focal point position of the imaging unit is adjusted in only one direction along the optical axis of the objective lens.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus 1A is formed with a CCD camera 30 that acquires an image of a sample S, a light guiding optical system 20 that guides an optical image of the sample S to the camera 30, an optical system driving section 25 that drives the camera 30 and the optical system 20 to change a focal position on the sample S in a z-axis direction, and a control device 50 that includes a focal point control section 51. The focal point control section 51 calculates a first focal point measurement value from a plurality of images acquired by a first focal point measurement that is executed while continuously changing the focal position in one direction, calculates a second focal point measurement value from a plurality of images acquired by a second focal point measurement that is executed while continuously changing the focal position in a direction opposite that of the first focal point measurement, and determines an in-focus position for the sample S based on the first and second focal point measurement values.

Abstract: In acquisition of a micro image of a sample S by a micro image acquiring unit 30, when a plurality of image acquiring ranges are set for the sample S as an object of image acquisition, a plurality of corresponding focus information are set, and furthermore, when a plurality of partial images acquired by scanning the sample S by the micro image acquiring unit 30 include a partial image including mixing of a plurality of image acquiring ranges, the focus information is switched in the middle of scanning of the partial image. With such a structure, even when a plurality of objects are contained in the sample S, images of the respective objects can be preferably acquired. Thereby, an image acquiring apparatus, an image acquiring method, and an image acquiring program which are capable of preferably acquiring images of a plurality of objects are realized even when the plurality of objects are contained in a sample S.