Abstract: An imaging apparatus is equipped with: imaging means, for obtaining images of a subject; imaging control means, for controlling the imaging means to sequentially obtain a plurality of images; reference image selecting means, for selecting a single reference image from among the plurality of images; moving object region specifying means, for specifying moving object regions within corresponding images, which are the plurality of images other than the selected reference image; positioning means, for positioning the plurality of corresponding images with respect to the reference image in the case that the plurality of images have been imaged by flow shooting, the positioning being performed such that the amount of positioning is greater at the specified moving object regions than at non moving object regions; and combining means, for combining the plurality of corresponding images, which have been positioned by the positioning means, with the reference image.

Abstract: An image combined high sensitivity image and low sensitivity image is provided with well-adjusted white balance and broad dynamic range. The image is obtained by multiplying the combined data by total gain that depends on scene. A white balance is adjusted with gain value calculated from of high output image data. Lv value representing luminance is calculated and compared with a threshold to decide whether or not the high sensitivity image and the low sensitivity image should be combined. First gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the high sensitivity signal with first gamma character, second gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the low sensitivity signal with second gamma character that is different from the first gamma character, and addition unit combines the image signal from the first gamma correction unit and the image signal from the second gamma correction unit.

Abstract: A color signal correcting method for correcting a color signal of each pixel outputted from a single-plate color image pickup element having a given color filter arrangement to correct a color reproduction error in an image, comprising the steps of: computing color signals of filter colors other than a filter color at the spatial location of a pixel to be corrected, wherein the other color signals at the spatial location are computed on the basis of color signals of a plurality of pixels of the same filter color located around the pixel to be corrected; and obtaining a correction value by multiplying the color signal of the pixel to be corrected and the computed other color signals by a predetermined correction coefficient and combining the products.

Abstract: A digital camera supplies raw pixel data in a raw data mode to a digital processor. In the digital processor, a white balance decision circuit determines a white balance gain as color temperature information. The digital processor outputs the image data and the white balance gain thus determined over data bus to an interface unit. The linear matrix coefficients, supplied from a system controller, are sent over the data bus to the interface unit, which interfaces the data in accordance with a recording format, according to which the three sorts of data are recorded in a storage unit responsive to a control signal.

Abstract: Sharpness is calculated in all of focus-bracketed images on a pixel basis. Then, a first reference value indicating an image of the plurality of images to which a pixel whose sharpness is the highest among the pixels located on the identical positions in the plurality of images belongs is obtained on each pixel of the images, and a second reference value is calculated based on the first reference value on each pixel by spatially smoothing the first reference value on each pixel based on the first reference values on adjacent pixels. The focus-bracketed images are processed based on the second reference values to generate an omni-focus image or a blur-enhanced image. Accordingly, it is possible to judge a region having high contrast as an in-focus region and acquire a synthesized image having smooth gradation.

Abstract: There is provided an image capturing apparatus that enables a user to confirm already captured images on the image capturing apparatus even when the captured images have been transferred out of the image capturing apparatus. The image capturing apparatus has an image capturing section for capturing images, a large memory for storing the images captured by the image capturing section, a small memory whose memory capacity and power consumption are smaller than those of the large memory, an image compressing section for compressing the captured images, a storage processing section for storing the compressed images compressed by the image compressing section to the small memory, a small display section having a less number of pixels than that of the captured images and a display control section for reading the compressed images out of the small memory to display on the small display section.

Abstract: Noise reduction processing in accordance with frequency band is executed. To accomplish this, a image data dividing circuit divides image data into image data having frequencies in a low-frequency region, image data having frequencies in a low- to intermediate frequency region and image data having frequencies in a low- to high-frequency region. These items of image data thus divided on a frequency-band basis are input to respective ones of noise reduction circuits that have been set to respective ones of parameters suited to noise reduction of image data having frequencies in the low-, low- to intermediate and low- to high-frequency regions, respectively. The items of image data that have thus undergone noise reduction processing conforming to frequency band are input to an image data combining circuit. The latter combines the image data so as to obtain image data representing one frame of an image.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: an image obtaining unit for obtaining an image; a depth of field specification unit for receiving specification of a depth of field specified by an imager size; and a blur enhancement processing unit for generating a processed image with enhanced blur of a subject contained in the image, the blur being enhanced according to the specified depth of field.

Abstract: A method for driving a charge-transfer type solid-state image pick-up device, wherein the charge-transfer type solid-state image pick-up device comprises: high sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements for executing photoelectric conversion with relatively high sensitivity; low sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements for executing photoelectric conversion with relatively low sensitivity; and vertical transfer channels for transferring signal charges from said high sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements and said low sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements, the method comprising a charge transfer step of individually reading/transferring first signal charges from said high sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements and second signal charges from said low sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements onto said vertical transfer channels, without executing a high speed charge transfer operation for the vertical transfer channels after exposure of said solid-state image pick-up device.

Abstract: CCD-RAW data obtained by sensing the image of a subject is applied to a first noise reduction circuit via a offset correction circuit, a gain correction circuit, a linear matrix circuit and a gamma correction circuit. Uncorrelated noise is removed from the CCD-RAW data in the first noise reduction circuit. The CCD-RAW data is subjected to synchronization (color interpolation) in the synchronization processing circuit, and luminance data Y and color difference data C is generated by an RGB-YC conversion circuit. The generated luminance data Y and generated color difference data C is subjected to noise reduction processing on a per-frequency-component basis in the second noise reduction circuit. Suitable noise reduction processing conforming to the state of image data before and after synchronization processing is executed.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device, an imaging device deriving unit and a signal processing unit. Pixels of the imaging device include a first pixel group and a second pixel group. The imaging device driving unit exposes the first pixel group during a first exposure period, exposes the second pixel group during a second exposure period, and reads first image data captured by the first pixel group and second image data captured by the second pixel group separately. The signal processing unit performs image processing for the first and second image data. A first shooting mode and a second shooting mode are provided. In the first shooting mode, the signal processing unit performs the image processing for the first and second image data separately to generate two pieces of subject image data. In the second shooting mode, the signal processing unit combines the first and second image data.

Abstract: Pseudo three dimensional image data sets are generated by an imaging apparatus, such as a digital camera having face detecting functions, by a simple operation. Reference image data sets, which are employed to generate pseudo three dimensional images, are generated from first image data sets, which are recorded. When new faces are detected by a face detecting section, correlative values between through the lens image data sets that include the new faces and the reference image data sets are calculated. When the calculated correlative values are greater that a predetermined value, pseudo three dimensional images are generated from the recorded first image data sets and newly obtained second image data sets that include the new faces.

Abstract: There is provided an image-taking method and apparatus capable of quickly taking an image in which a human face is in focus. When an instruction to take an image is input, multiple images are taken with different focus positions. A human face in each of the images is detected, an area enclosing a detected human face is set as a focus evaluation area, and a focus evaluation value is calculated. Once focus evaluation values for all the images taken have been calculated, the image with the highest focus evaluation value among the images is chosen and recorded. Thus, an image in which the human face is in focus can be readily taken without having to perform cumbersome operations such as an image choosing operation.

Abstract: An image combined high sensitivity image and low sensitivity image is provided with well-adjusted white balance and broad dynamic range. The image is obtained by multiplying the combined data by total gain that depends on scene. A white balance is adjusted with gain value calculated from of high output image data. Lv value representing luminance is calculated and compared with a threshold to decide whether or not the high sensitivity image and the low sensitivity image should be combined. First gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the high sensitivity signal with first gamma character, second gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the low sensitivity signal with second gamma character that is different from the first gamma character, and addition unit combines the image signal from the first gamma correction unit and the image signal from the second gamma correction unit.

Abstract: Images are photographed by focus bracket photography at an in-focus position of a main subject and at focal positions followed and preceded by the in-focus position. The images are synthesized so as to obtain a blur-emphasized image in which areas desired to be blurred are appropriately blurred.

Abstract: The present invention, which transforms multiple images so that positions of corresponding points will coincide between the images and composites the images with the corresponding points matched, provides an image pickup apparatus, image processing apparatus, image pickup method, and image processing method which make it possible to obtain an intended all-in-focus image or blur-emphasized image even if there is camera shake or subject movement.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus displays and records any area in a synthesized image according to user's taste. The synthesized image is displayed based on the set display area and the record area is set to display the synthesized image, so that the display area is compared with the record area to enable easily confirming whether the actually acquired synthesized image satisfies the area desired by the user and assisting recording in an area where a better composition is provided even if the user is unfamiliar with the composition.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed. The imaging apparatus includes: an imaging unit for imaging a subject to obtain image data; a display unit for displaying the obtained image data; a subject specifying unit for specifying the subject in the image data; a tracking frame displaying unit for displaying on the display unit a tracking frame surrounding the subject specified by the subject specifying unit; a subject tracking unit for tracking the subject surrounded by the tracking frame displaying unit; an imaging condition controlling unit for controlling an imaging condition for the subject within the tracking frame; and a subject recognizing unit for recognizing whether or not the subject within the tracking frame is the subject specified by the subject specifying unit. The subject recognizing unit repeats the recognition during the tracking by the subject tracking unit.

Abstract: A received light quantity detection device where high-sensitivity pixels and low-sensitivity pixels are formed is used for photometry. It is possible to perform measurement over the low range (for example, 0[EV] through 8[EV]with a single occasion of photometry. In the case that both the high-sensitivity pixels and the low-sensitivity pixels are saturated, it is possible to perform further measurement over the high range (for example, 8[EV] through 16[EV]) by narrowing the aperture or increasing the electronic shutter speed for retried photometry with a retried photometry. This reduces the time required to calculate a correct exposure value on image pickup apparatus such as a camera.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus capable of reliably obtaining and recording an image that satisfies a predetermined condition. When a continuous imaging mode is set through an operation system, an image is obtained through continuous imaging, and a determination is made as to whether or not the image obtained through the continuous imaging satisfies the predetermined condition. If the image is determined to satisfy the predetermined condition, the imaging is terminated and the image satisfying the predetermined condition is recorded.