Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Masahiro Kawarada

Shoji Ichimasa

Hirokazu Ishii

An image processing apparatus includes a first evaluator configured to evaluate under a first evaluation condition a focus state of each of a plurality of image data acquired by consecutive capturing, a second evaluator configured to evaluate the focus state of each of the plurality of image data under a second evaluation condition different from the first evaluation condition, and a recorder configured to record first evaluation information indicating an evaluation result under the first evaluation condition and second evaluation information indicating an evaluation result under the second evaluation condition.

Image processing apparatus and its control method, imaging apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium

A camera controller controls driving of a focus lens included in a lens group based on a result of first focus detection performed by a defocus amount detection unit. The defocus amount detection unit performs second focus detection based on image data acquired by a first image sensor which outputs image data corresponding to a subject image at a position of the focus lens that is based on the control. The camera controller evaluates, based on a result of the second focus detection, a focusing state of the image data that is based on an output of the first image sensor, and performs control to record information about the evaluated focusing state together with data corresponding to the image data.

Image processing apparatus, control method therefor, and storage medium for evaluating a focusing state of image data

A focus detection apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine a degree of effect of noise included in a pair of parallax image signals, and an acquisition unit configured to acquire information about a phase difference between the pair of parallax images based on a calculation of correlation between the pair of parallax image signals. The acquisition unit selects a filter used to acquire the information about the phase difference from among a plurality of filters having different frequency characteristics based on a determination result of the determination unit, and outputs, as a focus detection result, the information about the phase difference acquired by the correlation calculation based on the pair of parallax image signals applied to the selected filter.

Focus detection apparatus and image pickup apparatus

An image capturing apparatus comprises: a sensor that photoelectrically converts incidence light and outputs an image signal; a focus control unit that performs focus control based on a contrast of the image signal corresponding to each of a plurality of focus control areas set within an image capturing area; a counting unit that detects and counts, from among the plurality of focus control areas, high luminance focus control areas indicating a luminance of at least a predetermined luminance; and an exposure control unit that performs exposure control, in a case where the counted number is a first number, so as to reduce an exposure amount of the sensor to less than when the counted number is a second number that is smaller than the first number, the exposure control being performed before the focus control by the focus control unit.

Image capturing apparatus and exposure control method thereof

A specific subject region is detected, and if a focus detection area that is encompassed in the specific subject region is present, focus detection is performed on that focus detection area. This makes it possible to reduce the influence of a conflict between far and near subjects and reduce the amount of time required for focus detection in an image capture apparatus and in a control method therefor, the image capture apparatus being for performing automatic focus detection based on contrast evaluation values for a plurality of focus detection areas that are each located at a fixed position and each has a fixed size.

Image capture apparatus and control method therefor

An image capturing apparatus performs rough detection through high-speed focus detection targeting on a face contour portion and then performs focusing through high-precision focus detection targeting on a face-included portion set inside the face contour.

Image capturing apparatus and image capturing method

When automatic exposure (AE) for AF is performed, an imaging apparatus sets a fastest speed or a predetermined fixed speed as a diaphragm driving speed to reduce the time to be spent for the AF. On the other hand, when an interchangeable lens in which the diaphragm driving speed can be changed is attached to the imaging apparatus, and AE is performed for moving image recording, the imaging apparatus slows down the diaphragm blade driving speed compared to the speed at the time of AE for AF in consideration of the quality of moving image recording and display.

Imaging apparatus having an attached interchangeable lens

Object recognition is executed by using, of feature data classified into a plurality of groups, only feature data belonging to a selected group. Hence, it is unnecessary to compare and refer to all feature data so that object recognition processing can be speeded up.

Image processing apparatus and image processing method, and computer program for causing computer to execute control method of image processing apparatus

A focal position is searched for by contrast evaluation method, the focus lens is stopped once it is detected that the focus lens has passed the focal position, and the defocus amount at the stopping position is found. The defocus amount corresponding to the difference between the focal position and the stopping position is subtracted from this defocus amount to compute a correction value for the defocus amount. Consequently, a correction value for the focus detection result by phase-difference detection method can be obtained accurately in a focus detection apparatus capable of automatic focus detection by phase-difference detection method and contrast evaluation method, as well as a method for controlling this apparatus.

Focus detection apparatus, method for controlling the same, and image capturing apparatus having a focus detection apparatus

An image capture apparatus which captures an object image formed by an imaging lens, comprises a focus detection unit which detects a focus position of the object image at a plurality of positions on an image sensing plane, a prediction unit which stores the past output from the focus detection unit, and predicts a locus of the focus position of the object image based on the stored output, thereby predicting the focus position of the object image at a predetermined time instant, a detection unit which detects a shift of the object image on the image sensing plane, and a control unit which changes the output from the prediction unit based on the output from the detection unit.

Image capture apparatus

An image pickup apparatus a cameraincludes an image pickup elementincluding a plurality of imaging pixelswhich perform a photoelectric conversion of an image formed by a light beam from an image pickup optical system and a plurality of focus detection pixelswhich perform a photoelectric conversion of an image formed by a divided light beam of the light beam, a focus detectorwhich performs a focus detection of the image pickup optical system based on an output of the focus detection pixels, an aperture controllerwhich performs a control so that an aperture value of the image pickup optical system is equal to or less than a predetermined value when the focus detectorperform the focus detection, and an exposure controllerwhich adjusts an exposure condition in accordance with the aperture value controlled by the aperture controller

Image pickup apparatus and signal processor

An image pickup apparatus which is capable of accurately acquiring evaluation values at target positions for contrast evaluation value acquisition to thereby suppress degradation of accuracy of autofocus due to skipping the reading of a contrast evaluation value at an in-focus position and an increase in autofocus time. The image pickup apparatus acquires from an interchangeable lens at least one of a drivable defocus amount of the interchangeable lens, and a driving speed in driving of a focus lens to focus adjustment positions. The image pickup apparatus changes a lens driving method for focus detection, based on at least one of the drivable defocus amount, the driving speed, and a charge storage interval for charge storage in an image pickup element for acquiring a signal for use in focus detection.

Image pickup apparatus that provides focus control based on focusing information obtained from an interchangeable lens

An image-pickup apparatus includes an image-pickup element including first pixels photoelectrically converting an object image formed by a light flux from an image-pickup optical system and second pixels including plural focus detection pixels photoelectrically converting a light flux divided from the light flux from the image-pickup optical system, a focus detector detecting a focus state of the image-pickup optical system based on outputs from the second pixels, a frequency component detector detecting a spatial frequency component of the object image formed on the first pixels, an image generator generating, based on outputs from the first pixels, a partial image corresponding to the second pixels of an image obtained by an output from the image-pickup element. The apparatus includes a controller switching whether or not to cause the image generator to generate the partial image according to the spatial frequency component detected by the frequency component detector.

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Tokyo, Japan

Masahiro Kawarada