JP2010028697A - Imaging apparatus, photographing lens barrel, digital camera, and mobile information terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus, photographic lens barrel, digital camera, and mobile information terminal capable of easily switching both dynamic range-enlarged photographing and ordinary photographing without resolution deterioration and sensitivity reduction. <P>SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus comprises: a photoelectric conversion means 10 including a plurality of imaging devices provided with different color filters; an extinction means 30, disposed on an optical path where light is made incident on imaging devices on the front face of the imaging devices of the photoelectric conversion means, including an extinction filter part 38 having a filter transmitting complementary-color light of a color filter spectroscopically and a colorless filter part 39 transmitting the transmission light without extinction; and a switching means 26 which moves the extinction means with respect to the photoelectric conversion means and is capable of switching to a first state where the spectral property of the color filter and the spectral property of the extinction means in a complementary-color relationship to each other or to a second state where the spectral property of the color filter of the imaging device and the spectral property of the extinction means become a combination that has not the complementary-color relationship to each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging device, a photographing lens barrel, a digital camera, and a portable information terminal that can expand a dynamic range without deteriorating photographed image quality.

  An imaging apparatus such as a digital camera includes a color imaging device such as a CCD, and is connected to an imaging surface through a plurality of types of color filters (usually three color filters of R: red, G: green, and B: blue). A subject image to be imaged is converted into an image signal by the image sensor. The image signal is stored in a memory, and the image pickup screen can be displayed on the monitor in real time by inputting it to the monitor. The image signal stored in the memory can be read out and reproduced on a monitor or printed on a printing paper by a printer.

  In an imaging device, it is desired to obtain a high-quality captured image with a good contrast while clearly detecting a luminance difference over a wide luminance range of a subject. One element representing the performance of the imaging apparatus is a dynamic range. The dynamic range is a ratio between the minimum value and the maximum value of the identifiable signal, and represents the signal reproducibility. The dynamic range of an image pickup apparatus using a CCD as an image pickup element is usually about 600%. When a subject having a luminance range exceeding the dynamic range is photographed by an image sensor made up of a CCD, the luminance in the high luminance portion cannot be distinguished, and an image with good contrast cannot be obtained.

  Therefore, a device has been devised so that an image of a predetermined quality can be taken even if the dynamic range of the CCD is exceeded. The invention described in Patent Document 1 is one of them, and a CCD, which is an image pickup device, is composed of a first photoelectric conversion element that is not covered with an ND filter and a second photoelectric conversion element that is covered with an ND filter. The conversion elements and the second photoelectric conversion elements are alternately arranged and their outputs are separated and subjected to signal processing. The imaging signal of the first photoelectric conversion element is obtained until the aperture value at which the output signal of the first photoelectric conversion element is saturated, When the aperture value is exceeded, the image pickup signal of the second photoelectric conversion element is selected by the selection circuit and output.

  In Patent Document 2, pre-exposure is performed, and whether or not the dynamic range is insufficient is determined from the output image data. When there is no shortage, actual shooting is performed without changing the exposure condition. Digital calculation processing is performed using correction factors, and data for all colors is obtained by a single exposure process. When the dynamic range is insufficient, the exposure amount is controlled for each color according to the correction factors, and the color at the exposure stage. A digital camera adapted for balance adjustment is described.

JP 2000-41189 A JP 2003-324747 A

In the invention described in Patent Document 1, the CCD is divided into a first photoelectric conversion element portion and a second photoelectric conversion element portion, and the output signal of the first photoelectric conversion element or the output signal of the second photoelectric conversion element is selected according to the aperture value. Therefore, only half of the CCD pixels can be used, and it is difficult to obtain a high resolution.
The invention described in Patent Document 2 requires preliminary exposure in order to determine whether or not the dynamic range is insufficient, and there is room for improvement when applied to a general-purpose digital camera.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems of the prior art as described in each of the above-mentioned patent documents. The dynamic range can be expanded in an imaging apparatus and the like, and the dynamic range is expanded. Another object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device, a photographing lens barrel, a digital camera, and a portable information terminal that can easily switch between normal imaging without resolution degradation and sensitivity reduction.

  An image pickup apparatus according to the present invention includes a photoelectric conversion unit including a plurality of image pickup elements having different color filters arranged on the front surface, and is disposed on an optical path incident on the image pickup element on the front surface of each image pickup element of the photoelectric conversion unit. A neutral density filter portion having a filter that transmits the complementary color light spectrally of the color filter, a neutral density filter portion that transmits the transmitted light almost without being attenuated, and the darkening means to the photoelectric conversion means In the first state where the spectral characteristic of the color filter and the spectral characteristic of the light reduction means are complementary to each other, or the spectral characteristic of the color filter of the image sensor and the spectral characteristic of the light reduction means are complementary to each other And a switching means capable of switching to a second state that is not a combination.

The neutral density filter section of the neutral density means may be a filter in which the ratio of the neutral density filter section changes in the cross section perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical path.
The neutral density filter portion of the neutral density means may have a neutral density filter portion and a colorless filter portion that transmits the transmitted light with almost no attenuation.

  The first state in which the spectral characteristics of the color filter arranged in front of the image sensor and the spectral characteristics of the light reduction means are complementary to each other, and the light filter means is moved relative to the photoelectric conversion means so that the color filter spectrum of the image sensor By making it possible to configure a second state in which the characteristics and the spectral characteristics of the light reduction means are not in a complementary color relationship, it is possible to expand the dynamic range of a photographing apparatus such as a digital camera, Therefore, it is possible to easily switch between normal shooting without degradation of resolution and sensitivity reduction. That is, in the second state, image information with a wide dynamic range can be obtained, and in the first state, high-definition image information can be acquired without impairing the amount of incident light.

  When a filter whose proportion of the neutral density filter section changes in the optical axis vertical section of the optical path is used as the neutral density filter section of the neutral density means, the neutral density filter section and the neutral density filter section and the transmitted light are also used. Even in the case of a colorless filter portion that transmits light with almost no attenuation, it is possible to easily switch between shooting with an expanded dynamic range and normal shooting with no deterioration in resolution and sensitivity.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of an imaging device, a photographing lens barrel, a digital camera, and a portable information terminal according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an image sensor unit. The image sensor unit 1 is configured by incorporating the following members into a substrate 2. The substrate 2 is made of a plate-like member having a quadrangular planar shape, and has a shape that is scraped off from the upper surface side, leaving a peripheral edge portion. It is integrally formed. The protrusions 22 are formed on four sides of the inner surface of the substrate 2, and the photoelectric conversion element support member 8 having the same planar shape as this space is fitted into the rectangular space surrounded by the four protrusions 22. It is fixed to. The photoelectric conversion element support member 8 is also squeezed from the upper surface side to form a rectangular recess, and the CCD 10 as the photoelectric conversion means is dropped into this recess and fixed. The CCD 10 has two-dimensionally arranged image sensors (also referred to as “pixels”), and each image sensor is regularly arranged with red: R, green: G or blue: B color filters on the front surface thereof. The front surface of the CCD 10 is a pattern surface 12 formed by a color filter.

  The lower surface of the photoelectric conversion element support member 8 and the lower surface of the protrusion 22 are flush with each other, and the flexible circuit board as a conductive means extends over the lower surface of the photoelectric conversion element support member 8 and the lower surface of the protrusion 22. 6 is fixed, and the flexible circuit board 6 is drawn out of the image sensor unit 1. The flexible circuit board 6 inputs the output signal of the CCD 10 to an external circuit. A spacer 14 is fixed to a peripheral portion on the upper surface side of the CCD 10 in a range that does not block the imaging device, and a filter 30 is placed on the spacer 14. The filter 30 has an area sufficient to cover the upper surface of the photoelectric conversion element support member 8 and is movable while sliding on the spacer 14.

  The substrate 2 has an outer peripheral wall 24 on the upper surface side, and a filter holder 34 is fixed on the outer peripheral wall 24. The filter holder 34 extends inward of the substrate 2 to a position where it does not block the image pickup device of the CCD 10, and a protrusion 36 provided on the lower surface of the tip portion makes point contact or line contact with the upper surface of the filter 30. 30 is pressed toward the CCD 10 with an appropriate force. The upper surface of the filter 30 is a spectral filter surface 32 described in detail later. The filter 30 has a square shape when viewed from above, and a piezoelectric element 26 serving as a transfer conversion means (actuator) is disposed between one of a pair of opposing sides and the outer peripheral wall 24 of the substrate 2 and the other side. An elastic member 28 is interposed between the outer peripheral walls 24 of the substrate 2. The piezoelectric element 26 forms one layer or a plurality of appropriate layers, and expands and contracts according to the applied voltage. The elastic member 28 is compressed and biased as the filter 30 moves due to the expansion of the piezoelectric element 26, and functions to move the filter 30 in the reverse direction by the biasing force when the piezoelectric element 26 contracts. As the elastic member 28, an appropriate member such as a coil spring, a leaf spring, or rubber may be selected and used.

  The filter 30 has a neutral density filter portion and a colorless filter portion, and there are various embodiments described below depending on the formation pattern of the neutral density filter portion and the colorless filter portion.

  3 to 7 show the configuration of the filter 30 in the first embodiment. FIG. 4 shows an aspect of the overlap of the color filter and the filter 30 arranged in each pixel of the CCD 10, and FIG. 5 shows the overlap of the color filter and the filter 30 arranged in each pixel when the filter 30 is moved by one pixel. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show the operation of the filter 30. 3 to 5, the filter 30 functions as a dimming unit, and is disposed on the front surface of the CCD 10 that is a photoelectric conversion unit, and a dimming filter is disposed at the same pitch as the image sensor array in the image sensor array direction of the CCD 10. It is configured by arranging. The filter 30 includes a color filter disposed on the front surface of each image sensor of the CCD 10 and a neutral density filter section 38 having a filter that spectrally transmits complementary color light, and a colorless filter that transmits the transmitted light with almost no attenuation. The portions 39 are configured by being alternately arranged in a checkered pattern in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. Each neutral density filter unit 38 is divided into four parts vertically and horizontally, and Y: yellow, M: magenta, and C: cyan filter parts are assigned to the respective divided parts. However, the M filter is assigned to the divided portion at one set of diagonal positions, and Y and M are assigned to the divided portions at the other diagonal positions. Each of the four divided filter sections of the neutral density filter section 38 is positioned in front of each image sensor corresponding to the color filter of each image sensor of the CCD 10.

  In the state shown in FIG. 3, the Y, M, and C filter portions of the neutral density filter portion 38 and the colorless filter portion 39 that does not include the Y, M, and C filter portions are replaced with the B, G, and C filter of each image pickup device of the CCD 10. Alternatingly located vertically and horizontally on the front. The Y, M, and C filter units attenuate light components having a wavelength with high spectral sensitivity of the CCD 10, and the image sensor of the CCD 10 corresponding to the Y, M, and C filter units is image information that is attenuated by the filter unit. Can be obtained. By combining this image information with the image information of the image sensor corresponding to the colorless filter unit 39 without the Y, M, and C filter units, it is possible to acquire image information with a wide dynamic range.

  FIG. 4 shows the relationship of the overlap of the filter 30 shown in FIG. Each pixel of the CCD 10 has two vertical and horizontal pixels, for a total of four pixels as a unit, and a color filter is arranged in front of each pixel. The one unit pixel is provided with three color filters of R: red, G: green, and B: blue, and two pixels at one diagonal position are G and other diagonal positions. Are assigned as B and R pixels. The G pixel faces the M color filter, the B pixel faces the Y color filter, and the R pixel faces the C color filter.

  In the positional relationship between the filter shown in FIG. 4 and the pixel of the CCD 10, the Y, M, and C filters are a combination that does not attenuate the light component having high spectral sensitivity of the pixel without reducing the amount of light of the incident image by the filter. Image information with high definition can be acquired. The reason will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 explains the split transmission state of the light wavelength component in the state shown in FIG. The arrows shown in the upper part of FIG. 9 are spectral components when white light is incident, and indicate B: blue, G: green, and R: red from the left. Below these arrows is a dimming means, that is, a neutral density filter portion 38 of the filter 30. The neutral density filter section 38 is divided into Y: yellow, M: magenta, and C: cyan filter sections according to spectral components having a large spectral transmission characteristic.

  A spectral component of light transmitted through the filter 30 is indicated by an arrow below the filter 30. Of the arrows indicating the spectral component, the arrow indicated by a thin line (dotted line) indicates the light component attenuated by the neutral density filter unit 38. Below that is a color filter arranged for each image sensor of the CCD 10. The color filter is divided into B: blue, G: green, and R: red as described above according to spectral components having a large spectral transmission characteristic. The neutral density filter section 38 of the filter 30 and the color filter of the CCD 10 have a complementary color relationship. In the state of FIGS. 4 and 6, with respect to the light that passes through the neutral density filter section 38, the light that reaches the image sensor of the CCD 10 is dimmed as indicated by the letters “light reception” in FIG. The light is attenuated by the filter unit 38. On the other hand, the light passing through the colorless filter unit 39 reaches the image sensor of the CCD 10 without being dimmed.

  As described above, in the state shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the image information (high luminance side) dimmed by the dimming means including the dimming filter unit 38 and the image that is not dimmed through the colorless filter unit 39. Information (on the low luminance side) can be obtained, and an image with a wide dynamic range can be formed by combining these two types of image information by an image processing means (not shown). However, by performing the image processing, the contrast information of the image is reduced.

  Next, the positional relationship between the filter as the dimming means shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 and the image sensor of the CCD 10 will be described. 5 and 7 show a state where the filter 30 is shifted by one pixel of the CCD 10 from the state shown in FIG. In order to displace the filter 30 in this way, a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 26 as the actuator described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, or the applied voltage is turned off and the piezoelectric element 26 is expanded and contracted. be able to. In this operation mode, the four filters constituting the neutral density filter section 38 of the filter 30 are opposed to the color filters arranged in the image pickup device of the CCD 10 with the following correspondence relationship. Of the four pixels constituting one unit pixel of the CCD 10, one of the G pixels in the diagonal position is opposite to the Y filter, the other G pixel is opposite to the M filter, and the B pixel is The R pixel faces the M filter, and the R pixel faces the C filter.

  At the moving position of the filter 30 shown in FIG. 5, the neutral density filter section 38 of the filter 30 is in a relative positional relationship as shown in FIG. 7 with respect to the color filter of the CCD 10. The spectral characteristics of the filter unit 38 are combinations that are not complementary to each other. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the light that passes through the neutral density filter section 38 and travels toward the light receiving element of the CCD 10 can reach the image sensor without being spectrally attenuated by the neutral density filter section 38. . On the other hand, the light passing through the colorless filter unit 39 reaches the image sensor of the CCD 10 without being dimmed.

As described above, in the operation mode shown in FIG. 5, the dynamic range of the CCD 10 cannot be expanded, but a high-quality image can be obtained without reducing contrast information.
According to the first embodiment described above, it is possible to switch between an operation mode capable of forming an image with a wide dynamic range and an operation mode capable of forming a high-quality image with high contrast. Switching between the two operation modes may be performed manually by the user, but for example, it may be configured to automatically switch according to the photometric result of the photometric device.

  8 to 11 show the second embodiment. In FIG. 8, a microlens array 60 in which microlenses 62 are arranged in accordance with the arrangement pitch of each image pickup element is arranged on the front surface of each image pickup element constituting the CCD 10. The filter 30 in which the neutral density filter portion 64 is formed in a band shape on the front surface of the microlens array 60 is arranged in the plane direction, more precisely, in the band shape, the neutral density filter portion 64 according to the configuration shown in FIGS. It is arrange | positioned so that a movement in the direction orthogonal to the length direction of this is possible. The formation pitch of the neutral density filter portion 64 is equal to the pitch of two rows of the microlens array 60. The surface of the filter 30 other than the neutral density filter 64 is a colorless filter 65 that transmits the transmitted light with almost no attenuation. The width of the band-shaped neutral density filter portion 64 is wider than the interval between the pixels forming the column of the CCD 10. At the position of the filter 30 shown in FIG. 8, the neutral density filter unit 64 is located between the image sensor rows. FIG. 10 shows the state of the light beam 66 incident on the pixel 11 of the CCD 10 through the microlens 62 at this time. As can be seen from FIGS. 8 and 10, the incident light beam 66 passes through the colorless filter unit 65 and reaches the image sensor 11 without being blocked by the neutral density filter unit 64.

  FIG. 9 shows a state where the filter 30 is shifted by 1/2 pitch of the pixel 11. FIG. 11 shows a state of the light beam 66 incident on the image pickup device 11 of the CCD 10 through the microlens 62 at this time. As can be seen from FIGS. 9 and 11, a part of the incident light beam 66 is blocked by the neutral density filter portion 64 of the filter 30, and the amount of light incident on the CCD 10 is attenuated, and is attenuated from each image sensor of the CCD 10. Image information is output. The image sensor 11 that does not have the neutral density filter part 64 on the front surface is incident on the image sensor 11 through the colorless filter part 65 with almost no attenuation. Therefore, by combining the image information of the pixel (imaging element) corresponding to the colorless filter unit 65 without the neutral density filter unit 64 and the image information of the pixel whose incident light amount is attenuated by the neutral density filter unit 64, a dynamic range is obtained. Wide image information can be acquired.

  The operation modes shown in FIGS. 9 and 11 are the modes in which the amount of incident light is most attenuated, whereas the operation modes shown in FIGS. 8 and 10 are the optical paths of the microlenses 62 of the image sensor 11 in which the neutral density filter unit 64 is. It is an aspect which is located outside and does not attenuate the amount of light, and by combining the image information obtained in these aspects, it is possible to acquire image information with high definition.

  12 to 14 show a third embodiment. The third embodiment is also based on an idea similar to that of the second embodiment. Instead of the band-shaped neutral density filter portion 64 of the filter 30 in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. The other is formed as a colorless filter part. Similar to the CCD 10 in the second embodiment, the CCD 10 has a microlens 62 for each image sensor. The outer diameter of the neutral density filter 66 is considerably larger than the outer diameter of the microlens 62 (for example, 3 to 4 times). The neutral density filter 66 is arranged at a pitch corresponding to two pitches in the vertical and horizontal directions with respect to the pitch of the pixels. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of piezoelectric elements 26 arranged so as to be able to move the filter 30 in a direction orthogonal to each other, a maximum of ½ pitch of the pixel pitch in the direction orthogonal to each other. It is configured so that it can be moved.

  In the operation mode shown in FIG. 12, the neutral density filter portions 66 of the filter 30 are located between the pixels of the CCD 10, and therefore between the microlenses 62, and only the colorless filter portion is located on the incident optical path of each imaging element of the CCD 10. The operation mode shown in FIG. 13 shows a state in which the filters 30 are moved by ½ pitch of the pixel pitch in directions orthogonal to each other. In this operation mode, the dark filter section 66 blocks the most amount of incident light, and the incident light quantity on the pixel at the position where the dark filter section 66 is present attenuates. On the other hand, the amount of incident light to the pixel at the position where the neutral density filter portion 66 is not present and the colorless filter portion is present is hardly attenuated. Therefore, high-definition image information can be acquired by combining the image information obtained in these aspects.

  In each of the embodiments described above, the entire filter 30 serving as a dimming unit may be provided with spectral characteristics such as infrared cut characteristics.

The imaging apparatus according to each embodiment described above can be applied to various apparatuses as described below.
For example, it can be incorporated in the taking lens barrel of various cameras. FIG. 15 shows an example. In FIG. 15, the imaging optical unit 40 is configured by incorporating the imaging element unit 1, the aperture 42, and the imaging optical system 44 into a base. A photographic lens barrel is constructed by incorporating the photographic optical unit 40 into an appropriate lens barrel. If the photographic lens barrel is incorporated into various cameras or the like, the image of the subject 50 can be formed on the CCD of the image sensor unit 1 and an image signal can be output.

FIG. 16 shows an example in which the image pickup apparatus according to each of the embodiments is incorporated in a digital camera. In FIG. 16, a photographic optical unit 40 is incorporated in the camera body, and the imaging element unit is incorporated in the camera body, which is the rear part of the photographic optical unit 40.
FIG. 17 shows an example in which the image pickup apparatus according to each of the embodiments is incorporated in a portable information terminal, for example, a notebook personal computer. In FIG. 17, the photographing optical unit 40 is incorporated in a lid of a notebook personal computer, and the image sensor unit is incorporated in the rear portion of the photographing optical unit 40 and inside the lid.

  By incorporating the imaging device according to each of the above examples into a photographing lens barrel, a digital camera, and a portable information terminal, the dynamic range can be expanded as described in each of the above examples, and an image with high definition can be obtained. Obtainable.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the structural example of the mechanism part of the imaging device which concerns on this invention. It is a top view of the mechanism part of the said imaging device. It is a top view which shows the example of a pattern of the filter of Example 1 of the imaging device which concerns on this invention. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the pattern of the said filter, and the pixel arrangement | positioning of an image pick-up element. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the pattern of the said filter, and the pixel arrangement | positioning of an image pick-up element in a different operation | movement aspect. It is a model figure which shows the effect | action of the filter in the aspect shown in FIG. It is a model figure which shows the effect | action of the filter in the aspect shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the filter pattern of Example 2 of the imaging device which concerns on this invention, and the pixel arrangement | positioning of an image pick-up element. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the pattern of the said filter, and the pixel arrangement | positioning of an image pick-up element in a different operation | movement aspect. It is a model figure which shows the effect | action of the filter in the aspect shown in FIG. It is a model figure which shows the effect | action of the filter in the aspect shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the pattern example of the filter of Example 3 of the imaging device which concerns on this invention, and the pixel arrangement | positioning of an image pick-up element. It is a top view which shows the relationship between the pattern of the said filter, and the pixel arrangement | positioning of an image pick-up element in a different operation | movement aspect. It is a top view which shows the example of a pattern of the filter of the said Example 3. FIG. It is a model figure which shows roughly the example of the imaging lens barrel incorporating the imaging device which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows roughly the example of the digital camera incorporating the imaging device which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view showing roughly an example of a personal digital assistant incorporating an imaging device concerning the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Image sensor unit 2 Substrate 10 Photoelectric conversion means (CCD)
11 Pixel 12 Pattern surface 26 Piezoelectric element (actuator)
28 Elastic member 30 Filter 32 Spectral filter surface 38 Neutral filter part 39 Colorless filter part 40 Imaging optical unit 60 Microlens array 62 Microlens 64 Neutral filter part 65 Colorless filter part 66 Neutral filter part

Claims (12)

Photoelectric conversion means comprising a plurality of image sensors with different color filters arranged on the front surface;
A neutral density filter portion having a filter that is arranged on the optical path incident on the image sensor on the front surface of each image sensor of the photoelectric conversion means and transmits the complementary color light spectrally of the color filter, and hardly attenuates transmitted light. A dimming means having a colorless filter portion to transmit;
The dimming means is moved relative to the photoelectric conversion means, the first state where the spectral characteristics of the color filter and the spectral characteristics of the dimming means are complementary to each other, or the spectral characteristics of the color filter of the image sensor and the An image pickup apparatus comprising: a switching unit capable of switching to a second state in which the spectral characteristics of the light reducing unit are in a combination that is not complementary to each other. Photoelectric conversion means having a plurality of imaging elements;
A dimming unit having a neutral density filter unit disposed on an optical path incident on the image sensor on the front surface of each image sensor of the photoelectric conversion unit and a colorless filter unit that transmits the transmitted light with almost no attenuation;
A first state in which the neutral density filter unit is positioned on an incident optical path of the image sensor; and the neutral density filter unit on the incident optical path of the image sensor by moving the neutral density unit relative to the photoelectric conversion unit. An imaging apparatus comprising: switching means capable of switching to a second state in which a ratio occupied by the neutral density filter section changes in a cross section perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical path. Photoelectric conversion means having a plurality of imaging elements;
A dimming unit having a neutral density filter unit disposed on an optical path incident on the image sensor on the front surface of each image sensor of the photoelectric conversion unit and a colorless filter unit that transmits the transmitted light with almost no attenuation;
A first state in which the neutral density filter unit is positioned on the incident optical path of the imaging element, and the neutral density filter unit is only on the incident optical path of the imaging element by moving the neutral density unit relative to the photoelectric conversion unit. Switching means switchable to a second state that is positioned.   2. The neutral density filter portion and the colorless filter portion of the dimming means are configured in an alternating continuous stripe shape, and their pitch is configured with an interval corresponding to the pitch of the image sensor of the photoelectric conversion means. , 2 or 3.   The imaging device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the neutral density filter section of the neutral density unit is two-dimensionally discrete and has an interval corresponding to the pitch of the imaging element of the photoelectric conversion unit.   6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transfer conversion unit that moves the dimming unit.   An elastic member is disposed at a position opposite to the dimming means in the displacement direction of the electrophoretic conversion means, and the dimming means is biased toward the electrophoretic conversion means. Item 7. The imaging device according to Item 6.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the electrotransfer conversion means is a piezoelectric element.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dimming unit has spectral characteristics such as infrared cut characteristics.   A photographic lens barrel including the imaging device according to any one of 1 to 9 above.   A digital camera comprising the imaging device according to any one of 1 to 9 above.   The portable information terminal provided with the imaging device in any one of said 1-9.

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