JP2019057887A - Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a program capable of capturing the appearance of a subject while an exposure time is not in a predetermined range.SOLUTION: The apparatus comprises: a visible light imaging unit (12, 14, 16) for capturing a visible light image of a subject with visible light; an infrared imaging unit (11, 13, 15) for capturing an infrared image of the subject with infrared light; an image processing unit 17 for determining the exposure time of the visible light imaging unit (12, 14, 16) on the basis of information of the infrared image obtained by the infrared imaging unit (11, 13, 15); and a control unit 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a program for obtaining an appropriate imaging condition and executing imaging.

  Conventionally, in a digital camera, a technique for performing imaging after calculating an appropriate exposure time under various conditions has been proposed. (For example, Patent Document 1)

JP 2011-059499 A

  In the technique described in the patent document, the range of the exposure time is determined to be a predetermined range in order to maintain high-speed imaging. In the case of such conventional imaging, there is a problem that it is impossible to capture the aspect of the subject when the exposure time is outside the predetermined range.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a program capable of capturing an aspect of a subject outside an exposure time within a predetermined range. There is to do.

  In order to achieve the above object, an aspect of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a visible light imaging unit that captures a visible light image of a subject with visible light, and a red that captures an infrared light image of the subject with infrared light. An external light imaging unit; and a determination unit that determines an exposure time of the visible light imaging unit based on information of the infrared light image obtained by the infrared light imaging unit.

  In order to achieve the above object, an aspect of the imaging method according to the present invention includes a visible light imaging step of capturing a visible light image of a subject with visible light, and red for capturing an infrared light image of the subject with infrared light. An external light imaging step; and a determination step of determining an exposure time of the visible light imaging step based on information of the infrared light image obtained in the infrared light imaging step.

  In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the program according to the present invention is to provide a computer of an imaging apparatus, a visible light imaging unit that captures a visible light image of a subject with visible light, and an infrared light image of the subject with infrared light. An infrared light imaging unit that captures the image, and a determination unit that determines an exposure time of the visible light imaging unit based on information of the infrared light image obtained by the infrared light imaging unit. To do.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an imaging device, an imaging method, and a program capable of capturing the appearance of a subject outside the predetermined exposure time range.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a functional circuit of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing extracted processing contents during HDR (high dynamic range) imaging according to an embodiment. The flowchart which shows the detailed process content of the calibration process (S102) of FIG. 2 which concerns on one Embodiment. The figure which illustrates the edge extraction image acquired from the visible light image and infrared light image which concern on one Embodiment. The figure which shows the concept at the time of each enlarging the periphery of the edge pixel area | region acquired from the infrared-light image which concerns on one Embodiment, and the edge pixel area | region acquired from the visible light image which has produced the black-out or white-out.

  An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a digital camera will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a functional circuit of a digital camera 10 according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 11 and 12 denote imaging lens units, which are arranged in parallel on the front side of a housing (not shown) of the digital camera 10.

  An infrared image sensor 13 using a near infrared transmission filter is provided at the in-focus position of the imaging lens unit 11. An image sensor 14 using a primary color filter for visible light is provided at the in-focus position of the imaging lens unit 12.

  In the present embodiment, in consideration of the parallax of the two imaging lens optical systems, the lens optical axes of the imaging lens units 11 and 12 are reliably set in parallel and the imaging of the imaging lens unit 12 on the visible light side is performed. The imaging field angle of the imaging lens unit 11 on the infrared light side is slightly wider than the field angle, and the imaging range of the imaging lens unit 12 can be reliably covered with the imaging range of the imaging lens unit 11. Shall.

  An infrared light image signal generated by light reception by the infrared image sensor 13 is digitized by the A / D conversion unit 15 and then sent to the image processing unit 17.

  A visible light image signal generated by reception by one image sensor 14 is digitized by the A / D converter 16 and then sent to the image processor 17.

  The image processing unit 17 is a processor constituting the image engine of the digital camera 10, and necessary image data for the infrared light image data and visible light image data transmitted via the A / D conversion units 15 and 16. The process is executed, and the execution result is output to the bus B.

  Also connected to the bus B are a flash drive unit 18, an audio processing unit 19, a control unit 20, a monitor display unit 21, and a memory card interface (I / F) 22.

  The flash drive unit 18 performs flash imaging by selectively or simultaneously driving the infrared light emitting LED (light emitting diode) 23 and the white light emitting LED 24 arranged on the front surface of the housing of the digital camera 10. Let

  The audio processing unit 19 digitizes an audio signal input from the microphone 25 disposed on the front surface of the housing of the digital camera 10, performs data compression processing as necessary, and outputs the data to the bus B.

  The control unit 20 controls the operation of the entire digital camera 10 and receives key operation signals directly input from the operation unit 26 to control other circuits.

  The operation unit 26 includes, for example, a power key, a shutter key, a zoom key, an imaging mode key, a display key, a cross cursor key, an enter key, a cancel key, a function key, and the like.

  The monitor display unit 21 includes a color liquid crystal panel with a built-in backlight and a driver circuit, which are provided on the back side of the housing of the digital camera 10 and have, for example, a tilt mechanism. The monitor display unit 21 monitors and displays an image captured by at least one of the infrared image sensor 13 and the image sensor 14 in the imaging mode, and uses image data read from a memory card 27 described later in the reproduction mode. To display.

  The memory card interface 22 stores an image data file obtained by imaging in the imaging mode with respect to the memory card 27 detachably attached to the digital camera 10 via the card slot CS according to the control of the control unit 20. While writing and recording, in the reproduction mode, the image data file is read from the memory card 27 and sent to the image processing unit 17.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing extracted processing contents during HDR image capturing, which is executed by the control unit 20 in the image capturing mode. In this figure, when processing is started in response to the operation of the shutter key of the operation unit 26, first, the driving cycle of the infrared image sensor 13 and the image sensor 14 is switched for pre-imaging, and the infrared light image by the image processing unit 17 is changed. Monitoring of the visible light image is started (step S101).

  In a state where monitoring is started, a calibration process for acquiring an appropriate exposure time during HDR (high dynamic range) imaging with the image sensor 14 is executed (step S102).

  After the end of the calibration process, the control unit 20 causes the image processing unit 17 to confirm that there is no movement in the subject in the visible light image being monitored (step S103). In this process, the contour extraction process is performed on the visible light image obtained by the image processing unit 17 to recognize the image portion to be the subject, and then the image portion of the same subject in the image obtained immediately before is recognized. In comparison, it is confirmed that there is no movement of the position.

  If it is determined here that the position of the subject has moved (No in step S103), the control unit 20 returns to the processing from step S102 again.

  By repeatedly executing the processing of step S102 and step S103 in this way, it waits for the subject in the image to stand still while acquiring an appropriate exposure time by the calibration processing.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing contents of the calibration processing subroutine in step S103.

  Initially, the control unit 20 scans the infrared image sensor 13 and causes the image processing unit 17 to acquire an infrared light image via the A / D conversion unit 15 (step S201). In parallel, the control unit 20 scans and drives the image sensor 14, and causes the image processing unit 17 to acquire a visible light image via the A / D conversion unit 16 (step S202).

  It is desirable that the acquisition of the infrared light image and the acquisition of the visible light image be as simultaneous as possible in terms of timing. The control unit 20 causes the image processing unit 17 to execute edge (contour) extraction processing for both the infrared light image and the visible light image (step S203).

  Under the control of the control unit 20, the image processing unit 17 compares the edge extraction image from the infrared light image and the edge extraction image from the visible light image thus obtained by pattern matching processing, It is determined whether there is an edge that exists in the edge extraction image from the external light image but does not exist in the same image region of the edge extraction image from the visible light image (step S204).

  If it is determined that there is an edge that exists in the edge extracted image from the infrared light image but does not exist in the same image area of the edge extracted image from the visible light image (Yes in step S204), the image processing unit 17 Is whether or not the corresponding region of at least one edge that could not be extracted in the visible light image is in a portion where the black-out occurs in the visible light image, that is, the portion corresponding to at least one edge. It is determined whether the R, G, and B components of each pixel value are all “0 (zero)” gradations (step S205).

  FIG. 4A illustrates an edge extraction image acquired from a visible light image. On the other hand, FIG. 4B illustrates an edge extraction image acquired from an infrared light image. A range IV surrounded by a broken line in FIG. 4B is largely blackened in the visible light image and indicates an edge portion that cannot be extracted.

  When it is determined that there is an edge that cannot be extracted from the visible light image due to the blackout (Yes in step S205), a blackened portion occurs in the standard visible light image capturing in step S202. Therefore, the control unit 20 that has received the determination result of the image processing unit 17 sets the exposure time long in order to acquire the gradation of the dark portion in the image, particularly when performing HDR imaging, The exposure time when an image in the dark direction is captured as a whole is set to a long value so as to be a value outside the preset standard range (step S206).

  In Step S205, if it is determined that there is no edge that cannot be extracted from the visible light image due to blackout (No in Step S205), the control unit 20 does not execute the process in Step S206.

  Next, under the control of the control unit 20, the image processing unit 17 has a corresponding region of at least one edge that could not be extracted from the visible light image in a portion where whiteout occurs in the visible light image. Whether the R, G and B components of each pixel value corresponding to at least one of the edges are full gradation (for example, 255 gradations when the number of quantization bits is 8). It is determined whether or not (step S207).

  When it is determined that there is an edge that could not be extracted from the visible light image due to whiteout (Yes in step S207), a whiteout portion has occurred in the standard visible light image capturing in step S202. Then, the control unit 20 that has received the determination result of the image processing unit 17 sets the exposure time short in order to acquire the gradation of the bright part in the image, and is bright overall. The exposure time when capturing an image in the direction is set to a short value so as to be out of the preset standard range (step S208).

  If it is determined in step S207 that there is no edge that cannot be extracted from the visible light image due to whiteout (No in step S207), the control unit 20 does not execute the process in step S208.

  In step S204, when the image processing unit 17 determines that there is no edge that exists in the edge extraction image from the infrared light image but does not exist in the same image region of the edge extraction image from the visible light image (step S204). The control unit 20 that has received the determination result does not execute the processes of steps S205 to S208.

  FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a concept when the periphery of a corresponding pixel in the edge portion in the edge extracted image acquired from the infrared light image is enlarged. FIG. 5A shows a case where the edge portion can be extracted with a clear contrast compared to the surrounding area.

  On the other hand, FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating a concept when the periphery of a corresponding pixel in the edge portion in the edge extracted image acquired from the visible light no-image is enlarged. In FIG. 5B, it is assumed that the exposure time is set to be a little longer, assuming that a wrinkle portion that can be extracted as an edge cannot be extracted due to blackening in the visible light image.

  On the other hand, FIG. 5C is a diagram showing a concept when the periphery of a corresponding pixel in the edge portion in the edge extracted image acquired from the visible light no image is enlarged. In FIG. 5C, it is assumed that the exposure time is set to be slightly shorter, assuming that a wrinkle portion that can be extracted as an edge cannot be extracted due to whiteout in a visible light image.

  After completion of the processing as described above, when the HDR imaging is performed by synthesizing, for example, three images obtained by continuous imaging, the control unit 20 captures an image in a dark direction as a whole. The exposure time is determined for each of the case of capturing a standard image and the case of capturing an image in a bright direction as a whole (step S209), and the subroutine of FIG. 3 is ended as described above, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG. .

  In the process of step S206 or step S208, only one of the exposure time when capturing an image in the dark direction and the exposure time when capturing an image in the bright direction is changed. Alternatively, the exposure time at the time of capturing the standard image may be changed and set by about half a stage in accordance with the stage where the exposure time is changed to be longer or shorter.

  In the main routine of FIG. 2, the processing of steps S102 and S103 is repeatedly executed, and if necessary, the exposure time is such that HDR imaging can be executed without causing blackout or whiteout at least in a large range by calibration processing. When it is determined that the subject in the image is stationary after the setting is completed (YES in step S103), the control unit 20 starts actual HDR imaging (step S104), and the imaging lens unit 12, the image sensor 14, In the imaging system on the visible light side by the A / D conversion unit 16 and the image processing unit 17, a plurality of preset images are captured by continuous shooting (step S105).

  The control unit 20 causes the image processing unit 17 to calculate an HDR image by image synthesis processing using the obtained plurality of visible light images having different exposure times (step S106).

  Note that at the time of synthesizing the HDR image, a synthesized map image showing the distribution of luminance components may be created from a standard intermediate-exposure visible light image.

  In addition, when synthesizing the HDR image, the portion of the visible light image that is white and black is divided into a plurality of mask areas, and each of the mask areas is white. It is also possible to synthesize an HDR image so that the composition ratio changes in a stepwise manner from the area where the image is blacked out to the area where the image is black.

  The HDR image obtained by the above calculation is converted into file data accompanied by data compression according to a data format set in advance as appropriate, and then recorded on the memory card 27 via the memory card interface 22. The image capturing process is temporarily terminated.

  As described above in detail, according to the embodiment, it is possible to capture the aspect of the subject when the exposure time is outside the predetermined range.

  In the above-described embodiment, an image obtained by extracting an edge (outline) from images captured in advance in an infrared light image and a visible light image is acquired, and inappropriate imaging conditions for the visible light image are determined by comparison. Since the determination is made, it is possible to determine an appropriate exposure time while making the calculation processing load by the image processing unit 17 relatively low.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the infrared light image and the visible light image are captured at the same time, so that it is possible to eliminate the influence of the movement of the subject in the image and the change in the imaging direction of the photographer.

  Although not described in detail in the above-described embodiment, when changing the exposure time in steps S206 and S208 in FIG. 3, red for capturing an infrared light image on a standard subject is used. A correspondence relationship between the external light exposure time and the visible light exposure time for capturing a visible light image having the same brightness as the infrared light image is acquired and recorded in advance, and the visible light image is based on the recorded content. If the exposure time at the time of imaging is determined, the process for determining the exposure time can be simplified, and the main imaging can be performed with a shorter time lag.

  Furthermore, the correspondence relationship between the infrared light exposure time for capturing the infrared light image and the visible light exposure time for capturing a visible light image having the same luminance as the infrared light image is represented by a correspondence table or If it is acquired and recorded as a function expression, the process for determining the exposure time can be further simplified, and the firmware of the apparatus can be easily dealt with.

  Further, if the correspondence relationship is acquired as a color temperature correspondence table or a function expression for each of a plurality of division ranges of a standard subject, a more appropriate exposure time is determined according to the subject image. Can do.

  In the above-described embodiment, particularly when a whiteout occurs in the visible light image obtained by the pre-imaging before the main imaging, the exposure time is set to be shorter than that at the time of the pre-imaging to ensure the whiteout. Can be suppressed.

  Similarly, when blackout occurs in a visible light image obtained by pre-imaging prior to main imaging, the occurrence of blackout can be reliably suppressed by setting the exposure time longer than that during pre-imaging.

  Further, in the above embodiment, since the HDR image that expands the dynamic range of the gradation is obtained by continuous shooting of a plurality of images having different exposure times at the time of the main imaging, and the exposure time at the time of the main imaging is determined. By making the determination more simply and in a short time, the operation at the time of actual imaging can be started quickly without missing a photo opportunity.

  Note that at the time of HDR image composition processing, a composition map image showing the distribution of luminance components may be created from a standard intermediate-exposure visible light image, and image composition may be performed for each distribution region. As a result, it is possible to further simplify the arithmetic processing at the time of image composition, and to obtain an HDR image in consideration of the balance of gradation of the entire image by setting a composition ratio according to the distribution region. it can.

  Further, when obtaining the HDR image, a portion between the whiteout portion and the blackout portion in the visible light image is divided into a plurality of regions, and the composition ratio changes stepwise for each region. In this way, the HDR image is synthesized well. This makes it possible to generate an HDR image in which gradation changes very naturally with a small amount of calculation.

  In the above embodiment, the digital camera 10 having two imaging lens optical systems, that is, an imaging lens optical system that captures an infrared light image and an imaging lens optical system that captures a visible light image, has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a single imaging lens optical system is used, and an infrared transmission filter or an infrared removal filter can be attached to and detached from the optical axis, for example, depending on the frequency band using a dichroic mirror or the like. A photosensitive layer for each of a plurality of transmission depths using a configuration in which the optical path is branched and the infrared light image sensor and the visible light image sensor receive light simultaneously, or the transmission depth varies depending on the wavelength band of light. It can be realized by other configurations such as a configuration using a solid-state imaging device in which multiple layers are stacked.

  In addition, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and can be variously modified without departing from the scope in the implementation stage. Further, the embodiments may be implemented in combination as appropriate, and in that case, the combined effect can be obtained. Furthermore, various inventions are included in the embodiments, and various inventions can be extracted by combinations selected from a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even when several constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, if the problem can be solved and an effect can be obtained, a configuration from which the constituent requirements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.

Hereinafter, the invention described in the scope of claims of the present application will be appended.
[Appendix 1]
A visible light imaging unit that captures a visible light image of a subject with visible light;
An infrared light imaging unit that captures an infrared light image of the subject with infrared light;
A determination unit that determines an exposure time of the visible light imaging unit based on information of the infrared light image obtained by the infrared light imaging unit;
Comprising
An imaging apparatus characterized by that.
[Appendix 2]
The determining unit can extract a contour from the subject in the infrared light image captured by the infrared light imaging unit, and the subject of the subject in the visible light image captured by the visible light imaging unit. When the contour could not be extracted, determine the exposure time of the visible light imaging unit based on the information of the infrared light image,
The imaging apparatus according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein
[Appendix 3]
The imaging of the visible light image and the imaging of the infrared light image are performed simultaneously based on one imaging instruction.
The imaging apparatus according to appendix 1 or 2, characterized in that:
[Appendix 4]
For a standard subject, an infrared light exposure time for capturing the infrared light image, and a visible light exposure time for capturing the visible light image having the same brightness as the infrared light image, A correspondence acquisition unit that acquires the correspondence of
A recording unit that records the correspondence acquired in advance by the correspondence acquisition unit;
Further comprising
The determining unit determines the visible light exposure time from the brightness of the infrared light image, the infrared light exposure time, and the correspondence read by the recording unit;
The imaging apparatus according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 3, wherein:
[Appendix 5]
The correspondence acquisition unit acquires the correspondence as a correspondence table or a function expression.
The imaging apparatus according to appendix 4, wherein the imaging apparatus is characterized.
[Appendix 6]
The correspondence acquisition unit acquires the correspondence as the correspondence table or the function formula for each of a plurality of division ranges of the color temperature of the subject as a standard.
The imaging apparatus according to appendix 5, which is characterized in that.
[Appendix 7]
In the image captured by the visible light imaging unit with the first exposure time, at least a part of the subject is blown out, and the determination unit includes the visible light in the image captured by the infrared light imaging unit. Determining the exposure time of the visible light imaging unit to be shorter than the first exposure time when the outline of at least one part of the subject that is white in the image can be extracted;
The imaging apparatus according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 6, wherein:
[Appendix 8]
In the image captured by the visible light imaging unit with the second exposure time, at least a part of the subject is blacked out, and the determining unit includes the visible light in the image captured by the infrared light imaging unit. Determining the exposure time of the visible light imaging unit to be longer than the second exposure time when the contour of at least a part of the subject that is blacked out in the image can be extracted;
The imaging apparatus according to any one of appendices 1 to 7, characterized in that:
[Appendix 9]
And further comprising a combining unit that combines a high dynamic range image based on the plurality of visible light images captured by the visible light imaging unit with the exposure time determined by the determining unit.
The imaging apparatus according to any one of appendices 1 to 8, wherein the imaging apparatus is characterized in that
[Appendix 10]
The synthesizing unit, in the process of synthesizing the high dynamic range image, creates a synthesized map image showing a distribution of luminance components of the visible light image of intermediate exposure;
The imaging apparatus according to appendix 9, characterized in that:
[Appendix 11]
The synthesis unit obtains a synthesis ratio of the plurality of visible light images based on the synthesis map image and synthesizes the high dynamic range image;
The imaging apparatus according to appendix 10, wherein the imaging apparatus is characterized.
[Appendix 12]
The synthesizing unit divides a portion between the whiteout portion and the blackout portion in the visible light image into a plurality of regions, and the synthesis ratio is changed stepwise for each region. Compositing high dynamic range images,
The imaging apparatus according to appendix 9, characterized in that:
[Appendix 13]
A visible light imaging step of capturing a visible light image of the subject with visible light;
An infrared imaging step of imaging an infrared image of the subject with infrared light; and
A determination step of determining an exposure time of the visible light imaging step based on information of the infrared light image obtained in the infrared light imaging step;
including,
An imaging method characterized by the above.
[Appendix 14]
The computer of the imaging device,
A visible light imaging unit that captures a visible light image of a subject with visible light,
An infrared light imaging unit that captures an infrared light image of the subject with infrared light;
A determination unit that determines an exposure time of the visible light imaging unit based on information of the infrared light image obtained by the infrared light imaging unit;
Function as
A program characterized by that.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Digital camera 11, 12 ... Imaging lens part 13 ... Infrared image sensor 14 ... (For visible light) Image sensor 15, 16 ... A / D conversion part 17 ... Image processing part 18 ... Flash drive part 19 ... Sound processing part 20 ... Control unit 21 ... Monitor display unit 22 ... Memory card interface (I / F)
23 ... (Infrared (Ir)) LED
24 ... (white light (W)) LED
25 ... Microphone 26 ... Operation unit 27 ... Memory card B ... Bus CS ... Card slot

Claims (14)

A visible light imaging unit that captures a visible light image of a subject with visible light;
An infrared light imaging unit that captures an infrared light image of the subject with infrared light;
A determination unit that determines an exposure time of the visible light imaging unit based on information of the infrared light image obtained by the infrared light imaging unit;
Comprising
An imaging apparatus characterized by that. The determining unit can extract a contour from the subject in the infrared light image captured by the infrared light imaging unit, and the subject of the subject in the visible light image captured by the visible light imaging unit. When the contour could not be extracted, determine the exposure time of the visible light imaging unit based on the information of the infrared light image,
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1. The imaging of the visible light image and the imaging of the infrared light image are performed simultaneously based on one imaging instruction.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein For a standard subject, an infrared light exposure time for capturing the infrared light image, and a visible light exposure time for capturing the visible light image having the same brightness as the infrared light image, A correspondence acquisition unit that acquires the correspondence of
A recording unit that records the correspondence acquired in advance by the correspondence acquisition unit;
Further comprising
The determining unit determines the visible light exposure time from the brightness of the infrared light image, the infrared light exposure time, and the correspondence read by the recording unit;
The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The correspondence acquisition unit acquires the correspondence as a correspondence table or a function expression.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 4. The correspondence acquisition unit acquires the correspondence as the correspondence table or the function formula for each of a plurality of division ranges of the color temperature of the subject as a standard.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 5. In the image captured by the visible light imaging unit with the first exposure time, at least a part of the subject is blown out, and the determination unit includes the visible light in the image captured by the infrared light imaging unit. Determining the exposure time of the visible light imaging unit to be shorter than the first exposure time when the outline of at least one part of the subject that is white in the image can be extracted;
The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus. In the image captured by the visible light imaging unit with the second exposure time, at least a part of the subject is blacked out, and the determining unit includes the visible light in the image captured by the infrared light imaging unit. Determining the exposure time of the visible light imaging unit to be longer than the second exposure time when the contour of at least a part of the subject that is blacked out in the image can be extracted;
The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus. And further comprising a combining unit that combines a high dynamic range image based on the plurality of visible light images captured by the visible light imaging unit with the exposure time determined by the determining unit.
The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus. The synthesizing unit, in the process of synthesizing the high dynamic range image, creates a synthesized map image showing a distribution of luminance components of the visible light image of intermediate exposure;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 9. The synthesis unit obtains a synthesis ratio of the plurality of visible light images based on the synthesis map image and synthesizes the high dynamic range image;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 10. The synthesizing unit divides a portion between the whiteout portion and the blackout portion in the visible light image into a plurality of regions, and the synthesis ratio is changed stepwise for each region. Compositing high dynamic range images,
The imaging apparatus according to claim 9. A visible light imaging step of capturing a visible light image of the subject with visible light;
An infrared imaging step of imaging an infrared image of the subject with infrared light; and
A determination step of determining an exposure time of the visible light imaging step based on information of the infrared light image obtained in the infrared light imaging step;
including,
An imaging method characterized by the above. The computer of the imaging device,
A visible light imaging unit that captures a visible light image of a subject with visible light,
An infrared light imaging unit that captures an infrared light image of the subject with infrared light;
A determination unit that determines an exposure time of the visible light imaging unit based on information of the infrared light image obtained by the infrared light imaging unit;
Function as
A program characterized by that.