Ones of row addresses and column addresses of pixels in a first group are the same as those of a second group. A range of the others of the row addresses and the column addresses of the first group excludes that of the second group. A range of the others of row addresses and column addresses is included in a range of the others of the row addresses and the column addresses of the first and second groups. A portion of the range of the row addresses and the column addresses of the first group overlaps with that of the third group, and the other portion of the range of the first group does not overlap with that of the third group. Intra-group addition signals of the first, second, and third groups are obtained.

A focus adjustment apparatus includes an imaging unit, a first detection unit, a second detection unit, and a control unit. The imaging unit receives and photoelectrically converts a light flux passed through a photographing optical system including a focus lens. The first detection unit detects a phase difference between a pair of image signals output from the imaging unit. The second detection unit detects contrast information from a signal output from the imaging unit. The control unit controls driving of the focus lens based on a detection result of at least one of the first detection unit and the second detection unit. If the detection result of the first detection unit satisfies a first condition, the control unit controls driving of the focus lens by using the detection result of the first detection unit, and changes the first condition according to the contrast information detected by the second detection unit.

Security guards at big facilities, such as airports, monitor multiple screens that display images from individual surveillance cameras dispersed throughout the facility. If a guard zooms with a particular camera, he will lose image resolution, along with perspective on the surrounding area. Embodiments of the inventive Imaging System for Immersive Surveillance (ISIS) solve these problems by combining multiple cameras in one device. When properly mounted, example ISIS systems offer 360-degree, 100-megapixel views on a single screen. (Other resolutions may also be employed.) Image-stitching software merges multiple video feeds into one scene. The system also allows operators to tag and follow targets, and can monitor restricted areas and sound an alert when intruders breach them.

An image recording device having a projected viewfinder is described that projects individual, or multiple sets of synchronized framing beams onto a target image that are coaxially aligned with the field of view of the camera. The set of framing beams is projected onto the target image beyond the scope of the field of view being recorded by the image recording device but still within the field of vision of the operator of the device. In this way, the operator of the image recording device will be able to clearly see the framing beams identifying the limits of the recorded areas, while not having any portion of the field of view of the image recording device obscured by the framing beams themselves.

An auto-focus image system that includes a pixel array coupled to a focus signal generator. The pixel array captures an image that has a plurality of edges. The generator generates a focus signal that is a function of a plurality of edge-sharpness measures, each being measured from a different one of the plurality of edges. The edge-sharpness measure is a quantity that has a unit that is a power of a unit of length. It may be a distance in the edge. It may be an area. It may be a central moment. The generator may reduce a relative extent to which an edge contributes to the focus signal on basis of detecting that the edge does not have sufficient reflection symmetry in a sequence of gradients of an image signal across the edge according to a predefined criterion. The edge may be prevented from contributing altogether.

A dome camera includes a camera body rotatable and including a lens system and an imaging device, a correction optical system having a curved shape, and a dome cover covering the camera body and the correction optical system. The correction optical system performs at least any one of tilt, decenter, and rotation in accordance with a rotation angle of the camera body.

A display control apparatus determines determine whether or not light field information with which an image whose focus state has been changed can be generated is associated with a second image in a second focus state that is different from a first image in a first focus state corresponding to the light field information. If it is determined that the light field information is associated with the second image, the display control apparatus displays a first display item that notifies that the second image is present on a display device together with the first image. In response to receiving an input of an instruction on the first display item, the display control apparatus displays the second image associated with the light field information on the display device.

An auto-focusing method for use in a device, includes: after performing a manual focusing on a target object through receiving a user operation on the target object in a viewfinder of the device, acquiring first spatial data of the target object; when detecting a change of contents of a view in the viewfinder, acquiring position variation data of the target object; acquiring second spatial data of the target object according to the first spatial data and the position variation data; and performing an auto-focusing on the target object according to the second spatial data.

At least certain embodiments described herein provide a continuous autofocus mechanism for an image capturing device. The continuous autofocus mechanism can perform an autofocus scan for a lens of the image capturing device and obtain focus scores associated with the autofocus scan. The continuous autofocus mechanism can determine an acceptable band of focus scores based on the obtained focus scores. Next, the continuous autofocus mechanism can determine whether a current focus score is within the acceptable band of focus scores. A refocus scan may be performed if the current focus score is outside of the acceptable band of focus scores.

A phase difference AF processing unit (19) compares subject images between a region R1 and a region Rj (j=2 to m) in an AF area (53), and determines a phase difference detection pixel (52A, 52B) as a detection signal addition target with respect to a phase difference detection pixel (52A, 52B) in the region R1 among phase difference detection pixels (52A, 52B) in the region Rj. Further, the phase difference AF processing unit (19) adds up detection signals with respect to the phase difference detection pixels (52A, 52B) in the region R1 and the phase difference detection pixels (52A, 52B) which are addition targets, and generates a defocus amount (Df1) from a result of a correlation operation using detection signals after addition. A system control unit (11) drives a focus lens according to the defocus amount (Df1) to perform a focusing control.