A digital imaging device includes: a monochromatic sensor including a plurality of photosensitive elements distributed in an array, the plurality of photosensitive elements configured to convert light falling on the monochromatic sensor into electronic signals; and a plurality of filters, each filter configured to be moved into a position in front of the monochromatic sensor, wherein each filter, when moved into the position in front of the monochromatic sensor, covers substantial portion of the monochromatic sensor. Key words include imaging sensor and layered filter.

The present disclosure relates to an imaging apparatus, an iris device, an imaging method, and a program that are capable of performing multispectral imaging in a small mechanism. The imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor that captures an image of a subject; an optical system that forms an image on the image sensor with light from the subject; and an iris mechanism that restricts the amount of light passing through the optical system. The iris mechanism includes aperture blades that adjust a size of an aperture causing the light from the subject to pass through the aperture, and an optical filter that is provided to at least one of the aperture blades and transmits light having a predetermined wavelength. The aperture blades are driven to positions where the aperture has a predetermined size, in a state where the optical filter provided to the at least one of the aperture blades is hidden by one of the aperture blades other than the aperture blade of the optical filter. The aperture blades provided with predetermined optical filters are driven such that the predetermined optical filters sequentially cover the aperture at predetermined timings. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an imaging apparatus including an iris mechanism.

An image pickup device, which comprises an optical characteristics changing unit (15), an optical system (45) containing an objective lens (47) and for leading a light from the objective lens to the optical characteristics changing unit, and an image pickup element (52) for receiving a light via the optical characteristics changing unit, wherein the optical characteristics changing unit has two or more dividing units, and has a configuration where one of the dividing units is selectively disposed along an optical path, and the dividing unit has a first region to select a specific wavelength from the light coming from the optical system and a second region where optical characteristics of the light from the optical system are not changed.