Provided is an image pickup apparatus including pixels each divided into subpixels that receive respective rays of a pencil having passed through different pupil subregions in an optical system, the apparatus having a viewpoint image generation unit that generates viewpoint images based on pixel signals outputted by the subpixels, an image deviation amount calculation unit that calculates an image deviation amount from the viewpoint images, a conversion factor calculation unit that calculates a conversion factor for use in conversion of the image deviation amount into a defocus amount, and a recording unit that records at least two of the conversion factor, the image deviation amount, and the defocus amount in a storage medium as metadata in association with the viewpoint images or an image obtained from the viewpoint images.

A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion element including a pixel area where a plurality of pixels composed of avalanche photodiodes for photoelectrically converting an optical image is two-dimensionally arranged, the photoelectric conversion element being configured to simultaneously read signals from a first pixel group and a second pixel group in the pixel area, at least one processor, and a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to generate an image based on the read signals, acquire characteristic information regarding crosstalk between the plurality of pixels, generate correction information based on the characteristic information, and perform a correction process on the image using the correction information. Correction information different between the first and second pixel groups is generated.

The image processing apparatus 104 includes a processor performing a noise reduction on at least part of an input image produced by image capturing using an image capturing system 101, 102, and an acquirer acquiring first information on an optical characteristic of the image capturing system. The optical characteristic indicates a factor that degrades information of an object space in the image capturing of the input image. A processor changes a process of the noise reduction depending on the first information.

A partially attenuating shutter may be used to identify and reduce fixed pattern noise (FPN) associated with imaging devices. In one example, a system includes an image capture component configured to capture images in response to incident radiation from a scene along an optical path. The system includes a shutter configured to attenuate a first portion of the incident radiation and permit a second portion of the incident radiation to pass. The system also includes an actuator configured to translate the shutter between an open position out of the optical path, and a closed position in the optical path between the scene and the image capture component. The system also includes a processor configured to determine a plurality of FPN correction terms using images captured by the image capture component while the shutter is in the open and closed positions. Related systems and methods are also provided.

An imager array may be provided as part of an imaging system. The imager array may include a plurality of infrared imaging modules. Each infrared imaging module may include a plurality of infrared sensors associated with an optical element. The infrared imaging modules may be oriented, for example, substantially in a plane facing the same direction and configured to detect images from the same scene. Such images may be processed in accordance with various techniques to provide images of infrared radiation. The infrared imaging modules may include filters or lens coatings to selectively detect desired ranges of infrared radiation. Such arrangements of infrared imaging modules in an imager array may be used to advantageous effect in a variety of different applications.

An image pickup apparatus which, when performing image-plane phase-difference AF, eliminate a noise difference in phase difference information obtained based on signals read from pupil-dividing pixels of an image pickup device, which are arranged in rows and columns in a two-dimensional form. A first image signal is read from one pixel of each pupil-dividing pixels, and a second image signal is read from the other pixel. The order in which they are read is alternately switched on a row-by-row basis. Each of the first and second image signals is subtracted from a third image signal, which is a sum of the first image signal and the second image signal, to obtain first and second separated image signals. The first image signal and the first separated image signal are added together, and the second image signal and the second separated image signal are added together in the column direction.

A camera system and methods of enhancing images using direct measurement of angular displacement are disclosed. The camera system includes an optical element, a focal plane array (FPA), a motion sensor and a processor. The FPA has pixels sensing image pixel data from the optical element. The pixels have an angular resolution dependent upon a configuration of the optical element and a dimension of the pixels. The pixels detect electromagnetic waves having a wavelength within a range from 800 nanometers to 20 micrometers. The motion sensor senses angular displacement in 3D. The processor receives the image pixel data generated at distinct first instants of time during an image capture period from the FPA and motion reading(s) during the image capture period, converts the motion readings into angular displacement of the FPA, and selects an image processing algorithm to generate at least one image enhancement for the image pixel data.

A solid-state imaging device includes: a valid area including pixels that are not shielded from light; a first light-blocked area and a second light-blocked area each including pixels that are shielded from light; an analog-to-digital converting unit to convert the electric charge accumulated by the pixels belonging to the first light-blocked area, the valid area, and the second light-blocked area, to image data at a time; a signal reading unit to read light-blocked data obtained from the first light-blocked area and the second light-blocked area, and valid data obtained from the valid area, in units of pixels; a reference black level estimating unit to estimate a reference black level of the light-blocked data; and a level correction unit to correct, based on the estimated reference black level, a size of the valid data obtained simultaneously with the light-blocked data used in estimating the reference black level.

An image shift amount calculation apparatus comprises: an obtaining unit that obtains a pair of images having parallax; a generation unit that generates, from the pair of images, an image pair for each of a plurality of hierarchal levels having different resolutions; and a calculation unit calculates an image shift amount for an image pair in a predetermined first hierarchal level among the plurality of hierarchal levels, determines, on the basis of the image shift amount in the first hierarchal level, a second hierarchal level, among the plurality of hierarchal levels, where the calculation of the image shift amount is to end, and calculates an image shift amount of the image pair in the second hierarchal level using the image shift amount in the first hierarchal level.

A sensor calibration target configured for sensor calibration relative to a common frame of reference is disclosed. The sensor calibration target comprises a first surface at a first predefined depth bearing a first set of indicia at respective first heights and having respective first predefined shifts, each of the first indicia encoding a corresponding first height. The sensor calibration target further comprises a second surface at a second predefined depth bearing a second set of indicia at respective second heights and having respective second predefined shifts, each of the second indicia encoding a corresponding second height.