JP2011176460A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To appropriately control a photographic field angle without providing variable magnification optical system in all imaging units of an imaging apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus 100 includes: first to fourth imaging units 1 to 4 which are arranged in a rectangular shape and are of the same photographic field angle; a fifth imaging unit 5 which is arranged at the center and has a narrow photographic field angle; a photographing direction control means 7 and n4 for controlling photographing directions of the first to fourth imaging units 1 to 4 respectively; a control means 7 for controlling the photographing direction control means 7 and n4 to change an entire imaging range by changing a size of an overlap range among imaging ranges of the first to fourth imaging units 1 to 4 according to a field angle adjustment instruction; and a recording image generation means 8 which generates a recoding image using four photographic images obtained by the first to fourth imaging units 1to 4, in a first field angle range and generates a recording image using one photographic image obtained by the fifth imaging unit 5, in a second field angle range. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus.

  There is known a technique for generating an image obtained by connecting images captured by a plurality of cameras having a zooming function (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-286252 A

  If all cameras have a variable magnification optical system as in the prior art, there is a problem that the imaging apparatus is not suitable for downsizing.

  The imaging device according to the present invention is arranged in a rectangular shape, and is arranged in the center of a rectangle formed by the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit and the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit having the same shooting angle of view. A fifth imaging unit having a shooting field angle narrower than that of the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit, a shooting direction control means for controlling the shooting direction of each of the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit, and a field angle; In accordance with the adjustment instruction, the shooting direction is changed so as to change the entire imaging range of the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit by changing the size of the overlapping range of imaging ranges of the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit. The control means for controlling the control means, and four captured images from the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit in the first field angle range are used. Recording image generating means for generating a recording image and generating a recording image using one captured image by the fifth imaging unit in a second field angle range narrower than the first field angle range. It is characterized by.

  In the imaging apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately control the shooting angle of view without providing a variable magnification optical system in all of the plurality of imaging units.

It is a block diagram explaining the structure of the electronic camera by one embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which illustrates an electronic camera. It is a figure which illustrates the relationship between a photography angle of view and the setting state of each camera unit. It is a figure explaining the imaging range and synthetic | combination image at the time of setting a picked-up view angle to 90 degree | times. It is a figure which illustrates a synthesized image. It is a figure explaining the imaging range and synthetic | combination image at the time of setting an imaging | photography angle of view to 45 degree | times equivalent. It is a figure which illustrates a synthesized image. It is a figure explaining the imaging range and synthetic | combination image at the time of setting a picking angle of view from 45 degree | times to 25 degree | times. It is a figure which illustrates a synthesized image. FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating an electronic camera according to a first modification. It is a figure which illustrates the relationship between the imaging | photography field angle by the modification 2, and the setting state of each camera unit. It is a figure which illustrates the relationship between the imaging | photography angle of view by the modification 3, and the setting state of each camera unit.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic camera 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an electronic camera 100 includes a camera unit 1, a camera unit 2, a camera unit 3, a camera unit 4, a central camera unit 5, an operation member 6, a camera control circuit 7, and an image processing circuit 8. Including.

  The camera control circuit 7 controls the operation of the electronic camera 100 by executing a program stored in a built-in nonvolatile memory (not shown). The camera control circuit 7 inputs a signal output from each block in the electronic camera 100, performs a predetermined calculation, and outputs a control signal based on the calculation result to each block.

  Analog image signals output from the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4 are input to the image processing circuit 8. The image processing circuit 8 performs analog processing such as gain adjustment on each analog image signal, and A / D converts the image signal after analog processing into digital image data. Then, predetermined image processing (color processing or the like) is performed on the digital image data. Image data before and after image processing is temporarily stored in a built-in buffer memory (not shown). Further, the image processing circuit 8 further performs a composition process (pixel thinning, pixel interpolation, super-resolution) for compositing into one image based on the five image data acquired by the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4. Process).

  The camera control circuit 7 also performs focus adjustment processing. The camera control circuit 7 in the case of performing the focus adjustment process obtains a positional shift amount between the images using the five digital image data acquired by the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4, and the positional shift amount. Then, based on the corresponding central camera unit 5 and the optical distance between the camera units 1 to 4 (arrangement interval in the camera body), the subject distance is calculated by a known triangulation calculation. Focusing by the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4 is performed by moving the focus lens forward and backward in the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4 to the lens position corresponding to the calculated subject distance.

  The operation member 6 includes various switches such as a release button and a zoom (view angle setting) switch, and sends an operation signal corresponding to each operation to the camera control circuit 7. The memory 9 is composed of, for example, a memory card with a built-in semiconductor memory, and is detachable from the electronic camera 100. The camera control circuit 7 writes composite image data to the attached memory 9 and reads data from the memory 9.

  Each of the camera units 1 to 4 includes a single focus objective lens n1, an image sensor n2, a shooting direction detection sensor n3, a shooting direction changing device n4, an AF motor n5, and an AF encoder n6. N corresponds to the sign value of each camera unit. Since the camera units 1 to 4 are configured based on common specifications, their optical characteristics (lens specifications such as focal length) and the number of imaging pixels in the image sensor n2 are common among the camera units.

  The central camera unit 5 includes a variable magnification objective lens 51, an image sensor 52, an AF motor 55, an AF encoder 56, a zoom motor 57, and a zoom encoder 58. The shooting field angle of the central camera unit 5 is narrower than the shooting field angles of the camera units 1 to 4. For example, the shooting angle of view of the camera units 1 to 4 is 45 degrees in terms of 135 mm standard, and the wide angle side view angle of the central camera unit 5 is 25 degrees in terms of 135 mm standards. In addition, the telephoto side shooting field angle of the central camera unit 5 is 12 degrees in terms of 135 mm standard.

  In the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4, the objective lens n1 forms a subject image on the imaging surface of the imaging element n2. The imaging element n2 is configured by a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor. The image sensor n2 photoelectrically converts the subject image to generate an analog image signal. In the present embodiment, the number of pixels of the image sensor n2 in the camera units 1 to 4 is, for example, 8 million pixels. Further, the number of pixels of the image sensor 52 in the central camera unit 5 is 12 million pixels, for example.

  In the camera units 1 to 4, the shooting direction detection sensor n3 detects a shooting direction (direction of the optical axis of the objective lens n1) that can be changed by the shooting direction changing device n4, and sends a detection signal to the camera control circuit 7. Send it out. The photographing direction changing device n4 drives the camera unit n as a unit and changes its photographing direction.

  In the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4, the AF motor n5 is a drive source for moving the focus lens constituting the objective lens n1 forward and backward in the optical axis direction. The rotation control of the AF motor is performed by the camera control circuit 7. The AF encoder n6 detects the rotational position of the AF motor and sends a detection signal to the camera control circuit 7.

  In the central camera unit 5, the zoom motor 57 is a drive source for moving the zoom lens constituting the objective lens 51 forward and backward in the optical axis direction. The rotation control of the zoom motor is performed by the camera control circuit 7. The zoom encoder 58 detects the rotational position of the zoom motor and sends a detection signal to the camera control circuit 7.

  With reference to FIG. 2 which is a perspective view of the electronic camera 100, the arrangement position of each camera unit will be described. In FIG. 2, a central camera unit 5 and camera units 1 to 4 are respectively arranged on the front side of the camera body, and an objective lens n1 of each camera unit is directed to the subject side. The camera unit 1, the camera unit 2, the camera unit 3, and the camera unit 4 are disposed, for example, at four corners of a rectangle having a similar relationship with the outer shape of the composite image by the image processing circuit 8. The central camera unit 5 is disposed at the center of the rectangle, and the optical axis of the objective lens 51 is configured to coincide with the screen center vertical line of the composite image.

  In this embodiment, the focus adjustment state of the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4 is set to a predetermined value, and the shooting angle of the synthesized image is set to a wide angle by controlling the shooting direction of the camera units 1 to 4. To the telephoto setting. In addition, each imaging | photography angle of view by the camera units 1-4 respond | corresponds to the length of the diagonal of the imaging range 1a-4a by each camera unit. The field angle of view taken by the central camera unit 5 corresponds to the length of the diagonal line of the imaging range 5a by the central camera unit 5.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the shooting angle of view set in the electronic camera 100 and the setting state of each camera unit. In this embodiment, the shooting angle of view is controlled in a range from 90 degrees (corresponding to a focal length of 24 mm) in terms of 135 mm standard to 6 degrees (corresponding to a focal length of 400 mm) in terms of 135 mm standard. Note that the number of pixels of the synthesized image synthesized based on the five image data acquired by the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4 is, for example, 10 million pixels. The composite image is used as data to be recorded in the memory 9.

<First range>
In FIG. 3, the range from 90 degrees to 45 degrees in the field angle range is obtained by changing the shooting direction of the camera units 1 to 4 (that is, the optical axis of the objective lens n1), thereby changing the imaging range by the camera units 1 to 4. The shooting angle of view is controlled by changing the overlap amount of 1a to 4a. The combining process is performed using the four image data acquired by the camera unit 1 to the camera unit 4.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an imaging range and a composite image when the angle of view taken by the electronic camera 100 is set to be equivalent to 90 degrees (wide-angle end). The camera units 1 to 4 perform focus adjustment by using the subject distance information acquired in a predetermined focus adjustment area in common between the camera units 1 to 4. This is because the camera unit focuses on a common main subject.

  When a setting operation signal from the operation member 6 to the wide-angle end is input, the camera control circuit 7 causes the photographing direction of the camera units 1 to 4 (that is, the optical axis of the objective lens n1) to be photographed by the central camera unit 5, respectively. Control is performed so as to face the direction (that is, the optical axis Ax5 of the objective lens 51 of the central camera unit 5). When the overlapping amount of the imaging ranges 1a to 4a by the camera units 1 to 4 is suppressed to the minimum, the combined imaging range is maximized. In this case, the shooting angle of view by the electronic camera 100 is about twice (90 degrees) the shooting angle of view of each camera unit 1 to 4 (45 degrees in terms of 135 mm standard). That is, the diagonal length of the combined imaging range (synthesized image) is approximately twice the diagonal length of the imaging range per camera unit 1 to 4. The number of pixels of the composite image is about four times the number of pixels per camera unit (FIG. 5).

  The composite image illustrated in FIG. 5 is generated by combining the imaging ranges 1a to 4a using the overlapping portion of the imaging ranges 1a to 4a by the camera units 1 to 4 as a synthesis allowance. A region overlapping the imaging range 5 a by the central camera unit 5 generates a composite image using the acquired images by the camera units 1 to 4 without using the acquired images by the central camera unit 5. The actual pixel number data after combination (combination) is about four times the pixel number data (8 million pixels in this example) obtained by one camera unit n, so the number of combined pixels (10 million pixels). In order to limit to this, pixel thinning processing is performed.

  Further, at the time of the above-described triangulation method focus adjustment, it is necessary that the imaging ranges overlap between the camera units in order to obtain the positional deviation amount between the images. Therefore, an image acquired by the central camera unit 5 is used for focus adjustment processing. By using the image acquired by the central camera unit 5 for the focus adjustment processing, a large overlap area of the imaging range is secured in the central portion of the composite image, and the focus adjustment when the central portion is set as the focus adjustment area Performance can be increased.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an imaging range and a composite image when the angle of view taken by the electronic camera 100 is set to be equivalent to 45 degrees in terms of 135 mm standard. When a setting operation signal from the operation member 6 to the telephoto end is input, the camera control circuit 7 determines that the photographing direction of the camera units 1 to 4 (that is, the optical axis of the objective lens n1 of each camera) is the central camera unit. 5 (ie, the optical axis Ax5 of the objective lens 51). When the imaging ranges 1a to 4a by the camera unit 1 to the camera unit 4 are overlapped with each other, the shooting angle of view by the electronic camera 100 is a shooting angle of view for each of the camera units 1 to 4 (45 degrees in terms of 135 mm standard) Is equal to

  At the time of image synthesis illustrated in FIG. 7, one camera unit is obtained by performing known super-resolution processing based on the distance between the camera units 1 to 4 (arrangement interval in the camera body) and the lens specifications. A high-resolution image having more pixel number data (approximately 4 × 8 million pixels) than the pixel number data obtained in n (8 million pixels in this example) is obtained. Note that the actual pixel number data after the super-resolution processing is about four times the pixel number data (8 million pixels in this example) obtained by one camera unit n, so the number of combined pixels (10 million pixels) In order to limit to this, pixel thinning processing is performed.

  Here, if the electronic zoom processing is performed on the image after the super-resolution processing (and before pixel thinning), the zoom ratio can be increased as compared with the case of only the optical zoom. In addition, in the image composition illustrated in FIG. 7, when the underexposed image data acquired by each camera unit n is added in units of pixels, a composite image with proper exposure can be obtained.

<Second range>
In FIG. 3, the field angle range of 45 degrees to 25 degrees controls the shooting field angle by performing the image composition process while keeping the imaging ranges 1 a to 4 a by the camera units 1 to 4 matched. The composition process is performed based on the five image data acquired by the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4.

  FIG. 8 shows an imaging range when the angle of view taken by the electronic camera 100 is set to be narrower than 45 degrees in terms of 135 mm standard and wider than the wide angle side view angle of the central camera unit 5 (25 degrees in terms of 135 mm standard). It is a figure explaining a synthesized image. When a setting operation signal from the operation member 6 to the telephoto end is input in the state illustrated in FIG. 6, the camera control circuit 7 causes the camera unit 1 to the camera unit 4 so that the imaging ranges 1 a to 4 a overlap each other. While the shooting directions 1 to 4 are controlled, the zoom position of the objective lens 51 of the central camera unit 5 is set to the wide-angle end (25 degrees in terms of 135 mm standard). In FIG. 8, the imaging ranges 1 a to 4 a by the camera units 1 to 4 are wider than the imaging range 5 a by the central camera unit 5.

  At the time of the image synthesis illustrated in FIG. 9, the shooting angle of view by the electronic camera 100 is narrower than the imaging ranges 1 a to 4 a by the camera unit 1 to the camera unit 4, so Of the cutout area 81, an area covered by the imaging range 5a by the central camera unit 5 (referred to as a pixel enlargement area 52) is compared with pixel number data (12 million pixels in this example) obtained by the central camera unit 5. Obtained by performing pixel thinning processing (first thinning processing). In addition, an area that is not covered by the imaging range 5a by the central camera unit 5 in the cutout area 81 (referred to as an enlarged interpolation area 82) is subjected to super-resolution processing using images acquired by the camera units 1 to 4, and then pixel thinning processing is performed. (Second thinning process). In the first thinning process and the second thinning process, the pixel density (pixel pitch) of the pixel enlargement area 52 and the enlargement interpolation area 82 is made uniform after the thinning process, and the generated pixel count data of the synthesized image 83 is 10 million. This is done so that it becomes a pixel.

<Third range>
In FIG. 3, the range from 25 degrees to 12 degrees in the field angle range controls the shooting field angle by driving the zoom motor 57 in the central camera unit 5. In the composition processing, pixel thinning processing is performed on one image data (12 million pixels in this example) acquired by the central camera unit 5, and the number of pixels after the composition processing is limited to the above 10 million pixels.

<4th range>
In FIG. 3, the range from 12 degrees to 6 degrees of the field angle range has the zoom ratio of the central camera unit 5 fixed at the telephoto end (the zoom position of the objective lens 51 is fixed at the telephoto end (12 degrees in terms of 135 mm standard)). In this case, the shooting angle of view is controlled by so-called electronic zoom processing, which is based on a single image data (12 million pixels in this example) acquired by the central camera unit 5. Then, a pixel interpolation process is performed on the cut-out image data as necessary to generate a composite image with 10 million pixel data.

According to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The electronic camera 100 is arranged in a rectangular shape, and is arranged in the center of a rectangle formed by the camera units 1 to 4 and the camera units 1 to 4 having the same shooting angle of view. The central camera unit 5 having a shooting angle of view narrower than the shooting angle of view, the camera control circuit 7 for controlling the shooting directions of the camera units 1 to 4, the shooting direction changing device n4, and the camera unit according to the view angle adjustment instruction A camera control circuit 7 for controlling the camera control circuit 7 and the imaging direction changing device n4 so as to change the entire imaging range of the camera units 1 to 4 by changing the size of the overlapping range of the imaging ranges 1 to 4; In the <first range>, a recording image is generated using four captured images from the camera units 1 to 4, and is smaller than the <first range><thirdrange>(<fourthrange>) Oite, an image processing circuit 8 for generating a recording image using one of the photographed image by the central camera unit 5, and so comprises a. Thereby, in <first range>, a generated image corresponding to the angle of view according to the instruction is obtained without performing optical scaling, and in <third range>(<fourthrange>), 1 Since a recording image can be obtained from only one captured image, the angle of view can be controlled appropriately.

(2) The camera units 1 to 4 have a single focus objective lens n1 (n is 1, 2, 3, 4), the central camera unit 5 has a variable magnification objective lens 51, and the image processing circuit 8 is < In the third range> (<fourth range>), a recording image is generated using one photographed image by the central camera unit 5 that has been scaled by the zoom objective lens 51. Even without a double optical system, the angle of view can be controlled appropriately.

(3) The image processing circuit 8 of the above (2) has five shootings by the camera units 1 to 4 and the central camera unit 5 in the <second range> between the <first range> and the <third range>. Since the image for recording is generated using the image, the shooting angle of view can be appropriately controlled without a break even if the shooting angle of view by the central camera unit 5 is narrower than the shooting angle of view by the camera units 1 to 4.

(4) Since the shooting angle of view of the central camera unit 5 includes a value (45 degrees) wider than 1/2 (22.5 degrees) of the shooting angle of view (45 degrees) of the camera units 1 to 4, The angle of view can be controlled appropriately without any breaks.

(5) The image processing circuit 8 includes a pixel thinning process or a high resolution process when a recording image is generated using four captured images from the camera units 1 to 4, and one image is captured by the central camera unit 5. When a recording image is generated using an image, pixel thinning processing or pixel interpolation processing is included, so that a composite image of pixel number data (10 million pixels) can be appropriately generated.

(6) The image processing circuit 8 includes the pixel thinning process and the high resolution process when the recording images are generated using the five captured images from the camera units 1 to 4 and the central camera unit 5. A composite image of pixel number data (10 million pixels) can be generated appropriately.

(Modification 1)
Instead of the central camera unit 5 illustrated in FIG. 2, the central camera unit 5 </ b> A including a bending objective optical system may be provided. FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating an electronic camera 10A according to the first modification. By providing the bending objective lens 51A, the central camera unit 5A that covers an optically long focal length can be mounted while suppressing the thickness of the housing.

(Modification 2)
The zoom optical system of the central camera unit 5 may be omitted, and the central camera unit 5 may be configured to include a single focus optical system. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the shooting angle of view and the setting state of each camera unit according to the second modification. In the second modification, the shooting angle of view by the central camera unit 5 is set to 25 degrees, for example. Then, the third range in the above-described embodiment is omitted, and the second range and the fourth range are adjacent to each other.

  In FIG. 11, the shooting angle of view is controlled by so-called electronic zoom processing in the range of 25 ° to 6 °, which is the angle range of <fourth range>. Based on one image data (12 million pixels in this example) acquired by the central camera unit 5, the compositing process cuts out a predetermined range according to the angle of view and then performs pixel interpolation processing on the cut-out image data. When necessary, a composite image having 10 million pixel data is generated.

  According to the modified example 2, an electronic camera that appropriately controls the zoom ratio can be configured while the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4 are all configured by a camera unit that includes a single focus optical system. it can. Since the central camera unit 5 is not equipped with a zoom optical system, it is advantageous for cost reduction and downsizing compared to the case where a zoom optical system is installed.

(Modification 3)
The second range in the embodiment described above may be omitted, and the first range and the third range may be adjacent to each other. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the shooting angle of view and the setting state of each camera unit according to the third modification. In FIG. 12, the zooming motor 57 in the central camera unit 5 is driven to control the shooting angle of view in the range from 45 degrees to 12 degrees, which is the angle range of <third range>. In the composition processing, pixel thinning processing is performed on one image data (12 million pixels in this example) acquired by the central camera unit 5, and the number of pixels after the composition processing is limited to the above 10 million pixels.

  According to the third modification, an electronic camera that appropriately controls the zoom ratio in a wide range can be configured in a compact manner.

(Modification 4)
A zoom optical system may be mounted on all of the central camera unit 5 and the camera units 1 to 4. This is effective when it is desired to obtain a zoom ratio wider than the angle of view range (equivalent to 6 degrees to 90 degrees) exemplified in the above embodiment.

(Modification 5)
In the above description, the example in which the number of pixels of the image after the synthesis process is limited to 10 million pixels has been described, but this number of pixels may be changed as appropriate. In particular, in the first range, when it is desired to obtain a high-definition image, the configuration may be such that all pixel data is used without thinning out data of about 4 × 8 million pixels.

  The above description is merely an example, and is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2, 3, 4 ... Camera unit 5 ... Central camera unit 6 ... Operation member 7 ... Camera control circuit 8 ... Image processing circuit 9 ... Memory n1 ... Objective lens n2 ... Imaging element n3 ... Shooting direction detection sensor n4 ... Shooting direction Changing device 57 ... zoom motor 58 ... zoom encoder 100 ... electronic camera

Claims (8)

A first imaging unit to a fourth imaging unit which are arranged in a rectangular shape and have the same angle of view;
A fifth imaging unit disposed in the center of a rectangle formed by the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit and having a shooting field angle narrower than the shooting field angle of the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit;
Shooting direction control means for controlling the shooting directions of the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit,
The entire imaging range of the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit is changed by changing the size of the overlapping range of the imaging ranges of the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit in response to a view angle adjustment instruction. Control means for controlling the photographing direction control means so as to change,
In the first field angle range, a recording image is generated using four captured images from the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit, and in a second field angle range narrower than the first field angle range, Recorded image generation means for generating an image for recording using one captured image by the fifth imaging unit;
An imaging apparatus comprising: The imaging device according to claim 1,
The first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit have a single focus imaging optical system,
The fifth imaging unit has a variable magnification photographing optical system;
The recorded image generating means generates a recording image using one captured image by the fifth imaging unit that has been scaled by the zooming optical system in the second field angle range. Imaging device. The imaging device according to claim 2,
The recorded image generation means is configured to display five captured images from the first imaging unit to the fifth imaging unit in a third field angle range between the first field angle range and the second field angle range. An image pickup apparatus that generates a recording image using the image pickup apparatus. The imaging device according to claim 1,
The first imaging unit to the fifth imaging unit have a single focus imaging optical system,
The recorded image generation means is configured to display five captured images from the first imaging unit to the fifth imaging unit in a third field angle range between the first field angle range and the second field angle range. An image pickup apparatus that generates a recording image using the image pickup apparatus. In the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The imaging device according to claim 5, wherein a shooting field angle of the fifth imaging unit includes a value wider than ½ of a shooting field angle of the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit. In the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the imaging optical system of the fifth imaging unit includes a bending optical system. The imaging device according to claim 1 or 2,
The recorded image generation means includes a pixel thinning process or a high resolution process when generating a recording image using four captured images from the first imaging unit to the fourth imaging unit, and the fifth imaging unit An image pickup apparatus comprising a pixel thinning process or a pixel interpolation process when a recording image is generated using a single captured image according to (1). In the imaging device according to claim 3 or 4,
The recorded image generating means includes a pixel thinning process and a high resolution process when generating a recording image using five captured images from the first imaging unit to the fifth imaging unit. apparatus.

Images