Control unit, imaging unit, and method of controlling liquid-crystal low pass filter

An imaging unit, comprising:

• an imaging element configured to output image data;
• a liquid-crystal low pass filter including a liquid crystal layer, wherein the liquid-crystal low pass filter is in a light entering path of the imaging element;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• control a polarization state of the liquid crystal layer to be one of a first polarization state, a second polarization state, or an intermediate polarization state, wherein the intermediate polarization state is between the first polarization state and the second polarization state;
• set the polarization state of the liquid crystal layer to one of the first polarization state or the second polarization state for output of first image data of a plurality of image data;
• and
• set the polarization state of the liquid crystal layer to the intermediate polarization state for output of at least of second image data of the plurality of image data or third image data subsequent to the second image data,
• wherein the intermediate polarization state is a state where light that enters the liquid crystal layer is optically rotated at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees.

A method of controlling a liquid-crystal low pass filter, the method comprising:

• in output of a plurality of image data from an imaging element,
• setting a polarization state of a liquid crystal layer of the liquid-crystal low pass filter to one of a first polarization state or a second polarization state for output of first image data of the plurality of image data;
• and
• setting the polarization state of the liquid crystal layer to an intermediate polarization state for output of at least one of second image data of the plurality of image data or third image data subsequent to the second image data,
• wherein the intermediate polarization state is a state where light that enters the liquid crystal layer is optically rotated at an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees.