Imaging device provided with high dynamic range rendering function

An imaging device that performs imaging using an imaging element comprising:

• an imaging unit that performs exposure with a predetermined exposure time, thereby performing the imaging;
• a control unit that successively performs an imaging process N-times thereby performing a plurality of imaging processes, where N is integer and 2 or more, a plurality of image captures with different exposure times being performed by the imaging unit in each of the imaging processes;
• and
• a synthesis unit that generates, by using High Dynamic Range Rendering (HDR) rendering based on a plurality of images acquired by the plurality of image captures, a synthesis image having an expanded dynamic range and being generated for each of the N-times imaging processes,
• wherein
• each of the synthesis images generated for each of the N-times imaging processes has a predetermined image quality determined corresponding to each of the synthesis images;
• a maximum exposure time of each capturing in each of the N-times imaging processes is determined based on the image quality of the synthesis image generated in corresponding imaging process;
• each of the N-times imaging processes is performed in accordance with a corresponding synchronous timing, the N synchronous timings being at regular intervals;
• the control unit successively performs, in each of the N imaging processes, the plurality of image captures before/after the corresponding synchronous timing;
• the control unit performs one of the plurality of image captures such that the exposure is completed at a time when the synchronous timing occurs, and performs a subsequent another capturing such that the exposure is started at a time when the synchronous timing occurs;
• and
• an exposure timing is determined in each of the imaging process based on the maximum exposure time such that exposure times in the N-times imaging processes are not overlapped.