Image processing system, image processing method, image processing program, image capturing apparatus, and image capturing method

An image processing method comprising:

• a captured image acquiring step of acquiring a captured image taken by an image capturing apparatus;
• a distance information acquiring step of acquiring subject distance information that is information indicative of a distance between the image capturing apparatus and a subject for each of a plurality of partial areas in the captured image acquired in said captured image acquiring step;
• and
• an image processing step of performing an image processing different from one another on each of the plurality of partial areas in the captured image acquired in said captured image acquiring step according to the subject distance information acquired in said distance information acquiring step.

An image processing program for an image processing apparatus that performs an image processing on a captured image, the program making the image processing apparatus function as:

• a captured image acquiring section that acquires a captured image taken by an image capturing apparatus;
• a distance information acquiring section that acquires subject distance information that is information indicative of a distance between the image capturing apparatus and a subject for each of a plurality of partial areas in the captured image acquired by said captured image acquiring section;
• and
• an image processing section that performs an image processing different from one another on each of the plurality of partial areas in the captured image acquired by said captured image acquiring section according to the subject distance information acquired by said distance information acquiring section.

An image capturing apparatus comprising:

• an image capturing section;
• a focusing distance controlling section that controls a focusing distance of said image capturing section;
• a preliminary image acquiring section that sequentially acquires a plurality of preliminary images taken by said image capturing section when said focusing distance controlling section sequentially changes the focusing distance ;
• a focusing distance determining section that analyzes the plurality of preliminary images acquired by said preliminary image acquiring section every focusing distance to determine a focusing distance for a main subject;
• a captured image acquiring section that acquires a captured image taken by said image capturing section when said focusing distance controlling section controls a focusing distance to the focusing distance determined by said focusing distance determining section;
• and
• an image outputting section that outputs the plurality of preliminary images acquired by said preliminary image acquiring section every focusing distance along with the captured image acquired by said captured image acquiring section.

An image capturing method comprising:

• a focusing distance controlling step of controlling a focusing distance of an image capturing section;
• a preliminary image acquiring step of sequentially acquiring a plurality of preliminary images taken by the image capturing section when the focusing distance is sequentially changed in said focusing distance controlling step;
• a focusing distance determining step of analyzing the plurality of preliminary images acquired in said preliminary image acquiring step every focusing distance to determine a focusing distance for a main subject;
• a captured image acquiring step of acquiring a captured image taken by the image capturing section when a focusing distance is controlled to the focusing distance determined in said focusing distance determining step in said focusing distance controlling step;
• and
• an image outputting step of outputting the plurality of preliminary images acquired in said preliminary image acquiring step every focusing distance along with the captured image acquired in said captured image acquiring step.

An image capturing apparatus comprising:

• an image capturing section;
• a focusing distance controlling section that controls a focusing distance of said image capturing section;
• a preliminary image acquiring section that sequentially acquires a plurality of preliminary images taken by said image capturing section when said focusing distance controlling section sequentially changes the focusing distance ;
• a focusing distance determining section that analyzes the plurality of preliminary images acquired by said preliminary image acquiring section every focusing distance to determine a focusing distance for a main subject;
• a captured image acquiring section that acquires a captured image taken by said image capturing section when said focusing distance controlling section controls a focusing distance to the focusing distance determined by said focusing distance determining section;
• and
• a subject distance computing section that analyzes the plurality of preliminary images acquired by said preliminary image acquiring section every focusing distance to compute a distance between said image capturing section and a subject for each of a plurality of partial areas in the captured image acquired by said captured image acquiring section.

An image capturing method comprising:

• a focusing distance controlling step of controlling a focusing distance of an image capturing section;
• a preliminary image acquiring step of sequentially acquiring a plurality of preliminary images taken by the image capturing section when the focusing distance is sequentially changed in said focusing distance controlling step;
• a focusing distance determining step of analyzing the plurality of preliminary images acquired in said preliminary image acquiring step every focusing distance to determine a focusing distance for a main subject;
• a captured image acquiring step of acquiring a captured image taken by the image capturing section when a focusing distance is controlled to the focusing distance determined in said focusing distance determining step in said focusing distance controlling step;
• and
• a subject distance computing step of analyzing the plurality of preliminary images acquired in said preliminary image acquiring step every focusing distance to compute a distance between the image capturing section and a subject for each of a plurality of partial areas in the captured image acquired in said captured image acquiring step.

An image capturing apparatus comprising:

• an image capturing section;
• a distance measuring section that measures a distance between said image capturing section and a subject for each of a plurality of distance measuring points within an image capturing range of said image capturing section;
• a measured distance data storing section that respectively stores measured distance data indicative of a plurality of distances measured by said distance measuring section in association with an image taken by said image capturing section and positions of the plurality of distance measuring points in the image taken by said image capturing section;
• and
• an image outputting section that outputs the image taken by said image capturing section along with the plurality of measured distance data stored on said measured distance data storing section.

An image capturing method comprising:

• a distance measuring step of measuring a distance between an image capturing section and a subject for each of a plurality of distance measuring points within an image capturing range of the image capturing section;
• a measured distance data storing step of respectively storing measured distance data indicative of a plurality of distances measured in said distance measuring step in association with an image taken by the image capturing section and positions of the plurality of distance measuring points in the image taken by the image capturing section;
• and
• an image outputting step of outputting the image taken by the image capturing section along with the plurality of measured distance data stored in said measured distance data storing step.

An image capturing apparatus comprising:

• an image capturing section;
• a distance measuring section that measures a distance between said image capturing section and a subject for a distance measuring point within an image capturing range of said image capturing section;
• a focusing distance controlling section that controls a focusing distance of said image capturing section;
• a preliminary image acquiring section that sequentially acquires a plurality of preliminary images taken by said image capturing section when said focusing distance controlling section sequentially changes the focusing distance within a predetermined range including the distance measured by said distance measuring section;
• a focusing distance determining section that analyzes the plurality of preliminary images acquired by said preliminary image acquiring section to determine a focusing distance for a main subject;
• and
• a captured image acquiring section that acquires a captured image taken by said image capturing section when said focusing distance controlling section controls a focusing distance to the focusing distance determined by said focusing distance determining section.

An image capturing method comprising:

• a distance measuring step of measuring a distance between an image capturing section and a subject for a distance measuring point within an image capturing range of the image capturing section;
• a focusing distance controlling step of controlling a focusing distance of the image capturing section;
• a preliminary image acquiring step of sequentially acquiring a plurality of preliminary images taken by the image capturing section when the focusing distance is sequentially changed within a predetermined range including the distance measured in said distance measuring step in said focusing distance controlling step;
• a focusing distance determining step of analyzing the plurality of preliminary images acquired in said preliminary image acquiring step to determine a focusing distance for a main subject;
• and
• a captured image acquiring step of acquiring a captured image taken by the image capturing section when a focusing distance is controlled to the focusing distance determined in said focusing distance determining step in said focusing distance controlling step.