Camera Calibration

A method comprising:

• receiving at least two images of a scene captured at a camera to be calibrated, that camera being a member of a specified family of cameras where all members of the family of cameras are manufactured at least partly in a common manner;
• forming an initial estimate of parameters of the camera;
• accessing a prior distribution of camera parameters for the specified camera family, that prior distribution having been estimated by obtaining camera parameters for a plurality of sample cameras from the camera family and carrying out a probability density estimation process using the camera parameters of the sample cameras;
• combining the initial estimate of the parameters of the camera with information from the received images, and the accessed prior distribution to obtain a posterior distribution;
• maximizing the posterior distribution to find improved parameter values for the camera;
• and
• storing the improved parameter values.

A camera calibration system comprising:

• an input arranged to receive at least two images of a scene captured at a camera to be calibrated, that camera being a member of a specified family of cameras where all members of the family of cameras are manufactured at least partly in a common manner;
• a processor arranged to form an initial estimate of parameters of the camera;
• a memory arranged to store a prior distribution of camera parameters for the specified camera family, that prior distribution having been estimated by obtaining camera parameters for a plurality of sample cameras from the camera family and carrying out a probability density estimation process using the camera parameters of the sample cameras;
• the processor also being arranged to combine the initial estimate of the parameters of the camera with information from the received images and the stored prior distribution to obtain a posterior distribution;
• the processor also being arranged to maximize the posterior distribution to find improved parameter values for the camera;
• and
• a memory arranged to store the improved parameter values.