Parallax adjustment apparatus and method of controlling operation of same

A method of controlling operation of a parallax adjustment apparatus, comprising:

• a parallax calculation device calculating, pixel by pixel, amount of parallax between a first image, which serves as a reference, and a second image, the first and second images having different viewpoints;
• a reduction ratio decision device deciding a reduction ratio of the first and second images based upon the amount of parallax calculated by said parallax calculation device and a prescribed allowable amount of parallax;
• a reduction device reducing the first and second images at the reduction ratio decided by said reduction ratio decision device;
• a stereoscopic image display control device controlling a display unit in such a manner that a stereoscopic image, which comprises the first and second images reduced by said reduction device, is displayed on a display screen;
• a first parallax adjustment device accepting a parallax adjustment command and adjusting the amount of parallax between the first and second images, which have been reduced by said reduction device, in accordance with an amount of parallax commanded;
• a second parallax adjustment device making the amount of parallax, which existed prior to reduction by said reduction device, between the first and second images of different viewpoints, an amount of parallax that will exist when the first and second images, which have had their amount of parallax adjusted by said parallax adjustment device and have been reduced, are enlarged so as to take on the size that existed prior to the reduction by said reduction device.