Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium

An image processing method for processing mosaic image data produced via a photoelectric conversion on an optical image of an object image by an image sensor including a color filter having a plurality of colors, the mosaic image data having image data of pixels each corresponding to one of the plurality of colors of the color filter, the image processing method comprising:

• performing a first interpolation process on a pixel-by-pixel basis on a pixel of interest using image data of pixels located close to the pixel of interest in each of a plurality of prescribed directions so as to reproduce image data of colors missing at the pixel of interest;
• evaluating the image data in each prescribed direction subjected to the interpolation process in the first interpolation process;
• performing a second interpolation process including performing an interpolation process so as to preserve an edge component of the object image;
• detecting a saturation from the image data subjected to the interpolation process in the second interpolation process;
• judging whether a pixel is in an area in which a spurious resolution occurs, on a pixel-by-pixel basis based on the detected saturation;
• and
• generating interpolated image data with the plurality of colors by performing interpolation on image data selected for each pixel based on a result of the evaluation step and a result of the judgment step.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program configured to cause a computer to execute an image processing method, the image processing method comprising:

• for mosaic image data produced via a photoelectric conversion on an optical image of an object image by an image sensor including a color filter having a plurality of colors, the mosaic image data having image data of pixels each corresponding to one of the plurality of colors of the color filter,
• performing a first interpolation process on a pixel-by-pixel basis on a pixel of interest using image data of pixels located close to the pixel of interest in each of a plurality of prescribed directions so as to reproduce image data of colors missing at the pixel of interest;
• evaluating the image data in each prescribed direction subjected to the interpolation process in the first interpolation process;
• performing a second interpolation process including performing an interpolation process so as to preserve an edge component of the object image;
• detecting a saturation from the image data subjected to the interpolation process in the second interpolation process;
• judging whether a pixel is in an area in which a spurious resolution may occur, on a pixel-by-pixel basis based on the detected saturation;
• and
• generating interpolated image data with the plurality of colors by performing interpolation on image data selected for each pixel based on a result of the evaluation step and a result of the judgment step.