Image processing apparatus, image pickup apparatus having the same, and image processing method

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• (a) an image pickup element in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion units are arranged in correspondence to a microlens;
• and
• (b) an image processing apparatus for processing image signals that are obtained from the image pickup element, the image processing apparatus including:
• (i) a correlation operation unit configured to operate a correlation of the image signals of two images that are obtained from the image pickup element, and to operate an image shift amount between images that are picked up by photoelectric conversion units, on the basis of the correlation;
• (ii) a detection unit configured to detect whether or not an image signal reaches a predetermined level, and to produce count information in a case that the image signal reaches the predetermined level;
• and
• (iii) a controller configured to control the correlation operation unit, wherein the controller normalizes the correlation that is used for the operation of the image shift amount, on the basis of the count information.

An image processing method for processing image signals that are obtained from an image pickup element, the image processing method comprising:

• a correlation operation step of operating a correlation of the image signals of two images that are obtained from the image pickup element and operating an image shift amount between images that are picked up by photoelectric conversion units, on the basis of the correlation;
• a detection step of detecting whether or not an image signal reaches a predetermined level, and producing count information in a case that the image signal reaches the predetermined level;
• and
• a control step of controlling the correlation operation step, in accordance with the count information.