Image processing apparatus, image processing method, image processing program, and image pickup apparatus

An image pickup apparatus which processes plural pieces of image data obtained by continuous shooting, comprising:

• an image sensor which performs an optical/electrical conversion on light received from an object to be captured and which outputs optical/electrically converted data;
• an image data generation unit which generates image data on a basis of the optical/electrically converted data;
• a shooting control unit which outputs exposure control information in response to a shoot instruction to the image sensor and which takes plural pieces of image data;
• a first base image selection unit which selects a piece of image data in the plural pieces of taken image data as a first base image used in superposition;
• a shift amount calculation unit which calculates an amount of shift between an image region of a background portion included in the first base image selected for superposition and an image region of the same background portion included in another different piece of image data in the plural pieces of taken image data;
• an image superposition unit which detects a superposing area as an area in which the different piece of image data can be superposed on the selected first base image after a shift correction is made on a basis of the calculated amount of shift, and which performs superposition for the superposing area;
• a second base image selection unit which selects a piece of image data in the plural pieces of taken image data as a second base image used in a non-superposing area;
• and
• an image combination unit which combines a superposition result with the non-superposing area in the second base image, and which outputs image data as a combination result.

An image data processing method a processor processes plural pieces of image data, comprising:

• selecting a piece of image data in plural pieces of taken image data as a first base image used in superposition;
• calculating an amount of shift between an image region of a background portion included in the first base image selected for superposition and an image region of the same background portion included in another different piece of image data in the plural pieces of taken image data;
• detecting a superposing area as an area in which the different piece of image data can be superposed on the selected first base image after a shift correction is made on a basis of the calculated amount of shift, and performing superposition for the superposing area;
• selecting a piece of image data in the plural pieces of taken image data as a second base image used in a non-superposing area;
• and
• combining a superposition result with the non-superposing area in the second base image, and outputting image data as a combination result.

A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing an image data processing program to direct a computer to process plural pieces of image data, the image data processing program comprising:

• selecting a piece of image data in plural pieces of taken image data as a first base image used in superposition;
• calculating an amount of shift between an image region of a background portion included in the first base image selected for superposition and an image region of the same background portion included in another different piece of image data in the plural pieces of taken image data;
• detecting a superposing area as an area in which the different piece of image data can be superposed on the selected first base image after a shift correction is made on a basis of the calculated amount of shift, and performing superposition for the superposing area;
• selecting a piece of image data in the plural pieces of taken image data as a second base image used in a non-superposing area;
• and
• combining a superposition result with the non-superposing area in the second base image, and outputting image data as a combination result.