Image processing unit, image processing method, and image processing program

An image processing method comprising the steps of:

• storing continuously captured images including a reference image and a non-reference image;
• generating a comparative image from the non-reference image on the basis of photographic control data on the reference image and photographic control data on the non-reference image;
• dividing each of the reference image, non-reference image, and previously generated comparative image into image blocks of a predetermined size;
• calculating motion data between the reference image and the previously generated comparative image for associating the image blocks of the reference image with the image blocks of the previously generated comparative image;
• calculating an average of pixel output values for each image block of the reference image and for each image block of the previously generated comparative image;
• determining, on the basis of the average of pixel output values of an image block of the reference image, a threshold used for determining whether or not the image block of the reference image and an image block of the non-reference image are suitable for image synthesis;
• comparing the threshold for the image block of the reference image to be synthesized with a difference in the averages of the pixel output values between the image block of the reference image and the image block of the previously generated comparative image, and determining, on the basis of a result of the comparison between the threshold for the image block of the reference image to be synthesized and the difference in averages of the pixel output values between the image block of the reference image and the image block of the previously generated comparative image, whether or not the image block of the reference image and the image block of the non-reference image are suitable for image synthesis;
• and
• determining, on the basis of the average of the pixel output values of the image block of the reference image, a ratio of synthesis of the image blocks of the reference image and non-reference image determined as suitable for image synthesis.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon an image processing program that when executed by a computer causes the computer to implement an image processing method comprising the steps of:

• storing continuously captured images including a reference image and a non-reference image;
• generating a comparative image from the non-reference image on the basis of photographic control data on the reference image and photographic control data on the non-reference image;
• dividing each of the reference image, non-reference image, and previously generated comparative image into image blocks of a predetermined size;
• calculating motion data between the reference image and the previously generated comparative image for associating the image blocks of the reference image with the image blocks of the previously generated comparative image;
• calculating an average of pixel output values for each image block of the reference image and for each image block of the previously generated comparative image;
• determining, on the basis of the average of pixel output values of an image block of the reference image, a threshold used for determining whether or not the image block of the reference image and an image block of the non-reference image are suitable for image synthesis;
• comparing the threshold for the image block of the reference image to be synthesized with a difference in the averages of the pixel output values between the image block of the reference image and the image block of the previously generated comparative image, and determining, on the basis of a result of the comparison between the threshold for the image block of the reference image to be synthesized and the difference in averages of the pixel output values between the image block of the reference image and the image block of the previously generated comparative image, whether or not the image block of the reference image and the image block of the non-reference image are suitable for image synthesis;
• and
• determining, on the basis of the average of the pixel output values of the image block of the reference image, a ratio of synthesis of the image blocks of the reference image and non-reference image determined as suitable for image synthesis.