Image processing apparatus and image processing method generating a time-lapse moving image

An image processing method comprising:

• specifying a focusing position for one frame of a plurality of frames forming a time-lapse moving image generated by using time series parallax images picked up with different viewpoints for a plurality of frames;
• generating a refocus image focused at a virtual focusing position in one frame by relatively shifting and combining the first and second parallax images corresponding to the one frame;
• and
• generating a time-lapse moving image of the plurality of frames including in the frame the refocus image,
• wherein, in the case where a focusing position in the first frame is specified in the specifying, in the generating the refocus image, the first and second parallax images corresponding to the first frame are relatively shifted with a first shift amount corresponding to the focusing position specified in the specifying, a first refocus image is generated by combining the shifted first and second parallax images, a third and fourth parallax images corresponding to a second frame prior to the first frame is relatively shifted with a second shift amount smaller than the first shift amount, and a second refocus image is generated by combining the shifted third and fourth parallax images,
• wherein in the generating the time-lapse moving image, a time-lapse moving image including the first and second refocus images is generated.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute:

• specifying a focusing position for one frame of a plurality of frames forming a time-lapse moving image generated by using time series parallax images picked up with different viewpoints for a plurality of frames;
• generating a refocus image focused at a virtual focusing position in one frame by relatively shifting and combining the first and second parallax images corresponding to the one frame;
• and
• generating a time-lapse moving image of the plurality of frames including in the frame the refocus image,
• wherein, in the case where a focusing position in the first frame is specified in the specifying, in the generating the refocus image, the first and second parallax images corresponding to the first frame are relatively shifted with a first shift amount corresponding to the focusing position specified in the specifying, a first refocus image is generated by combining the shifted first and second parallax images, a third and fourth parallax images corresponding to a second frame prior to the first frame is relatively shifted with a second shift amount smaller than the first shift amount, and a second refocus image is generated by combining the shifted third and fourth parallax images,
• wherein in the generating the time-lapse moving image, a time-lapse moving image including the first and second refocus images is generated.