Patent ID: 8634016
Filing Date: 2014-01-21
Classification: G02B,H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging device comprising: an imaging optical system; an imaging unit for capturing an image through the imaging optical system; a continuous AF unit for performing a continuous AF by repeating focus adjustment of the imaging optical system to focus on a photographic subject in a specific focus area set in an imaging area of the imaging unit; a multipoint ranging unit for dividing the imaging area into a plurality of ranging areas, changing a focal position of the imaging optical system within a predetermined search range, detecting a position where contrast is a local maximum in each of the ranging areas, and performing ranging of a photographic subject in each of the ranging areas; a main photographic subject recognition unit for recognizing a main photographic subject in the imaging area based on distance information of each of the ranging areas obtained by the multipoint ranging unit; and a control unit for controlling the continuous AF unit and the multipoint ranging unit to cause the continuous AF unit to terminate the continuous AF and to cause the multipoint ranging unit to execute ranging when focusing on the photographic subject is attained or almost attained in the specific focus area by the continuous AF unit.