A camera array , comprising: a plurality of imagers configured to capture images of a scene; control circuitry for independently controlling imaging parameters and operation of each imager in the plurality of imagers; an image processor configured to process at least a subset of images captured by the plurality of imagers; wherein the plurality of imagers comprises at least three imagers having different imaging characteristics including different fields of view comprising a polychromatic imager, a monochrome imager, and a telephoto imager, wherein the imagers have different imaging characteristics and are configured to operate with at least one difference in operating parameters; wherein the image processor is configured to: measure parallax within the processed images by detecting parallax-induced changes taking into account a position of the imagers that captured the images and using pixel correlation across imagers with similar integration time conditions; generate a depth map using the measured parallax; synthesize images having different levels of zoom; synthesize an image at a zoom level between a zoom level of a widest-angle view imager in the plurality of imagers and a zoom level of the telephoto imager using the images captured by plurality of imagers; and use said depth map to guide a tone mapping algorithm in emphasizing a 3D effect in a synthesized image. a plurality of imagers configured to capture images of a scene; control circuitry for independently controlling imaging parameters and operation of each imager in the plurality of imagers; an image processor configured to process at least a subset of images captured by the plurality of imagers; wherein the plurality of imagers comprises at least three imagers having different imaging characteristics including different fields of view comprising a polychromatic imager, a monochrome imager, and a telephoto imager, wherein the imagers have different imaging characteristics and are configured to operate with at least one difference in operating parameters; wherein the image processor is configured to: measure parallax within the processed images by detecting parallax-induced changes taking into account a position of the imagers that captured the images and using pixel correlation across imagers with similar integration time conditions; generate a depth map using the measured parallax; synthesize images having different levels of zoom; synthesize an image at a zoom level between a zoom level of a widest-angle view imager in the plurality of imagers and a zoom level of the telephoto imager using the images captured by plurality of imagers; and use said depth map to guide a tone mapping algorithm in emphasizing a 3D effect in a synthesized image. measure parallax within the processed images by detecting parallax-induced changes taking into account a position of the imagers that captured the images and using pixel correlation across imagers with similar integration time conditions; generate a depth map using the measured parallax; synthesize images having different levels of zoom; synthesize an image at a zoom level between a zoom level of a widest-angle view imager in the plurality of imagers and a zoom level of the telephoto imager using the images captured by plurality of imagers; and use said depth map to guide a tone mapping algorithm in emphasizing a 3D effect in a synthesized image. <EOS>