Patent ID: 8830338

Claim:
An imaging device, comprising: imaging means comprising a focus lens having a variable focal distance; exposure control mean for controlling exposure of the imaging means; focus control means for controlling the focus lens for a plurality of shooting operations by the imaging means with different sensitivity values under control of the exposure control mean, to thereby obtain a predetermined focal distance for each of the sensitivity values; signal processing means for processing a signal obtained by conducting a shooting operation by the imaging means under control of the exposure control mean and the focus control means, to thereby create a plurality of in-focus images of mutually different sensitivity values; and image combining means for combining with each other the plural in-focus images of mutually different sensitivity values created from the signal processing means into a combined image and outputting the combined image therefrom; wherein the signal processing means processes a signal obtained by conducting a shooting operation by the imaging means, to thereby create focus evaluation values respectively corresponding to a plurality of signals of mutually different sensitivity values; and wherein the focus control means beforehand sets focal distance for each of the sensitivity values based on the focus evaluation value created by the signal processing means.