Patent ID: 7570281

Claim:
An image processing apparatus, comprising: an image data input unit for inputting image data of a plurality of objects including a main subject, said image data input unit comprises a means for inputting a parallactic image, which is generated by capturing said plurality of objects viewed from a plurality of different perspectives; a depth distribution information receiving unit for receiving a depth distribution information calculated from said parallactic image, said depth distribution information being included in said image data and indicating a distance to each of said plurality of objects from the image data input unit; a range setting unit for setting a searching range in a depth direction for searching for said main subject from the plurality of objects using the input image data; a partial image extracting unit for extracting, as a partial image, at least a portion of one of said plurality of objects from said image data based on said depth distribution information, the depth direction of said partial image being restricted to said searching range set by said range setting unit; and a main subject detecting unit for receiving main subject information and detecting whether said partial image is said main subject based on said main subject information, wherein in searching for said main subject from the plurality of objects, said partial image extracting unit extracts first, as the partial image, at least a portion of said one of said plurality of objects that is closest in distance in the depth direction.