JP2011107501A - Focusing device and imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a focusing device capable of focusing by determining an appropriate tracking position even when a plurality of object positions are recognized. <P>SOLUTION: The focusing device includes: a focus detection part for detecting a focus state of an optical system with respect to a plurality of focus detection positions set in an image plane by the optical system; a recognition part for repeatedly recognizing a position of an image of a specified object out of images by the optical system, as the object position; a selection part for selecting any of the plurality of object positions based on the focus states detected by the focus detection part corresponding to the plurality of object positions when the plurality of object positions are recognized by the recognition part; and a focusing part for performing focusing of the optical system based on the focus state detected by the focus detection part with respect to the focus detection position corresponding to the object position selected by the selection part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a focus adjustment device and an imaging device.

  An image including the imaging target is used as a template image, and the imaging target is tracked by recognizing the position of an image similar to the template image as the position of the imaging target. A focus adjustment device that performs focus adjustment of the photographing optical system based on the focus detection result for the tracked position is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-111742 A

  However, in the focus adjustment device shown in Patent Literature 1, when a plurality of target positions are recognized, it is not possible to determine which of the plurality of recognized target positions is the tracking position, There is a problem that proper focus adjustment cannot be performed.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a focus adjustment device capable of determining an appropriate tracking position and performing focus adjustment even when a plurality of target positions are recognized, and imaging To provide an apparatus.

  The present invention includes a focus detection unit that detects a focus state of the optical system with respect to a plurality of focus detection positions set in an image plane of the optical system, and a specific target image among the images of the optical system. A recognition unit that repeatedly recognizes a position as a target position, and when a plurality of the target positions are recognized by the recognition unit, based on a focus state detected by the focus detection unit corresponding to the plurality of target positions A selection unit that selects one of the plurality of target positions; and a focus state detected by the focus detection unit with respect to a focus detection position corresponding to the target position selected by the selection unit, And a focus adjusting unit that performs focus adjustment of the optical system.

  The present invention is an imaging apparatus comprising: the focus adjustment apparatus described above; and an imaging unit that captures an image by the optical system.

  According to the present invention, even when a plurality of target positions are recognized, it is possible to determine an appropriate tracking position and perform focus adjustment.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the digital single-lens reflex camera provided with the focus detection apparatus by one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the some ranging area with which a focus detection apparatus is provided. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a case where a plurality of tracking regions are detected in the focus detection apparatus of FIG. 2. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement of the focus adjustment by the camera of this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process of step S103 in the flowchart of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process of step S104 in the flowchart of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process of step S109 in the flowchart of FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining the modification 1 of the process which determines an employment area. It is explanatory drawing explaining the modification 2 of the process which determines an employment area. It is explanatory drawing explaining the modification 3 of the process which determines an employment area.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a digital single-lens reflex camera (hereinafter referred to as a camera) including a focus adjustment device according to an embodiment. It should be noted that illustrations and descriptions of general devices and apparatuses of cameras other than the devices and apparatuses related to the focus adjustment apparatus and the imaging apparatus of the present invention are omitted.

  In a camera according to an embodiment, a lens barrel 200 is attached to a camera body 100, and the lens barrel 200 can be replaced with various types of photographing lenses. In this embodiment, an interchangeable lens camera will be described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to the interchangeable lens camera, and can be applied to a fixed lens camera.

  The lens barrel 200 includes a photographing optical system (optical system) 1 including a plurality of lenses such as a zooming lens and a focus lens, and a lens driving motor 14. In the photographic optical system 1, the focus lens for adjusting the focus is driven in the optical axis direction by the lens driving motor 14. Thereby, the focus of the photographing optical system 1 is adjusted.

  The camera body 100 includes a main mirror 2, a focusing plate 3, a pentaprism 4, an eyepiece 5, an imaging unit 6, a sub mirror 7, a phase difference detection type focus detection device 8 (hereinafter referred to as a focus detection device 8), and photometry. The lens 15, the photometric sensor 16, the operation member 18, the focus adjustment device 300, and the control unit 400 are provided.

  The imaging unit 6 is composed of a CCD, a CMOS, or the like, and converts the subject image formed by the photographing optical system 1 into an electrical signal and outputs it. By recording the electrical signal output from the imaging unit 6, a subject image is captured.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the focus detection device 8 includes a plurality of focus detection positions (a plurality of distance measurement areas) in association with each other on the imaging screen, and a focus detection signal detected for each of the plurality of focus detection positions. Output to the focus adjustment apparatus 300.

  The focus adjustment device 300 obtains a defocus amount indicating the focus adjustment state of the photographing optical system 1 based on the focus detection signal input from the focus detection device 8, and based on the obtained defocus amount, a lens driving motor. The focus of the photographing optical system 1 is adjusted via 14.

  Except for shooting, the main mirror 2 and the sub mirror 7 are placed in the shooting optical path as shown in FIG. At this time, a part of the light from the subject that has passed through the photographing optical system 1 is reflected by the main mirror 2 and guided to the focusing screen 3, and an object image is formed on the focusing screen 3.

  The subject image on the focusing screen 3 can be observed by the photographer via the pentaprism 4 and the eyepiece lens 5, and the luminous flux is guided to the photometric sensor 16 via the pentaprism 4 and the photometric lens 15. .

  The photometric sensor 16 divides the shooting screen corresponding to the subject image into a plurality of areas, and outputs a photometric signal corresponding to the luminance of each area to the focus adjustment apparatus 300.

  At the time of shooting, the main mirror 2 and the sub mirror 7 are retracted (mirror-up) from the shooting optical path, and the light flux from the subject that has passed through the shooting optical system 1 is guided to the imaging unit 6 and formed on the imaging surface of the imaging unit 6. A subject image is captured.

  The control unit 400 controls the main mirror 2, the imaging unit 6, the sub mirror 7, the focus detection device 8, the photometric sensor 16, and the focus adjustment device 300 included in the camera body 100.

  When operated by the user, the operation unit 18 outputs a signal corresponding to the user operation to the control unit 400. The operation unit 18 includes, for example, a release half-press switch SW1 (hereinafter referred to as a switch SW1) that is a switch that activates an operation for adjusting the focus of the photographing optical system 1.

<Configuration of Focus Adjustment Device 300>
Next, the configuration of the focus adjustment apparatus 300 will be described. The focus adjustment apparatus 300 includes an AF-CCD control unit 9, a defocus calculation unit (focus detection unit) 10, a focus area position determination unit (selection unit) 11, a lens drive amount calculation unit (focus adjustment unit) 12, and a lens drive. A control unit 13 and a recognition unit 17 are provided.

  The AF-CCD control unit 9 performs control for accumulating charges in a line sensor including a charge accumulation type photoelectric conversion element included in the focus detection device 8 based on another part of the light from the subject described above. The accumulated charges are read from the focus detection device 8 and output to the defocus calculation unit 10.

  The defocus calculation unit 10 performs a plurality of focus detection positions set in the image plane by the photographing optical system 1 based on the output read from the focus detection device 8 via the AF-CCD control unit 9. The focus state of the photographing optical system 1 is calculated.

  Based on the photometric signal output from the photometric sensor 16, that is, based on the photometric signal corresponding to the luminance of each region, by dividing the photographing screen into a plurality of regions, the recognizing unit 17, The position of a specific target image is repeatedly recognized as the target position.

  For example, the recognizing unit 17 stores a specific target image as a template image in the storage unit. Then, the recognizing unit 17 repeatedly identifies the specific target image read from the storage unit, that is, the position of the template image, among the images obtained by the photographing optical system 1, thereby identifying the specific image among the images obtained by the photographing optical system 1. The position of the target image is repeatedly recognized as the target position.

  Note that, for example, when starting up or when focus processing is started, a specific target image selected by the automatic subject recognition technique among the images obtained by the photographing optical system 1 or the operation unit 18 is selected by the user. The specified image of the specific object may be stored as a template image in this storage unit. Here, the automatic subject recognition technique is, for example, a face recognition technique or a moving body detection technique.

  Note that the recognition unit 17 may determine the target image based on the image corresponding to the target position selected by the focus area position determination unit 11 among the images obtained by the photographing optical system 1.

  When the recognition unit 17 recognizes a plurality of target positions, the focus area position determination unit 11 selects a plurality of targets based on the focus state calculated by the defocus calculation unit 10 corresponding to the plurality of target positions. Select one of the positions.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that there are a tracking area 1 and a tracking area 2 as a plurality of target positions recognized by the recognition unit 17. In this case, the focus area position determination unit 11 selects one of the plurality of target positions based on the focus state detected by the defocus calculation unit 10 corresponding to the plurality of target positions. That is, in this case, the focus area position determination unit 11 selects one of the tracking area 1 and the tracking area 2. In FIG. 3, the previous tracking area (the tracking area selected last time) is indicated by a wavy line.

  Returning to the description of FIG. In addition, the focus area position determination unit 11 has a plurality of targets recognized by the second recognition operation after the first recognition operation, based on the first target position recognized by the recognition unit 17 by the first recognition operation. Select one of the positions.

  The first target position recognized by the first recognition operation is, for example, the previous tracking area shown in FIG. Moreover, the plurality of target positions recognized by the second recognition operation are, for example, the tracking area 1 and the tracking area 2 shown in FIG.

  Further, the focus area position determination unit 11 has a predetermined difference from a focus state detected with respect to a focus detection position corresponding to the first target position among a plurality of target positions recognized by the second recognition operation. A target position corresponding to a focus detection position where a focus state satisfying the condition is detected is selected.

  The focus area position determination unit 11 also includes a target position corresponding to a focus detection position located in the vicinity of the focus detection position corresponding to the first target position among the plurality of target positions recognized by the second recognition operation. Select.

  The lens drive amount calculation unit 12 drives the lens based on the focus state (defocus amount) detected by the defocus calculation unit 10 with respect to the focus detection position corresponding to the target position selected by the focus area position determination unit 11. The focal point of the photographing optical system 1 is adjusted by calculating the amount and controlling the lens driving motor 14 via the lens driving control unit 13 based on the calculated lens driving amount.

  The lens drive controller 13 controls the lens drive motor 14 based on the lens drive amount output from the lens drive amount calculator 12 to adjust the focus of the photographing optical system 1.

<Operation of Focus Adjustment by Camera of this Embodiment>
Next, the focus adjustment operation by the camera of the present embodiment will be described using the flowchart of FIG. In the following, the operation for adjusting the focus of the photographic optical system 1 will be referred to as an AF (autofocus) operation. The focus adjustment will be described as AF. The focus detection position will be referred to as an AF area or area, and a target position selected from a plurality of target positions will be referred to as an adoption area.

  First, in step S101, the control unit 400 determines whether or not the switch SW1 is turned on. Here, the half-pressing of the switch SW1 corresponds to the activation of the AF operation, and therefore the control unit 400 starts the AF operation in response to the switch SW1 changing from OFF to ON.

  If the result of determination in step S101 is that the switch SW1 is not turned on, the control unit 400 repeats the processing from step S101. On the other hand, if the result determined in step S101 is that the switch SW1 is ON, the control unit 400 proceeds to the next step S102.

Next, in step S102, the control unit 400 determines whether or not the AF operation is a first AF operation. Here, the first AF operation is a stage immediately after switching from OFF to ON in step S101 described above, and no AF calculation result is output.
When the result determined in step S102 is the first AF operation, the control unit 400 advances the process to step S103. On the other hand, when the result determined in step S102 is not the first AF operation, the control unit 400 advances the process to step S104.

  Since it is immediately after the AF operation is started in step S103, the recognition unit 17 performs predetermined initial tracking control based on the control of the control unit 400. This initial tracking control will be described in detail later with reference to FIG.

  In step S104, since the AF operation is continuing and tracking control is already performed, the recognition unit 17 performs tracking calculation processing based on the control of the control unit 400. This tracking calculation process will be described later in detail with reference to FIG.

  Subsequent to step S103 or step S104 described above, in the next step S105, the AF-CCD control unit 9 causes the focus detection device 8 to perform accumulation control based on the control of the control unit 400. Note that the control unit 400 may execute this process in parallel with the operations in steps S102 to S104 as long as the switch SW1 is turned on in step S101.

  Next, in step S <b> 106, based on the control of the control unit 400, the AF-CCD control unit 9 reads out the electric charge accumulated in step S <b> 105 from the focus detection device 8, performs A / D conversion, and sends it to the defocus calculation unit 10. Output.

  Next, in step S107, based on the control of the control unit 400, the defocus calculation unit 10 calculates an image shift amount by correlation calculation based on the charge signal input from the focus detection device 8, and the calculated image shift. A defocus amount is calculated based on the amount.

  It should be noted that the processing from step S105 to step S107 described above is executed for the AF area corresponding to the tracking area or all the AF areas included in the focus detection device 8 among the AF areas included in the focus detection device 8. Also good.

  Next, in step S108, the control unit 400 determines whether or not the calculation of the defocus amount for the predetermined number of areas has been completed. The predetermined number here is, for example, the number of AF areas corresponding to the tracking area among the AF areas provided in the focus detection device 8 or the number of all AF areas provided in the focus detection device 8.

  If the calculation of the defocus amount for the predetermined number of areas is not completed as a result of the determination in step S108, the control unit 400 repeats the processing from step S105. On the other hand, when the calculation of the defocus amount for the predetermined number of areas is completed as the determination result of step S108, the control unit 400 advances the processing to the next step S109.

  Next, in step S109, based on the control of the control unit 400, the focus area position determination unit 11 executes an area determination process. This area determination process will be described later in detail with reference to FIG.

  Next, in step S110, based on the control of the control unit 400, the lens driving amount calculation unit 12 performs lens driving amount calculation based on the area selected by the area determination process in step S109.

  Next, in step S111, based on the control of the control unit 400, the lens drive control unit 13 changes the position of the focus lens via the lens drive motor 14 in accordance with the result of the lens drive amount calculation in step S110. Thus, the focus of the photographing optical system 1 is adjusted.

  Next, in step S112, the control unit 400 executes processing for limiting the search range for subject tracking control, which will be described later, and determination processing for reacquisition of the template image.

<Step S103: Initial tracking control>
Next, the initial tracking control in step S103 of FIG. 4 will be described using the flowchart of FIG.
First, in step S201, the recognizing unit 17 stores the subject color information of the image in the area corresponding to the AF area in the tracking initial image in the storage unit.

Next, in step S202, the recognizing unit 17 detects the same color information indicating the same color information as the subject color information in the peripheral portion of the AF area in the tracking initial image.
Next, in step S203, the recognition unit 17 sets the detected same color information as an initial subject area.

Next, in step S204, the recognition unit 17 stores the subject tracking region in the tracking initial image in the storage unit as a template image used for the subsequent tracking processing.
Next, in step S205, the recognizing unit 17 sets an area obtained by enlarging the subject tracking area by a predetermined pixel as a search area.

<Step S104: Tracking Calculation Process>
Next, the tracking calculation process in step S104 of FIG. 4 will be described using the flowchart of FIG.

  First, in step S301, the recognition unit 17 sequentially cuts out a region having the same size as the template image from the search region of the tracking image, compares the cut-out image with the template image, and calculates a color information difference for each pixel.

  Next, in step S302, the recognizing unit 17 searches for an area with the smallest difference in color information, and determines that area as a new tracking area. Here, the recognition unit 17 may change the image information of the template image using the image information of the new tracking subject area. In this embodiment, when there are a plurality of areas where the difference in color information is small (see FIG. 3), a plurality of tracking areas are output.

  Next, in step S303, the recognizing unit 17 sets an area enlarged by predetermined pixels around a new tracking area as a new search area.

<Step S109: Area determination processing>
Next, the area determination process in step S109 of FIG. 4 will be described using the flowchart of FIG.

  First, in step S401, the focus area position determination unit 11 determines whether the first AF operation is performed. If it is the first AF operation, the tracking control is also the first operation, and no subject movement information is output. Therefore, the focus area position determination unit 11 uses AF information or recognition information such as face recognition. Perform AF.

  In step S401, when it is determined that the first AF operation is performed, the focus area position determination unit 11 advances the process to step S402, and when it is determined that the first AF operation is not performed, the process advances to step S405.

  Next, in step S402, that is, when it is determined in step S401 that the first AF operation is performed, the focus area position determination unit 11 determines whether or not the current AF mode is the automatic selection mode.

  If it is determined in step S402 that the current AF mode is the automatic selection mode, the focus area position determination unit 11 advances the process to step S403, and determines that the current AF mode is not the automatic selection mode. If so, the process proceeds to step S404.

  Next, in step S403, that is, when it is determined in step S402 that the automatic selection mode is set, the focus area position determination unit 11 sets the adopted area as an area automatically selected by the camera. Although details of how to determine the area are omitted here, for example, an area corresponding to a position determined to be a face using a face recognition function or the like is set as an adopted area.

  On the other hand, in step S404, that is, when the automatic selection mode is not set in step S402, the focus area position determination unit 11 sets the user selection area as the adoption area because the user needs to manually select the area.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the first AF operation is not performed in step S401 described above, the focus area position determination unit 11 determines whether or not there are a plurality of subject tracking areas determined to be similar in the next step S405. Determine.

  It should be noted that since the adopted area is determined in the initial AF operation by the processing from step S401 to step S404 described above, the processing after this step S405 is executed, that is, the processing in the case of not being the initial AF operation is executed. In this case, the adoption area has already been determined.

  If it is determined in step S405 that there are a plurality of subject tracking areas determined to be similar, the focus area position determination unit 11 advances the process to step S406. If it is determined that there are not a plurality of subject tracking areas determined to be similar, the focus area position determination unit 11 advances the process to step S409.

  Next, in step S406, the focus area position determination unit 11 compares the positional relationship between the previous tracking area and the current tracking area. In this flow, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, there are two tracking areas this time. For this reason, the current two tracking areas are determined to be located at a position close to the previous tracking area. In the example of FIG. 3, the tracking area 2 is close to the previous tracking area.

  In step S407, when there are a plurality of tracking areas, the focus area position determination unit 11 first satisfies a predetermined difference threshold from the previous focus state based on the defocus amount of the AF area corresponding to the tracking area 2, and The area where the defocus amount difference with respect to the target position is minimized is searched.

  In step S408 following step S407, the focus area position determination unit 11 sets a threshold value of a predetermined difference from the previous focus state based on the defocus amount of the AF area corresponding to the tracking area 1, as in step S407. An area that satisfies the condition and has the smallest defocus amount difference with respect to the target position is searched.

  Here, two cases of the tracking area 1 and the tracking area 2 are described, but when there are a plurality of tracking areas, the focus area position determination unit 11 is the same as in step S407 or step S408. The process may be executed sequentially for a plurality of tracking areas.

  Further, when there are a plurality of tracking areas, the focus area position determination unit 11 calculates the distances between the plurality of tracking areas and the previous tracking area, and among the plurality of tracking areas, You may perform the process similar to step S407 or step S408.

  In addition, the focus area position determination unit 11 does not perform the same processing as step S407 or step S408 for all of the plurality of tracking areas, and the tracking is close to the previous tracking area among the plurality of tracking areas. The process similar to step S407 or step S408 may be executed only for the region. By doing in this way, the focus area position determination unit 11 can reduce the entire processing even when there are a plurality of tracking areas, and can perform appropriate tracking.

  On the other hand, in step S409, since there is only one tracking area, the focus area position determination unit 11 satisfies a predetermined threshold from the previous focus state from the defocus amount of the AF area corresponding to the tracking area, and An area where the defocus amount difference with respect to the target position is minimized is searched.

Subsequent to step S408 or step S409 described above, in step S410, the focus area position determination unit 11 compares the defocus amounts of the tracking area 1 and the tracking area 2. Here, the focus area position determination unit 11 compares the minimum defocus amounts obtained for the respective areas in step S408 and step S408.
Then, the focus area position determination unit 11 determines the adoption area based on the comparison result as follows, for example.

(1) If neither of the two areas satisfies the employment determination, the employment area is determined to be undecided.
(2) When the employment determination is satisfied in one of the two areas, the area belonging to the area satisfying the employment determination is set as the employment area.
(3) When there is an area that satisfies the adoption determination in both of the two areas, there are various ways of determining the adoption area, but here, the following two examples (A) and (B) as examples Will be described.

(A) Adopt the area that is the smallest difference in defocus amount with respect to the target position in the two areas (B) Adopt the area closer to the previous tracking area from the positional relationship of the two areas (comparison of S2) Do

  The reason for using (A) and (B) is that, for example, when the determination of (B) is similar to subject tracking but is not reliable, a repetitive pattern such as a subject having a periodic pattern is seen on a plane. The case is valid. This is because the subject does not actually move and thus the area is not desired to be moved, but it is not necessary to employ an area that takes the minimum defocus amount by using (A).

  Next, in step S411, the focus area position determination unit 11 determines whether or not the adoption area for focusing from the processing of step S403 to step S405 or step S409 described above is determined by the processing of step S410. To do.

For example, when the processing from step S406 to step S408 is executed, the employment area is determined if there is at least one that satisfies the employment area determination condition. Also, if there are those that satisfy the adoption determination in both of the plurality of tracking areas in steps S406 to S408, the area where the difference from the previous focus state is minimized is determined as the adoption area. Further, for example, when there are a plurality of areas, the area closer to the previously adopted area is selected as the adopted area. If the employment determination is satisfied only in one of the areas, that area becomes the employment area.
In step S411, the focus area position determination unit 11 determines whether the adoption area has been determined in this way.

  When the adopted area is determined in step S411, the focus area position determining unit 11 advances the process to step S412. When the adopted area is not determined in step S411, the focus area position determining unit 11 advances the process to step S413. .

  In step S412, since the adopted area is determined in step S411, the focus area position determining unit 11 sets the determined adopted area as the in-focus area.

  On the other hand, in step S413, since the adoption area is not determined in step S411, the focus area position determination unit 11 sets the adoption area as the previous adoption area. Here, the focus area position determination unit 11 does not necessarily have to adopt the adoption area as the previous adoption area, and may determine the adoption area from the remaining AF areas.

  Following step S412 or step S413, next, in step S414, the focus area position determination unit 11 next selects an image of the tracking area corresponding to the AF area that is the adopted area among the plurality of tracking areas. Is output to the recognition unit 17.

  Then, the recognition unit 17 changes the template image stored in the storage unit. Note that, as described above, when the previous adoption area is set or undecided in step S413, the focus area position determination unit 11 does not change the template image with respect to the recognition unit 17.

<Modified example of processing for determining employment area>
Next, a modified example of the process for determining the adoption area in steps S107 to S109 in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIGS.

(1) When output in a different size The defocus amount of the area whose size has changed from the previous time is calculated.
For example, in the case of FIG. 8, the tracking area 2 is the area whose size has changed from the previous time. When the defocus amount in the tracking area 2 shows the value on the front pin side while satisfying the adoption determination, the subject is likely to have moved forward, so the determination of both the area 1 and the area 2 does not change in size. The same routine can be used.
When the defocus amount corresponding to the tracking area 2 satisfies the adoption determination but is a rear pin, the tracking area 2 is excluded and the area satisfying the adoption determination in the tracking area 1 is preferentially adopted. When the area of the tracking area 1 does not satisfy the employment determination, the area that satisfies the employment determination in the tracking area 2 is set as the employment area.

(2) When the area is rough When only one or two areas are included in the tracking area, the area where the employment determination is performed is limited to one first.
For example, in FIG. 9, taking two AF areas in the tracking area 1 as an example, an area closer to the center of the tracking area is selected. As an example, since the area on the right side in the tracking area 1 is closer to the center of the tracking area, the area is defined as that area.

(3) When the tracking area is large When the tracking area is large and the AF area is dense and multipoint, another small area is provided in the area as shown by the dotted frame in FIG. AF area adoption determination is performed.
In this case, although there are areas that satisfy the adoption determination in both areas 1 and 2, it is considered that the area having the area that satisfies the employment determination in the small inner area is more reliable, and the area of the tracking area 1 is set as the adoption area. .

  As described above with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10, the focus area position determination unit 11 may adopt the AF area based on the distribution of the AF area.

  According to the focus adjustment apparatus 300 according to the present embodiment described above, the focus area position determination unit 11 included in the focus adjustment apparatus 300 has a plurality of target positions when the recognition unit 17 recognizes the plurality of target positions. In response to this, one of a plurality of target positions is selected based on the focus state detected by the defocus calculation unit 10. Thereby, the focus adjustment apparatus 300 according to the present embodiment can select a focus detection position used for focus detection from a plurality of focus detection positions even when a plurality of target positions are recognized.

The control unit 400 or the focus adjustment device 300 described above may be realized by dedicated hardware, or may be realized by a memory and a microprocessor.
The control unit 400 or the focus adjustment device 300 may be realized by dedicated hardware. The control unit 400 or the focus adjustment device 300 includes a memory and a CPU (central processing unit). The function may be realized by loading a program for realizing the function of the control unit 400 or the focus adjustment apparatus 300 into a memory and executing the program.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes design and the like within a scope not departing from the gist of the present invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Imaging optical system, 10 ... Defocus calculating part, 11 ... Focus area position determination part, 12 ... Lens drive amount calculating part, 17 ... Recognition part, 6 ... Imaging part, 300 ... Focus adjustment apparatus

Claims (6)

A focus detection unit that detects a focus state of the optical system with respect to a plurality of focus detection positions set in an image plane by the optical system;
A recognition unit that repeatedly recognizes a position of a specific target image as a target position among images by the optical system;
When a plurality of the target positions are recognized by the recognition unit, one of the plurality of target positions is selected based on a focus state detected by the focus detection unit corresponding to the plurality of target positions. A selection section;
A focus adjustment unit configured to adjust the focus of the optical system based on a focus state detected by the focus detection unit with respect to a focus detection position corresponding to the target position selected by the selection unit. Focus adjustment device. The focus adjustment apparatus according to claim 1,
The selection unit is one of a plurality of the target positions recognized by the second recognition operation after the first recognition operation based on the first target position recognized by the first recognition operation by the recognition unit. A focus adjustment device characterized by selecting. The focusing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
The selection unit includes:
Among a plurality of target positions recognized by the second recognition operation, a focus state in which a difference from a focus state detected with respect to the focus detection position corresponding to the first target position satisfies a predetermined condition is detected. A focus adjustment device that selects a target position corresponding to the focus detection position. The focusing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3,
The selection unit includes:
A target position corresponding to the focus detection position located in the vicinity of the focus detection position corresponding to the first target position is selected from a plurality of target positions recognized by the second recognition operation. Focusing device. In the focus adjustment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The recognition unit
Determining an image of the target based on an image corresponding to the target position selected by the selection unit among the images of the optical system;
A focusing device characterized by that. The focus adjustment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
An imaging unit that captures an image by the optical system;
An imaging apparatus comprising:

Images