1. Field of the Invention
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to imaging apparatuses and, in particular, to an imaging apparatus capable of obtaining images of various characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-098426 suggests a taking lens for a camera, the taking lens having a first lens unit with a predetermined spectral transmission characteristic and a second lens unit with a spectral transmission characteristic substantially different form the predetermined spectral transmission characteristic concentrically arranged, and the first lens unit and the second lens unit having different focal lengths. And, with a subject irradiated with illumination light having a spectral irradiance characteristic according to either one of the spectral transmission characteristics of the first lens unit and the second lens unit, the subject transmitted through the first lens unit or the second lens unit can be photographed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-317951 suggests an image pickup device provided with a photo-detection element for use in pupil-division-type phase difference focus adjustment. Specifically, in a region for focus detection of the image pickup device, pixel pairs each with one microlens disposed for a plurality of pixels are regularly arranged, and out-of-focus can be detected based on a phase shift of images of the plurality of pixel pairs.
Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-191060 suggests a three-dimensional imaging apparatus capable of finding distance information by using a correlational method by separating, into two according to an in-focus state, an image on a focus plane obtained by photographing distance information of the entire scene by a single-lens camera.