Imaging system and image capturing apparatus

Abstract

An imaging system for capturing images of the same object using a plurality of image capturing apparatuses that can communicate with each other is provided. At least one image capturing apparatus of the image capturing apparatuses transmits information of a distance to an in-focus position, or a captured image including the in-focus position, to another image capturing apparatus among the image capturing apparatuses, and each of the image capturing apparatuses determines each depth of field using the information of the distance to the in-focus position, or the captured image including the in-focus position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An imaging system for capturing images of the same object using a plurality of image capturing apparatuses that can communicate with each other,
 wherein at least one image capturing apparatus of the image capturing apparatuses transmits information of a distance to an in-focus position, or a captured image including the in-focus position, to another image capturing apparatus among the image capturing apparatuses, and   each of the image capturing apparatuses determines each depth of field using the information of the distance to the in-focus position, or the captured image including the in-focus position.   
     
     
         2 . The imaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the image capturing apparatuses in the imaging system transmit or receive the information of the distance to the in-focus position in each apparatus, or the captured image including the in-focus position captured in each apparatus to/from the image capturing apparatuses each other, and
 each of the image capturing apparatuses determines each depth of field using the information of the distances to the in-focus positions in all the apparatuses, or the captured images including the in-focus positions captured in all the apparatuses.   
     
     
         3 . The imaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the information of the distance to the in-focus position transmitted by the at least one image capturing apparatus among the image capturing apparatuses in the imaging system is information of distances to a plurality of points to be focused to the object selected in the at least one image capturing apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . An image capturing apparatus comprising:
 an imaging unit configured to capture an image of an object;   an imaging optical unit configured to be able to change a focal length;   a calculation unit configured to calculate an in-focus state of the imaging optical unit relative to the object;   a detection unit configured to detect a distance to an in-focus position of the imaging optical unit relative to the object;   a transmission/reception unit configured to transmit or receive information to/from the other image capturing apparatuses; and   a determination unit configured to determine depth of field of its own image capturing apparatus using the information of distances to in-focus positions in the other image capturing apparatuses received by the transmission/reception unit.   
     
     
         5 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the depth of field of its own image capturing apparatus output by the determination unit of the image capturing apparatus is determined on the basis of a distance of a nearest in-focus position and a distance of a farthest in-focus position using the information of the distance to the in-focus position in its own image capturing apparatus and the information of the distances to the in-focus positions in the other image capturing apparatuses. 
     
     
         6 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein position coordinates of the in-focus positions in the other image capturing apparatuses received by the transmission/reception unit of the image capturing apparatus are converted into position coordinates with reference to its own image capturing apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the determination unit includes a selection unit for selecting a plurality of points to be focused to the object. 
     
     
         8 . An image capturing apparatus comprising:
 an imaging unit configured to capture an image of an object;   an imaging optical unit configured to be able to change a focal length;   a range-finding unit configured to calculate an in-focus state of the imaging optical unit relative to the object;   a transmission/reception unit configured to transmit or receive information to/from the other image capturing apparatuses; and   a determination unit configured to determine depth of field of its own image capturing apparatus using captured images including in-focus positions captured by the other image capturing apparatuses received by the transmission/reception unit.   
     
     
         9 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the determination unit determines the depth of field of its own image capturing apparatus by calculating the in-focus positions of the other image capturing apparatuses in the captured image including the in-focus position captured by its own image capturing apparatus using the captured image including the in-focus position captured by its own imaging device and the captured images including the in-focus positions captured by the other image capturing apparatuses. 
     
     
         10 . The image capturing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the determination unit includes a selection unit for selecting a plurality of points to be focused to the object.