Imaging device and imaging method

1. An imaging device comprising:

an imaging means for focusing incident light to a light receiving element by shutter opening to generate image data;

a flash means for emitting a flash toward an imaging direction of the imaging means;

a controlling means for controlling the imaging means so as to continuously open the shutter a plurality of times and controlling the flash means so as to emit a flash at a second and following opening timings among the plurality of opening timings; and

an image processing means for generating new image data based on the image data generated by the imaging means by the imaging at the opening timing when the flash means does not emit a flash and the image data generated by the imaging means by the imaging at the opening timing when the flash means emits a flash.

2. The imaging device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

said device further has a motion vector detecting means for detecting motion vectors of said plurality of image data generated by imaging by said imaging means at said plurality of consecutive opening timings of said shutter, and

said image processing means corrects any positional deviation of said plurality of image data based on said motion vectors detected by said motion vector detecting means, then combines the data to generate said new image data.

3. The imaging device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said image processing means generates said new image data based on combined image data obtained by combining a plurality of image data generated by said imaging means by said imaging at said opening timings when said flash means is not emitting a flash and said image data generated by said imaging means by said imaging at said opening timing when said flash means is emitting a flash.

4. The imaging device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:

said device further has a correcting means for applying first correction processing to the first image data generated by the imaging means by said imaging during no flash to generate first corrected image data and applying second correction processing different from the first correction processing to the second image data generated by the imaging means by said imaging during a flash to generate second corrected image data; and

said image processing means generates said new image data based on the first corrected image data and the second corrected image data generated by correction by the correcting means.

5. The imaging device as set forth in claim 4 , wherein said correcting means performs said first correction processing to raise a gain of said first image data and performs said second correction processing to lower a gain of said second image data.

6. The imaging device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said controlling means controls said imaging means so as to open said shutter for exactly a first time at a timing for not emitting said flash and to open said shutter by exactly a second time at a timing for emitting said flash.

7. The imaging device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said controlling means switches a light receiving sensitivity of a light receiving element of said imaging means to be different between a timing for emitting said flash and a timing for not emitting said flash.

8. The imaging device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said controlling means controls said flash means so as to emit said flash in an FP mode when making said shutter of said imaging means perform a focal plane operation at a timing of emission of said flash.

9. The imaging device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said controlling means controls said flash means so as to emit said flash at a final opening timing among said plurality of opening timings.

10. The imaging device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:

the device further has an operating means for a user to input a still image capture instruction by a single operation; and

said controlling means controls said imaging means so as to open said shutter consecutively a plurality of times when said operating means inputs said still image capture instruction.

11. An imaging device comprising:

an imaging means for focusing incident light to a light receiving element by shutter opening to generate image data;

a flash means for emitting a flash toward an imaging direction of the imaging means;

a controlling means for controlling the imaging means so as to continuously open the shutter a plurality of times and controlling the flash means so as to emit the flash at any opening timing among the plurality of opening timings;

a correcting means for applying first correction processing to the first image data generated by the imaging means by the imaging during no flash to generate first corrected image data and applying second correction processing different from the first correction processing to the second image data generated by the imaging means by the imaging during a flash to generate second corrected image data; and

an image processing means for generating new image data based on the first corrected image data and the second corrected image data generated by correction by the correcting means.

12. An imaging method continuously opening a shutter a plurality of times and focusing incident light to a light receiving element by shutter opening to generate image data, comprising:

a first step of opening the shutter in a state not emitting a flash to a subject to generate image data;

a second step of opening the shutter in a state emitting a flash to the subject to generate image data continuing after the first step; and

a third step of generating new image data based on the image data generated by the imaging in the first step and the image data generated by the imaging in the second step.

13. An imaging method continuously opening a shutter a plurality of times and focusing incident light to a light receiving element by shutter opening to generate image data, comprising:

a first step of opening the shutter in a state not emitting a flash to a subject to generate image data;

a second step of opening the shutter in a state emitting a flash to the subject to generate image data continuing after the first step;

a third step of applying first correction processing to the image data generated in the first step to generate first corrected image data and applying second correction processing different from the first correction processing to the image data generated in the second step to generate second corrected image data; and

a fourth step of generating new image data based on the first corrected image data generated in the third step and the second corrected image data generated in the third step.