Image sensing apparatus and method performing blur correction using electrical coordinate conversion

1. An image sensing apparatus which performs a plurality of times of image sensing on a subject, superpose-combines a plurality of subject images obtained by the image sensing into one subject image, comprising:

an image sensing unit that converts a subject optical image into an electric signal;

an optical unit that changes a view angle; and

a change unit that changes a position of said optical unit so as to widen the view angle by a predetermined amount, prior to said plurality of times of image sensing on the subject,

wherein the image sensing apparatus is operative in a mode to perform image sensing on the subject once and obtain one subject image, and if a mode to perform a plurality of times of image sensing on the subject then superpose-combine a plurality of subject images obtained by the image sensing into one subject image is set, said change unit changes the position of said optical unit so as to widen the view angle by the predetermined amount, prior to said plurality of times of image sensing on the subject.

2. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said predetermined amount is a predetermined fixed value.

3. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said change unit determines said predetermined amount based on the view angle before the changing of said optical unit.

4. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said predetermined amount is increased as the view angle before the changing of said optical unit is narrow.

5. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said change unit determines said predetermined amount based on a total exposure time in said plurality of times of image sensing.

6. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said predetermined amount is increased as the total exposure time is long.

7. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a shake detection unit that detects a shake amount of said image sensing apparatus,

wherein said change unit determines said predetermined amount based on the shake amount detected by said shake detection unit.

8. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said predetermined amount is increased as the shake amount is large.

9. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a shift amount detection unit that detects a shift amount among said plurality of subject images;

a coordinate conversion unit that converts coordinates of said plurality of subject images based on the detected shift amount so as to cancel out a shift among the subject images;

a combining unit that superposes the converted plurality of subject images into one subject image; and

a cutting unit that cuts an image, out of an area of the subject image combined by said combining unit, where all the plurality of subject images are superposed.

10. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a determination unit that determines exposure time for one image sensing and the number of times of image sensing to be performed by said image sensing unit based on image sensing conditions, so that exposure of a necessary exposure time is performed by performing said plurality of times of image sensing with said determined exposure time.

11. The image sensing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when said plurality of subject images have been obtained, said change unit returns said optical unit to a position before the changing.

12. An image sensing method comprising:

widening a view angle by a predetermined amount;

performing a plurality of times the image sensing on a subject by an image sensing unit that converts a subject optical image into an electric signal; and

superpose-combining obtained plurality of subject images into one subject image.

13. The image sensing method according to claim 12 , wherein the image sensing unit is operative in plural modes, and if a predetermined mode is set, said widening of the view angle, said plurality of times of image sensing and said superpose-combining are performed.

14. The image sensing method according to claim 12 , wherein said predetermined amount is a predetermined fixed value.

15. The image sensing method according to claim 12 , further comprising determining said predetermined amount based on the view angle before said widening.

16. The image sensing method according to claim 15 , wherein said predetermined amount is increased as the view angle before said widening is narrow.

17. The image sensing method according to claim 12 , further comprising determining said predetermined amount based on a total exposure time in said plurality of times of image sensing.

18. The image sensing method according to claim 17 , wherein said predetermined amount is increased as the total exposure time is long.

19. The image sensing method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

detecting a shake amount of an image sensing apparatus; and

determining said predetermined amount based on the detected shake amount.

20. The image sensing method according to claim 19 , wherein said predetermined amount is increased as the shake amount is large.

21. The image sensing method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

detecting a shift amount among said plurality of subject images;

converting coordinates of said plurality of subject images based on the detected shift amount so as to cancel out a shift among the subject images; and

cutting an image, out of an area of the combined subject image, where all the plurality of subject images are superposed,

wherein in said superpose-combining, said plurality of coordinate-converted subject images are superpose-combined.

22. The image sensing method according to claim 12 , further comprising determining exposure time for one image sensing and the number of times of image sensing to be performed based on image sensing conditions, so that exposure of a necessary exposure time is performed by performing said plurality of times of image sensing with said predetermined exposure time.

23. The image sensing method according to claim 12 , further comprising restoring the view angle to that before the widening after said plurality of times of image sensing.

24. A storage medium readable by a data processing apparatus, said storage storing a program which is executable by the data processing apparatus and comprises program code realizing the image sensing method comprising the steps of:

widening a view angle by a predetermined amount;

performing a plurality of times the image sensing on a subject by an image sensing unit that converts a subject optical image into an electric signal; and

superpose-combining obtained plurality of subject images into one subject image.