Imaging apparatus having two imaging units for displaying synthesized image data

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a first imaging unit including (1) a system of one or more lenses defining an optical axis and (2) an image pickup unit, the first imaging unit capturing a visual field all around the optical axis of the first imaging unit and generating image data of the captured visual field as omnidirectional image data, wherein the omnidirectional image data forms an annular shape;

a second imaging unit including (1) a system of one or more lenses defining an optical axis orthogonal to the optical axis of the first imaging unit and (2) an image pickup unit, wherein

a first optical path defined by the system of one or more lenses of the first imaging unit has no overlap with a second optical path defined by the system of one or more lenses of the second imaging unit,

the first imaging unit is positioned outside of any angle of view of the second imaging unit,

the first imaging unit is configured to capture the image in both of a front direction and a back direction with respect to the imaging apparatus, and

an image converter that converts at least a part of the omnidirectional image data, which is generated by the first imaging unit, to image data having a display area and thereby generates conversion image data;

a display unit that displays an image corresponding to the conversion image data, which is generated by the image converter; and

an image synthesizer that synthesized area image data, which is generated by the second imaging unit, and the conversion image data, which is generated by the image converter, and thereby generates synthesis image data, wherein the display unit displays an image corresponding to the synthesis image data.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second imaging unit captures and generates, as the area image data, an image of a visual field with an angle of view of two directions that are orthogonal to each other on the optical axis, the angle of view being less than 180 degrees.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the image converter excludes an area that is an overlap of the visual field of the first imaging unit and the visual field of the second imaging unit, from an area to be converted.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image synthesizer arranges the omnidirectional image data and the area image data one above the other.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image synthesizer superimposes the conversion image data, which is converted by the image converter, on a circumferential area of the area image data.

6. The imaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein the imaging apparatus is capable of being hand held.

7. The imaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein the system of one or more lenses of the first imaging unit and the system of one or more lenses of the second imaging unit have no shared components.

8. The imaging apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a housing including the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit, wherein first light flux enters the housing via a lens of the first imaging unit and second light flux enters the housing via a lens of the second imaging unit, and wherein the lens of the first imaging unit is different from the lens of the second imaging unit.

9. The imaging apparatus of claim 8 wherein the lens of the first imaging unit is located on the housing, and wherein the lens of the second imaging unit is located on the housing at a different position than that of the lens of the first imaging unit.