FOCUS DETECTION DEVICE AND FOCUS DETECTION METHOD

To provide a focus detection device and a focus detection method, capable of preventing the deterioration of range-finding accuracy even in a different object pattern.SOLUTION: In the focus detection method of an imaging apparatus having an imaging element which has a plurality of pixel parts comprising a pair of pixels for pupil-dividing light from a photographic lens and receiving the pupil-divided light and outputs a pair of pixel signal rows corresponding to pupil-division by the photoelectric conversion of the plurality of pixel parts, similarity between the pixel signal rows which comprise the pixel signals of the plurality of pixels corresponding to at least one of a pair and are located in a direction different from a pupil-division direction is calculated (S3), the pair of pixel signals of the pixel signal rows are added in the direction different from the pupil-division direction for each pair, to generate a spatial addition pixel signal (S9), when the similarity is higher than a predetermined value (S5Yes) and phase difference detection is performed on the basis of the generated spatial addition pixel signal (S11).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9 【課題】異なる被写体パターンであっても測距精度の劣化を防止するようにした焦点検出装置および焦点検出方法を提供する。【解決手段】撮影レンズからの光を瞳分割し、瞳分割された光を受光する対をなす画素から成る複数の画素部を有し、複数の画素部の光電変換により瞳分割に対応する対の画素信号列を出力する撮像素子を有する撮像装置の焦点検出方法であって、対の少なくとも一方に対応する複数の画素の画素信号から成り、瞳分割方向と異なる方向に位置する画素信号列の間の類似度を算出し（Ｓ３）、類似度が所定値より高い場合（Ｓ５Ｙｅｓ）、画素信号列の対の画素信号を、それぞれ対毎に、瞳分割方向と異なる方向に加算して空間的な加算画素信号を生成し（Ｓ９）、この生成された空間的な加算画素信号に基づいて位相差検出を行う（Ｓ１１）。【選択図】 図９