JPH05302831

PURPOSE:To obtain the position of a focal point, which gives an image closest to the image of the long focal depth, as the distance information by comparing the image of the long focal depth, which is obtained by the image processing means from the set of the images having the different focal-depth positions by an image processing means, with each image having the different focal-point position in order to obtain the distance information out of the image obtained with one eye. CONSTITUTION:The set of the images at the different focal-point positions, which are inputted through an image sensing element 5 and an A/D converter 6, are stored in memories 71, 72,...7m by way of a selector 4. These images are added and recovered with an adder 8 and a recovery device 11. In a region setting device 12, the images after the recovering process and the regions of the images in the memories 71, 72,...7m are specified. In a comparing circuit 13, the image after the recovery process is compared with each image of the image set. In an image selecting device 13, the distance between the images is computed based on the result of the comparison, and the minimum value among the distances is selected. Thus, the focal-point position giving the distance between the images is obtained.