Computational Photography

Computational photography combines image processing, digital sensors, optics, and illumination to go beyond the paradigm of traditional film-based capture and create novel imaging capability. In addition, the discipline has grown to include subject areas in computer graphics and computer vision.

The techniques employed in computational photography range from modifications of the imaging system during capture to reconstructions via post-processing. For example, the imaging system modifications may include spatial or temporal modulation of the aperture, modulation of the flash profile, and repositioning of the optical path. Many of the popular techniques in computational photography are implemented by capturing more than one exposure where each exposure results from a different set of capture system parameters, and then the multiple exposures are re-combined to produce a final desired image.

Some of the enabled applications include high dynamic range imaging, post-capture focusing, variable resolution, image relighting, and super-resolution.