BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1). Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a imaging arrangement of the kind capable of capturing light received from a scene, and to a method of capturing an image of a scene, in particular at different resolutions.

2). Discussion of Related Art

Panoramic imaging arrangements have become popular in recent years for purposes of viewing 360 surrounding panoramic scenes. Older generations of panoramic imaging arrangements generally consisted of revolving periscope-like constructions having relatively complex mechanisms for revolving them. More recently, stationary panoramic imaging arrangements have been developed. A stationary panoramic imaging arrangement generally has one or more lenses, each having a vertically extending axis of revolution, which are used to refract or reflect light received from a 360 surrounding panoramic scene. The lenses alter the direction of the light, whereafter the light passes through a series of lenses which are located vertically one above the other and which further manipulate the light by, for example, focusing the light or altering the intensity of the light.

In an imaging arrangement of the above kind an image of a very large view can be captured on a digital imaging detector array. The digital imaging detector array typically has pixels which are located relative to one another so that the image is digitized to a required resolution suitable for viewing, but not to a resolution which may be excessively high for purposes of transmitting data of the image and for processing the data.

Software may be used for isolating specific portions of the image and then enlarging the portions for better viewing. When such an area is enlarged, detail of the portion of the image which is visible is usually limited because of the resolution at which the image is digitized. In certain instances, it may therefore be required that light from a portion of an image be captured at a higher resolution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a method of viewing an image. Light is projected from the image. The projected light is split into first and second bundles of light focusing over a first and a second focal region respectively. The light at the first focal region is detected at a first resolution. The light at the second focal region is detected at a second resolution different from the first resolution.