Single-shot high dynamic range imaging via the capture and fusion of transient gradient multi-flux

A single-shot high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging method is proposed via the capture and fusion of transient gradient multi-flux images. First, the HDR imaging device is developed based on opto-mechanical-electrical integration. In the optical module, a cascaded beam-splitting prism is designed to distribute the incoming light into four independent and coaxial imaging channels. These channels are equipped with variable apertures, enabling control of the light flux entering the imaging sensors. A custom-designed field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit makes different imaging sensors work synchronously, which allows the capture of images at different light flux levels in a single shot. The mechanical module employs an aluminum-alloy housing to fix and align the optical and electronic modules. Then, an HDR merging algorithm is established to complement the device. The algorithm effectively preserves high-frequency structural details in both bright and dark regions, even when there exist significant differences in light flux among the images. The reconstructed HDR images clearly exhibit expanded dynamic ranges surpassing those of low dynamic range images, while maintaining structural consistency and visual clarity. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach substantially improves the dynamic range of captured transient images and effectively preserves fine-grained texture details.