Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying depth refinement image capture instructions for capturing images that may be used to refine existing depth maps. The depth refinement image capture instructions are determined by evaluating, at each image patch in an existing image corresponding to the existing depth map, a range of possible depth values over a set of configuration settings. Each range of possible depth values corresponds to an existing depth estimate of the existing depth map. This evaluation enables selection of one or more configuration settings in a manner such that there will be additional depth information derivable from one or more additional images captured with the selected configuration settings. When a refined depth map is generated using the one or more additional images, this additional depth information is used to increase the depth precision for at least one depth estimate from the existing depth map.