An object of the present invention is to obtain an image photographed with an image-sensing device using a flash, in which the brightness of the image of the subject of the photograph is proper. An integrated value of brightness of a photographed image is obtained; a weighted evaluation value is calculated; contrast of the photographed image is obtained; a gain of an image signal is obtained by using the evaluation value after which, a suppression gain, by which a value of suppressing the gain fluctuates according to the contrast, is obtained in order to correct the brightness of a photographed subject to the proper brightness; a correction gain for making final corrections to an image by using the gain and the suppression gain is calculated; and the image signal is amplified by a gain adjustment circuit, thereby correcting the photographed image.
The present invention realizes a function equivalent to an optical half-ND filter electrically and incorporates this function in an image-signal processing system, thereby to compress the dynamic range of images, both effectively and flexibly. The present invention provides an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit that photographs an object, thereby to generate a video signal, a pattern-generating unit that generates a two-dimensional gradation pattern, and a multiplying unit that multiplies the video signal by a gain that corresponds to the two-dimensional gradation pattern.
