Abstract: R, G and B signals are output from individual pixels provided at an image-capturing element. Pixel output averages corresponding to the R, G and B signals are calculated for each of partition areas into which the light-receiving surface of the image-capturing element is divided. Ratios of the R and B pixel output averages to the G pixel output average are calculated for each partition area. Then, any area with the ratios of the pixel output averages within a predetermined range is extracted from the plurality of partition areas. R and B white balance gains are calculated based upon the total sums of the pixel output averages corresponding to the individual colors in the extracted area. A white balance adjustment is then executed by multiplying the values of R and B pixel outputs by the corresponding white balance gains.

Abstract: An image-capturing device captures a subject image through an exchangeable lens. A white balance sensor that is set at a position conjugate with the position of the image-capturing device relative to the exchangeable lens to receive the light from the subject image and outputs color signals. A white balance adjustment signal calculation circuit calculates white balance adjustment basic signals based upon the color signals output from the white balance sensor and weighting points in conformance to the photographic range, the number of sets of red color data and the subject brightness value. Adjustment signals to be used for white balance adjustment are determined based upon the weighting points and the adjustment basic signals.

Abstract: The objects of the present invention are to provide an electronic camera which is able to precisely evaluate the type of a subject and perform an optimal gray-scale transformation on the image of the subject. The electronic camera comprises: an histogram creation unit for creating an intensity histogram of an image obtained with an image sensor; and a setting unit for setting a gray-scale transformation characteristic to be applied to the image according to the created intensity histogram. Using the created histogram makes it possible to precisely evaluate the type of the subject and set an optimal gray-scale transformation characteristic.

Abstract: A microlens condenses incident light to an opening. Light passed through the opening reaches a first dichroic mirror. The first dichroic mirror passes blue light and reflects green and red light. Only the blue light is incident on a first light receiving surface. The first dichroic mirror leads the green and red light to a second dichroic mirror. The second dichroic mirror passes the green light and reflects the red light. Only the green light is incident on a second light receiving surface. The second dichroic mirror leads the red light to a third dichroic mirror. The third dichroic mirror reflects the red light. Therefore, the red light is incident on a third light receiving surface.

Abstract: An illuminating device for photographing includes: an illuminating unit having a plurality of current-controlled light emitting elements, which illuminates a subject with light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements; a storage unit in which light emission brightness information is stored in correspondence to each of the plurality of light emitting elements; and a light emission control unit that controls light emission at the plurality of light emitting elements based upon the light emission brightness information stored in the storage unit so that the plurality of light emitting elements achieve uniform brightness levels at the subject.

Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source constituted with an LED which is a trichromatic (three-wavelength) light source achieving maximum light emission wavelengths in separate wavelength ranges corresponding to the three primary colors of light, blue, green and red. As the shutter is released at an electronic camera set in a portrait photographing mode, the electronic camera transmits a light emission command for the illumination device to illuminate the main subject with illuminating light emitted from the LED. The LED assumes a structure that allows it to emit light at maximum light emission wavelengths matching maximum transmission wavelengths achieved through the spectral transmission characteristics of a color filter disposed at an image-capturing element.

Abstract: A digital still camera includes an image-capturing unit capturing a subject image via an image-capturing lens to create an image, a focus detecting unit detecting focus in accordance with the image created by the image-capturing unit, an image-capturing lens driving unit driving the image-capturing lens in accordance with a result of the focus detection provided by the focus detecting unit, and a receiving unit receiving an instruction to initiate image capture by the image-capturing unit. When the receiving unit receives the instruction to initiate image capture, the image-capturing unit captures the subject image successively to create a plurality of images, while the image-capturing lens driving unit drives the image-capturing lens successively. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an image in a high in-focus state while shortening the time required until an image is actually captured after an instruction is provided to initiate the capture of the image.

Abstract: A microlens condenses incident light to an opening. Light passed through the opening reaches a first dichroic mirror. The first dichroic mirror passes blue light and reflects green and red light. Only the blue light is incident on a first light receiving surface. The first dichroic mirror leads the green and red light to a second dichroic mirror. The second dichroic mirror passes the green light and reflects the red light. Only the green light is incident on a second light receiving surface. The second dichroic mirror leads the red light to a third dichroic mirror. The third dichroic mirror reflects the red light. Therefore, the red light is incident on a third light receiving surface.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a single board type color image sensor which can suppress the reduction of detection luminance range while enlarging detection color range. The color image sensor of the present invention has pixel blocks arranged in an array state, each pixel block comprising a first pixel detecting red light, a second pixel detecting green light, a third pixel detecting blue light, and a fourth pixel detecting light having a wavelength between the green light and the blue light or between the green light and the red light. Further, sensitivity of the fourth pixel to the above-mentioned light is kept lower than sensitivity of the second pixel to the green light.

Abstract: An electronic camera is provided with an image-capturing device for photographing (73, 26) that captures an image of a subject image passed through a taking lens and outputs image data, an image-capturing device for scene analysis (86) that is provided at a position conjugate with the position of the image-capturing device for photographing relative to the taking lens and outputs scene analysis image data by receiving the light of the subject image and a scene detection processing circuit (35) that determines a white balance adjustment gains based upon the scene analysis image data output by the analytical image-capturing device. Using the white balance adjustment gains determined by the scene detection processing circuit, white balance adjustment is performed on the image data output by the image-capturing device for photographing.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus of the present invention can perform appropriate edge enhancement processing on any image while preventing increases in noise and chromatic aberration in the process of image processing. The image processing apparatus obtains photographic information present at generation of the image, determines, based on the photographic information, an edge enhancement coefficient to be used in performing edge enhancement processing, and performs edge enhancement processing to the image using the determined coefficient. Further, an image processing method of the present invention makes it possible to perform appropriate edge enhancement processing on any image while preventing increases in noise and chromatic aberration in the process of image processing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gray-scale transformation processing device which reduces the memory capacity for an LUT, and carries out gray-scale transformation with high accuracy. The gray-scale transformation processing device includes a data dividing unit, a lookup table, a transform function generating unit, and a gray-scale transforming unit. The data dividing unit divides digitally inputted image data into high-order bits data and low-order bits data. In the lookup table, the correspondences between the high-order bits data and correction coefficient groups providing transformation curves, respectively, are stored. The transform function generating unit generates a high-order gray-scale transform function from the correction coefficient group obtained from the lookup table. The gray-scale transforming unit calculates the low-order bits data with the gray-scale transform function to output image data, which has been subjected to gray-scale transformation.

Abstract: A color photographing device is equipped with a light-receiving section having a red pixel selectively receiving red light and outputting a red pixel signal and a green pixel selectively receiving green light and outputting a green pixel signal. The color photographing device is further equipped with an optical filter disposed on the side with a light-receiving surface of the light-receiving section. The optical filter substantially equalizes the signal level of the red pixel signal and the signal level of the green pixel signal when achromatic color illuminated by a solar light source in the daytime is photographed. Therefore, a white balance gain Wr at about 5000K can be lowered as compared with a conventional color photographing device. Accordingly, reduction of color noises and enhancement of gradation can be expected.

Abstract: The present invention includes a color converting section carrying out color conversion processing and a coefficient correcting section setting a correcting coefficient group to a coefficient group of the color conversion. The coefficient correcting section sets a local area containing a pixel to be processed, and calculates “feature information of the local area” containing at least one of averaged color information, averaged luminance information, and flatness on the basis of the pixel signals of the local area. The coefficient correcting section determines a correcting coefficient group to be used for the pixel to be processed on the basis of the feature information of the local area. With this construction, the present invention suppresses influence of noise when changing the color conversion processing for each pixel.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus includes a signal processing section applying a spatial frequency filter to a pixel signal to perform a signal processing of noise reduction and/or edge enhancement, and a coefficient correcting section setting a coefficient group of the spatial frequency filter to a correct coefficient group. The coefficient correcting section includes an analyzing section, a correspondence section and a coefficient determining section. The analyzing section sets a local area to include an object pixel of the signal processing, and obtains average color information. A correspondence relation between the average color information and the correct coefficient group is set beforehand in the correspondence setting section. The coefficient determining section checks the correspondence relation of the correspondence setting section on the basis of the average color information obtained by the analyzing section, and adjusts the correct coefficient group used for the pixel of the processing object.

Abstract: An image-capturing apparatus, includes: an image-capturing unit that captures an image of a subject through an optical system; and a control unit that outputs images captured at the image-capturing unit as image data files, and: the control unit outputs the image data files in a format that allows an image data file containing a normal image to be distinguished from an image data file containing a reference image to be used to correct an image defect in the normal image. An image processing apparatus, includes: an input unit to which an image data file output from the image-capturing apparatus is input; an identifying unit that identifies the image data file as a file containing the reference image or a file containing the normal image; and a correction unit that corrects an image defect in the image identified as the normal image based upon the image identified as the reference image.

Abstract: an image file processing method adopted in an image file processing apparatus, includes steps for: inputting from the outside an image file containing at least color information corresponding to each of pixels defined by a color space used in the image file, a color space identification tag indicating whether or not the color space used in the image file is a first color space and a color space information tag providing color space information related to the color space used in the image file; making a decision as to whether or not the color space used in the image file is the first color space based upon the color space identification tag; and referencing the color space information tag in the image file if the color space used in the image file is determined not to be in the first color space.

Abstract: An image-processing device of the invention can appropriately correct a gradation of an image to be processed in accordance with the image. Thus, it divides the image into plural small areas; generates image information indicating a characteristic of the image for each small area; determines an evaluation value indicating luminosity of each pixel constituting the image, according to the image information generated for each small area and image information generated for each of adjacent small areas to the each small area; and performs an image processing on each pixel of the image according to the determined evaluation value. A digital still camera of the invention can appropriately correct a gradation of an image created by shooting in accordance with the image. Moreover, an image-processing program and an image-processing method of the invention realize appropriate gradation correction in accordance with an image to be processed.

Abstract: A first image sensor receiving light from a subject and a second image sensor capable of receiving light of the same image as the first image sensor and having a spectral sensitivity characteristic different from that of the first image sensor are provided. A color-correcting coefficient determining part calculates, based on each output value photoelectrically converted in the first and the second image sensors, a color-correcting coefficient with which a color-correcting part performs color correction on the output value of the first image sensor. Using the first and the second image sensors of different spectral sensitivity characteristics, parameters for receiving/recognizing light from a subject field can be easily increased to obtain a favorable color reproduction characteristic.

Abstract: An image processing device of the present invention includes a color-gamut determining part, a color-space determining part, and a color-space conversion part. The color-gamut determining part determines a color gamut as a range of color distribution from input image data. The color-space determining part determines a color space substantially covering the color gamut determined by the color-gamut determining part. The color-space conversion part converts the input image data into such image data that is rendered in the determined color space. The colors of the subject can thus be reproduced accurately from the converted image data.