Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating an enhanced image is provided. The method includes receiving (101) an image to be enhanced. A set of sub images is generated (103) from the image where the different sub images correspond to different spatial frequency bands for the image. A pixel value variation is determined (107) in a neighborhood region of the first pixel region for at least a first pixel region of the image. An enhanced pixel region is then generated (109) for the enhanced image by combining the first pixel region and corresponding pixel regions of sub images in response to the pixel value variation. Specifically, a weighted summation of the input image and sub images may be generated with the weights being determined in response to the luminance variance in the neighborhood region. The invention may e.g. provide improved contrast enhancement with reduced artifacts and/or noise.