Abstract: An automatic exposure control apparatus comprises a skin color extracting circuit for extracting a skin-colored portion from an input video signal and a focus condition detecting circuit for detecting a focus condition of the skin-colored portion. Exposure is controlled based on outputs of the two circuits. That is, when a skin-colored portion is extracted and it is detected that the skin-colored portion is in an in-focus condition, exposure is controlled so as to be appropriate with respect to the skin-colored portion. A skin color correction unit can correct colors corresponding to the skin color from the video signal.

Abstract: A video camera comprising a taking lens, an image taking circuit which generates a video signal by receiving a light having passed through the taking lens, a knee correction circuit which compresses a video signal generated by the image taking circuit and having a level as high as or higher than a predetermined level, a detection circuit which detects a luminance distribution condition of a field, a pedestal adjusting circuit which adjusts a black level of the video signal generated by the image taking circuit and a control circuit which changes a compression method of a video signal in the knee correction circuit and an adjusting method of the black level in the pedestal adjusting circuit according to a luminance distribution condition of a field detected by the detection circuit. According to the present invention, it is possible to perform various controls in response to a luminance condition of a field.

Abstract: A method of measuring a profile of an object wherein an ultrasonic wave is radiated from an ultrasonic transducer toward an object supported by a supporting member in the water filled in a water tank, and a wave reflected at the surface of the object is detected by the transducer, and an apparatus for carrying out the method. A traversing device moves the transducer sequentially to a plurality of measurement points on an arc equidistant from a predetermined rotational center while opposing the transducer to the predetermined rotational center. A supporting device moves the supporting member relative to the transducer and sets the object in the predetermined position under water.