Abstract: An all-white reference subject is imaged by a CCD and image data representing the reference subject is obtained. The position of any dust on the reference subject represented by the reference-subject image data is detected by a dust position detector. Address data representing the position of the dust is stored in a memory that stores dust address data. When the user images a subject, image data obtained by such imaging is input to a dust correction circuit. The dust address data is read from the memory and the image at the position represented by this dust address data is eliminated from the image of the subject by reason of the fact that the image at this position is that of dust.

Abstract: An all-white reference subject is imaged by a CCD and image data representing the reference subject is obtained. The position of any dust on the reference subject represented by the reference-subject image data is detected by a dust position detector. Address data representing the position of the dust is stored in a memory that stores dust address data. When the user images a subject, image data obtained by such imaging is input to a dust correction circuit. The dust address data is read from the memory and the image at the position represented by this dust address data is eliminated from the image of the subject by reason of the fact that the image at this position is that of dust.