Abstract: A flash band determination device that is capable of always detecting a flash band with high accuracy. It is determined whether or not there is a flash band caused by an external flash of light, which is an area having a luminance level higher than a threshold level, in a plurality of images which are continuously obtained. The threshold level is changed with respect to an image picked up with an exposure condition which is different from an exposure condition used in picking up a preceding image.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus including a pixel portion in which pixels that convert entered light into electric signals are arranged in a matrix, a column output line provided for each pixel column of the pixel portion, a clip portion configured to clip, at a predetermined signal level, signals respectively output from the pixels to the column output lines, an A/D conversion portion configured to A/D convert the signals clipped by the clip portion, and a control unit configured to change a signal level at which clipping is performed by the clip portion according to a maximum value of a conversion range of the A/D conversion portion.

Abstract: A flash band determination device that is capable of always detecting a flash band with high accuracy. It is determined whether or not there is a flash band caused by an external flash of light, which is an area having a luminance level higher than a threshold level, in a plurality of images which are continuously obtained. The threshold level is changed with respect to an image picked up with an exposure condition which is different from an exposure condition used in picking up a preceding image.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which satisfactorily compensates for a flash band appearing due to an external flash and prevents a row insensitive to the flash from appearing in a corrected image. The flash band appearing in a plurality of frames consecutive in terms of time is detected based on an image signal output from an image pickup device which sequentially starts exposure and sequentially reads out signals for each row of pixels. An image in at least one of those frames is corrected to a full-screen flash image. When a width of the flash band is smaller than the number of rows in one frame, a row in which the flash band does not appear is interpolated using a row in which the flash band appears and which immediately precedes or immediately succeeds the row in which the flash band does not appear.

Abstract: A flash band determination device that is capable of always detecting a flash band with high accuracy. It is determined whether or not there is a flash band caused by an external flash of light, which is an area having a luminance level higher than a threshold level, in a plurality of images which are continuously obtained. The threshold level is changed with respect to an image picked up with an exposure condition which is different from an exposure condition used in picking up a preceding image.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which satisfactorily compensates for a flash band appearing due to an external flash and prevents a row insensitive to the flash from appearing in a corrected image. The flash band appearing in a plurality of frames consecutive in terms of time is detected based on an image signal output from an image pickup device which sequentially starts exposure and sequentially reads out signals for each row of pixels. An image in at least one of those frames is corrected to a full-screen flash image. When a width of the flash band is smaller than the number of rows in one frame, a row in which the flash band does not appear is interpolated using a row in which the flash band appears and which immediately precedes or immediately succeeds the row in which the flash band does not appear.

Abstract: A flash band determination device capable of always detecting a flash band with high accuracy, and correcting the detected flash band. It is determined whether or not there is a high-luminance area in an image, which is an area having a luminance level exceeding a predetermined luminance level. When determining whether or not a flash band which is an area having a luminance level higher than a predetermined threshold level is present in a difference image which is a difference between two images which are continuously obtained, if it is determined that the high-luminance area is present, whether or not the flash band is present is determined, by excluding an area corresponding to the high-luminance area, as a determination excluded area, from the difference image.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus comprising: an analog-digital converter that converts an analog signal output from a pixel section of an image sensor to a digital signal using a plurality of reference signals having different slopes from each other; and a determination unit that determines a signal level at which the plurality of reference signals are changed based on a distribution of the converted digital signal, wherein the analog-digital converter performs the conversion using a reference signal having a steeper slope when the analog signal is equal to or greater than the signal level than when the analog signal is smaller than the signal level.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image sensor in which a plurality of pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, wherein each of the pixels have a photoelectric conversion portion, a holding portion that holds a charge obtained by the photoelectric conversion portion, an amplification portion that outputs a signal based on a charge outputted from the holding portion, a first transfer switch that transfers the charge from the photoelectric conversion portion to the holding portion, and a second transfer switch that transfers the charge from the holding portion to the amplification portion; and a controller that controls a number of times that the first transfer switch is turned on in relation to the second transfer switch being turned on one time.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which satisfactorily compensates for a flash band appearing due to an external flash and prevents a row insensitive to the flash from appearing in a corrected image. The flash band appearing in a plurality of frames consecutive in terms of time is detected based on an image signal output from an image pickup device which sequentially starts exposure and sequentially reads out signals for each row of pixels. An image in at least one of those frames is corrected to a full-screen flash image. When a width of the flash band is smaller than the number of rows in one frame, a row in which the flash band does not appear is interpolated using a row in which the flash band appears and which immediately precedes or immediately succeeds the row in which the flash band does not appear.

Abstract: A flash band determination device that is capable of always detecting a flash band with high accuracy. It is determined whether or not there is a flash band caused by an external flash of light, which is an area having a luminance level higher than a threshold level, in a plurality of images which are continuously obtained. The threshold level is changed with respect to an image picked up with an exposure condition which is different from an exposure condition used in picking up a preceding image.

Abstract: A flash band determination device capable of always detecting a flash band with high accuracy, and correcting the detected flash band. It is determined whether or not there is a high-luminance area in an image, which is an area having a luminance level exceeding a predetermined luminance level. When determining whether or not a flash band which is an area having a luminance level higher than a predetermined threshold level is present in a difference image which is a difference between two images which are continuously obtained, if it is determined that the high-luminance area is present, whether or not the flash band is present is determined, by excluding an area corresponding to the high-luminance area, as a determination excluded area, from the difference image.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus comprising: an analog-digital converter that converts an analog signal output from a pixel section of an image sensor to a digital signal using a plurality of reference signals having different slopes from each other; and a determination unit that determines a signal level at which the plurality of reference signals are changed based on a distribution of the converted digital signal, wherein the analog-digital converter performs the conversion using a reference signal having a steeper slope when the analog signal is equal to or greater than the signal level than when the analog signal is smaller than the signal level.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing unit that includes an image sensor that has an effective pixel region and a reference pixel region which outputs a reference signal for correcting an output signal of the effective pixel region. In a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, a reduction unit reduces a data amount of reference pixel region data that corresponds to the reference pixel region in an image data obtained by the image capturing unit. A recording unit records the image data after the processing performed by the reduction unit.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that can change a shutter speed while performing flash band compensation. Signal is read by an image pickup element capable of reading at a rate higher than a frame rate at which the moving image is output to an external device. An image is generated from a signal output from the image pickup element, for each frame. A frame the image of which has a band-like gap in brightness is detected from among the generated frames. A full flash image is generated from images of a plurality of the detected frames. When an accumulating time of a signal in the image pickup element is changed, a frame rate at which signals are read from the image pickup element is changed to substantially match a reciprocal number of the changed accumulating time. When the band-like gap in brightness is detected, the images of the generated frames are output after replacing the images of the plurality of the frames with the created full flash image and images of the other frames with no band-like gap in brightness.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus including a pixel portion in which pixels that convert entered light into electric signals are arranged in a matrix, a column output line provided for each pixel column of the pixel portion, a clip portion configured to clip, at a predetermined signal level, signals respectively output from the pixels to the column output lines, an A/D conversion portion configured to A/D convert the signals clipped by the clip portion, and a control unit configured to change a signal level at which clipping is performed by the clip portion according to a maximum value of a conversion range of the A/D conversion portion.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that can change a shutter speed while performing flash band compensation. Signal is read by an image pickup element capable of reading at a rate higher than a frame rate at which the moving image is output to an external device. An image is generated from a signal output from the image pickup element, for each frame. A frame the image of which has a band-like gap in brightness is detected from among the generated frames. A full flash image is generated from images of a plurality of the detected frames. When an accumulating time of a signal in the image pickup element is changed, a frame rate at which signals are read from the image pickup element is changed to substantially match a reciprocal number of the changed accumulating time. When the band-like gap in brightness is detected, the images of the generated frames are output after replacing the images of the plurality of the frames with the created full flash image and images of the other frames with no band-like gap in brightness.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup element configured to photoelectrically convert an optical image, an image processing unit configured to generate an image based on image signals acquired from a first region and a second region of the image pickup element, a focus detection unit configured to perform focus detection by a phase difference method based on the image signal acquired from the first region of the image pickup element, and a control unit configured to perform control so as to read the image signal acquired from the first region in a first mode and read the image signal acquired from the second region in a second mode different from the first mode.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing unit that includes an image sensor that has an effective pixel region and a reference pixel region which outputs a reference signal for correcting an output signal of the effective pixel region. In a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, a reduction unit reduces a data amount of reference pixel region data that corresponds to the reference pixel region in an image data obtained by the image capturing unit. A recording unit records the image data after the processing performed by the reduction unit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging element having pixel portions each having a plurality of photoelectric conversion units for each microlens. The imaging element can output a pixel signal depending on a pupil-divided light flux. An image processing LSI processes a video signal based on the pixel signal output from the imaging element. An imaging element control unit controls the operation of the imaging element. An exposure control unit performs exposure control for an optical lens unit and an imaging element. In the first mode, the operation for reading pixel signals from all of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units constituting the pixel portion of the imaging element is performed. In the second mode, the control for reading pixel signals from a part of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units and for stopping a circuit relating to the unused photoelectric conversion units by reading no pixel signal is performed.