Patent ID: 8269866
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image pickup apparatus which includes a solid-state image pickup element for picking up an image, comprising: light source color estimation means for estimating a light source parameter which relies upon a spectral distribution of an image pickup light source based on an image signal obtained by the image pickup; illuminance level estimation means for estimating an illuminance level whose value relies upon an illuminance based on the image signal; control value modulation means for modulating a first adjustment control value for each color signal of the image signal when adjustment is to be performed so as to establish a white balance based on the estimated light source parameter in a direction toward a second adjustment control value for each of the color signals when adjustment is to be performed so that an achromatic subject under a particular reference light source is reproduced as an achromatic subject; and color signal adjustment means for adjusting each of the color signals of the image signal in response to the first adjustment control value output from the control value modulation means.