Patent ID: 6734894
Filing Date: 2004-05-11
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An electronic-endoscope light quantity controlling apparatus comprising:an image pickup driving circuit for executing a pixel mix reading system at the output of an image pickup device that mixes and outputs vertically arranged lines of image signals accumulated in the image pickup device to form a moving image and an all-pixel reading system that reads out all pixels accumulated in said image pickup device during a single exposure using a light shielding period set by a light shielding apparatus in order to form a still image; wherein the light shielding apparatus has a light shielding plate that shades a light shielding period next to an exposure period (as field period) for reading out signals of all pixels when the all-pixel reading system is selected, and said light shielding plate is actuated before the light shielding period in consideration of the response delay time of said light shielding plate; and light quantity compensating means for compensating for lack of light quantity caused in the exposure period for the still image immediately before the light shielding period by a delayed response from said light shielding plate for a shielding operation.