An image processing apparatus configured to combine a plurality of images, the image processing apparatus comprising: acquisition means configured to capture a plurality of images in a multiple exposure mode of the image processing apparatus using an image sensor including an effective pixel region that is configured to be irradiated with light and an optical black region which is blocked from light; combining means configured to combine the plurality of images to generate a combined image; and correction means configured to separately correct a black level of each of the plurality of images by, for each image, subtracting an average pixel value of the pixels of that image captured by the optical black region of the sensor from each pixel value of the image captured by the effective pixel region prior to combination of the images and to correct a black level of the combined image signal generated by the combining means by subtracting an average value of the pixels in the optical black region of the combined image from each pixel value of the combined image in the effective pixel region, wherein the combining means is configured to create the combined image by, for each pixel in the effective pixel region and the optical black region, either selecting, as a pixel value of a pixel of the combined image, a maximum pixel value among the pixel values of the pixels in the plurality of images to be combined having the same coordinate in the plurality of images or by selecting, as a pixel value of a pixel of the combined image, the minimum pixel value among the pixel values of the pixels in the plurality of images to be combined having the same coordinate in the plurality of images. acquisition means configured to capture a plurality of images in a multiple exposure mode of the image processing apparatus using an image sensor including an effective pixel region that is configured to be irradiated with light and an optical black region which is blocked from light; combining means configured to combine the plurality of images to generate a combined image; and correction means configured to separately correct a black level of each of the plurality of images by, for each image, subtracting an average pixel value of the pixels of that image captured by the optical black region of the sensor from each pixel value of the image captured by the effective pixel region prior to combination of the images and to correct a black level of the combined image signal generated by the combining means by subtracting an average value of the pixels in the optical black region of the combined image from each pixel value of the combined image in the effective pixel region, wherein the combining means is configured to create the combined image by, for each pixel in the effective pixel region and the optical black region, either selecting, as a pixel value of a pixel of the combined image, a maximum pixel value among the pixel values of the pixels in the plurality of images to be combined having the same coordinate in the plurality of images or by selecting, as a pixel value of a pixel of the combined image, the minimum pixel value among the pixel values of the pixels in the plurality of images to be combined having the same coordinate in the plurality of images.