An apparatus (110, 300) for detecting a type of illuminant, comprising: a camera unit (120, 360) for producing digital images with an image capture unit comprising: a plurality of picture sensing elements (512, 514, 516, 518) of the image capture unit arranged in groups of four; wherein two picture sensing elements (514 518) are sensitive to a first color and two other picture sensing elements (512, 516) are sensitive to second and third colors respectively such that each group is capable of producing signals corresponding to three different colors; and a plurality of photo-electric sensors with sensitive bandwidths narrow enough to distinguish different types of illuminants by distinguishing characteristic spectrum power distribution maxima of said illuminants; wherein most or all of the photo-electric sensors are aligned with or in place of the picture sensing elements (514, 518) sensitive to the first color; wherein each sensitive bandwidth lies within a frequency range of visible light; wherein the sensitive bandwidths of at least two of the photo-electric sensors are at least partially different; wherein the number of sensitive bandwidths is N, N being greater than 3 and wherein the photo-electric sensors are spaced apart on the image capture unit such that at least most of the photo-electric sensors are not adjacent with another photo-electric sensor; and wherein the apparatus (110, 300) further comprises: a processor configured to determine the type of illuminant arriving at the camera unit (120, 360) based on signals produced by the photo-electric sensors; and a defective picture sensing element memory for omitting the signals produced by the photo-electric sensors in the digital images produced by the camera unit (120, 360). a camera unit (120, 360) for producing digital images with an image capture unit comprising: a plurality of picture sensing elements (512, 514, 516, 518) of the image capture unit arranged in groups of four; wherein two picture sensing elements (514 518) are sensitive to a first a plurality of picture sensing elements (512, 514, 516, 518) of the image capture unit arranged in groups of four; wherein two picture sensing elements (514 518) are sensitive to a first color and two other picture sensing elements (512, 516) are sensitive to second and third colors respectively such that each group is capable of producing signals corresponding to three different colors; and a plurality of photo-electric sensors with sensitive bandwidths narrow enough to distinguish different types of illuminants by distinguishing characteristic spectrum power distribution maxima of said illuminants; wherein most or all of the photo-electric sensors are aligned with or in place of the picture sensing elements (514, 518) sensitive to the first color; wherein each sensitive bandwidth lies within a frequency range of visible light; wherein the sensitive bandwidths of at least two of the photo-electric sensors are at least partially different; wherein the number of sensitive bandwidths is N, N being greater than 3 and wherein the photo-electric sensors are spaced apart on the image capture unit such that at least most of the photo-electric sensors are not adjacent with another photo-electric sensor; and wherein the apparatus (110, 300) further comprises: a processor configured to determine the type of illuminant arriving at the camera unit (120, 360) based on signals produced by the photo-electric sensors; and a defective picture sensing element memory for omitting the signals produced by the photo-electric sensors in the digital images produced by the camera unit (120, 360). a processor configured to determine the type of illuminant arriving at the camera unit (120, 360) based on signals produced by the photo-electric sensors; and a defective picture sensing element memory for omitting the signals produced by the photo-electric sensors in the digital images produced by the camera unit (120, 360).