Patent ID: 8427575

Claim:
An image sensing apparatus comprising: an image sensor which generates an electrical signal commensurate with an amount of incident light, and has a photoelectric conversion characteristic comprised of a linear characteristic area, where the electrical signal is outputted after being linearly converted in relation to the amount of incident light, and a logarithmic characteristic area, where the electrical signal is outputted after being logarithmically converted in relation to the amount of incident light; an exposure evaluation value detector configured to detect an exposure evaluation value based on luminance information acquired from a subject in sensing an image of the subject; and an exposure controller configured to acquire a setting value for exposure based on the exposure evaluation value detected by the exposure evaluation value detector to control exposure of the image sensing apparatus, wherein the exposure controller is configured to determine a subject luminance for exposure setting based on the exposure evaluation value, and is configured to control the exposure such that an output of the image sensor corresponding to the subject luminance for exposure setting is obtained from the linear characteristic area of the photoelectric conversion characteristic of the image sensor; the exposure controller including: an exposure amount controller configured to control an exposure amount; and a dynamic range controller configured to control the photoelectric conversion characteristic of the image sensor, wherein the dynamic range controller preferentially controls the photoelectric conversion characteristic; wherein if the subject luminance for exposure setting is lower than a predetermined value, the exposure amount controller controls the exposure amount in combination with the control of the photoelectric conversion characteristic by the dynamic range controller.