Patent ID: 7986355

Claim:
A picture displaying method, comprising the steps of: capturing a first picture on an image capturing device, the image capturing device having a housing that includes an image sensor and a display section; displaying the first picture on the display section of the image capturing device; displaying on the display section, concurrently with the first picture, a luminance distribution chart which represents a distribution of luminance levels of the first picture; detecting a first position on the displayed luminance distribution chart selected by a user; detecting a second position on the displayed luminance distribution chart selected by the user; selecting a first luminance level and a second luminance level based on the detected first and second position, respectively, the second luminance level being higher than the first luminance level; correcting a gradation of the first picture in order to obtain a second picture by changing input and output characteristics defined by the first luminance level and the second luminance level; and switching from displaying the first picture on the display section to displaying the second picture on the display section displaying a third picture different from the first picture and the second picture; displaying another luminance distribution chart representing a distribution of luminance levels of the third picture; and setting up a third luminance level and a fourth luminance level on the other luminance distribution chart, the fourth luminance level being higher than the third luminance level, wherein at the setup step the number of pixels of the first picture whose luminance levels are equal to or lower than the first luminance level approaches the number of pixels of the third picture whose luminance levels are equal to or lower than the third luminance level, wherein the number of pixels of the first picture whose luminance levels are equal to or higher than the second luminance level approaches the number of pixels of the third picture whose luminance levels are equal to or higher than the fourth luminance level, and wherein when a new picture is displayed the number of pixels that become saturated black or saturated white remain unchanged and the third luminance level and the fourth luminance level are automatically setup, the third and fourth luminance levels representing a start point and an end point of the dynamic range.