Patent ID: 8436923

Claim:
An image apparatus comprising: an image sensor including a light-shielded pixel area; a plurality of comparison units configured to compare a light-shielded pixel output value output from at least a part of the light-shielded pixel area with a plurality of determination values which are set for each of the comparison units; a plurality of counting units configured to count the number of pixels whose output exceeds each of the plurality of determination values, wherein the plurality of counting units are arranged for each of the comparison units; a calculation unit configured to estimate an amount of dark current generated in the image sensor based on a result of counting performed by a counting unit; and a storage unit configured to store information about a ratio of a defect pixel output of the image sensor having a specific defect pixel level to an average dark current component output of a normal pixel of the image sensor, wherein the calculation unit is configured to use the information stored in the storage unit to estimate the amount of dark current.