Patent ID: 7190486

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: an image pickup element which picks up an image and outputs a color image signal and a monochrome image signal; a controlling section which outputs a signal that selects a color image output or a monochrome image output; and a converting section which receives an input of the color image signal from the image pickup element, and in the case where the color image output is selected by the signal from the controlling section, outputs the color image signal, and in the case where the monochrome image output is selected, outputs a signal obtained by calculating an average of an average value of color image signals and a value of the monochrome image signal, instead of the monochrome image signal, only when the monochrome image signal falls within a specific density area and the average value of the color image signals is greater than the value of the monochrome image signal, and outputs the monochrome image signal in other cases.