Patent ID: 7755703

Claim:
An imaging system, comprising: a signal processing circuit that generates an image signal by performing signal processing to a picked up signal that is obtained through an imaging optical system that includes a lens, a diaphragm, an image sensor and a lens barrel; a main light source detector that detects a main light source contained in a picked up image of said image signal; an estimated ghost generator that generates an estimated ghost based on layout information of said main light source and said imaging optical system, and structural information of said lens barrel, the estimated ghost being a predetermined ghost image which is predicted to occur; a matching device that extracts an estimated ghost image by searching said estimated ghost through pattern matching in said picked up image; and a ghost subtractor that subtracts said estimated ghost image from said picked up image, wherein: said estimated ghost generator generates a first estimated ghost from information concerning luminance and a position of said main light source, information concerning said diaphragm, lens layout and a structure of said lens barrel, and generates a second estimated ghost that has a shape of N times as large as said first estimated ghost (N is an arbitrary real number); and said estimated ghost generator further comprises a storage device for storing said first estimated ghost and said second estimated ghost.