Patent ID: 7457479

Claim:
An image playback apparatus that reproduces an image in visible form based on input image data representing reflectance values, said image playback apparatus executing a function for automatically changing a dynamic range of at least a part of the reproduced image that has been selected by an action of a viewer viewing the reproduced image, wherein the at least a part is less than a whole, wherein a range of image information of the at least a part of the reproduced image mapped for reproducing is widened compared to a range of image information of a rest of the reproduced image mapped for reproducing when the function for automatically changing the dynamic range of the at least a part of the reproduced image is executed, wherein the image playback apparatus is configured to select the at least a part of the reproduced image by generating a histogram of reflectance ratio information of an area specified by the viewer, and selecting, as the at least a part of the reproduced image mapped for reproducing, a reflectance ratio area that includes a predetermined percentage of the generated histogram of the reflection ratio information of the area specified by the viewer, and wherein the predetermined percentage is less than 100%.