Patent ID: 7301572

Claim:
An apparatus which performs correction for a pixel of an image sensing element formed from a plurality of pixels, comprising: (A) a memory unit which stores first, second and third correction data that have defective pixel address information and are used to correct outputs from defective pixels of the image sensing element, the first correction data having address information of defective pixels each of which has a signal level larger than a first predetermined level, the second correction data having address information of several defective pixels selected in descending order of signal levels of the defective pixels whose signal levels are respectively larger than a second predetermined level which is smaller than the first predetermined level, and the third correction data having address information of several defective pixels selected in descending order of signal levels of the defective pixels whose signal levels are smaller than a level of the several defective pixels whose address information is included in the second correction data; and (B) a correction processing unit which selects correction data for use from the first, second, and combination of second and third correction data based on selection standards, and performs defective pixel correction processing for an output from the image sensing element by using the selected correction data.