Patent ID: 7714928

Claim:
An image sensing apparatus, comprising: an image sensor adapted to generate an electrical signal corresponding to an amount of an incident light and having a photoelectric conversion characteristic, comprised of: a linear characteristic area where the electrical signal is outputted after being linearly converted in relation to the amount of the incident light and a logarithmic characteristic area where the electrical signal is outputted after being logarithmically converted in relation to the amount of the incident light; an evaluation value detector for detecting an exposure evaluation value concerning an exposure control based on a luminance information of a subject upon picking up an image of the subject; and an exposure controller for carrying out the exposure control based on the exposure evaluation value detected by the evaluation value detector, the exposure controller including: an exposure amount controller for controlling an exposure amount in accordance with the photoelectric conversion characteristic to attain a desired exposure amount, using the exposure evaluation value; and a dynamic range controller for controlling a dynamic range in accordance with the photoelectric conversion characteristic to attain a specified dynamic range, using the exposure evaluation value, wherein the exposure amount controller is adapted to control the exposure amount independently of the dynamic range controller, and wherein the dynamic range controller is adapted to control the dynamic range independently of the exposure amount controller by adjusting an output level point where the photoelectric conversion characteristic is switched from the linear characteristic area to the logarithmic characteristic area.