Patent ID: 7746386

Claim:
An image pickup device comprising: a first detecting unit configured to detect a position of a filter for changing light separation; a second detecting unit configured to detect color components red (R), green (G), and blue (B) from a video signal obtained by picture taking; a calculating unit configured to calculate respective integral values of the color components red (R), green (G), and blue (B) from the video signal as detected by the second detecting unit and to provide a control signal corresponding to the calculated respective integral values of the color components; and a white balance controlling unit configured to perform white balance control on a basis of the position of said filter detected by said first detecting unit; wherein when the first detecting unit detects that the filter is at a position of an optical axis, the white balance controlling unit performs control based upon blackbody curve data of only a visible light component, wherein when the first detecting unit detects that the filter is at an external position off the optical axis, the white balance controlling unit performs control based upon blackbody curve data obtained by taking an infrared component into consideration, and wherein when said first detecting unit detects that said filter is at the external position off the optical axis, said white balance controlling unit performs control such that a ratio between integral values of the color components from the video signal obtained by picture taking becomes a ratio between integral values of video signals based on a white subject taking an infrared component into consideration.