Patent ID: 8169466

Claim:
An endoscope system comprising: a light source that has a first emitter that emits red light in a first wavelength range including a first wavelength, a second emitter that emits green light in a second wavelength range including a second wavelength, and a third emitter that emits blue light in a third wavelength range including a third wavelength, and outputs the light from said first emitter, said second emitter, and said third emitter, said second wavelength being shorter than said first wavelength, said third wavelength being shorter than said second wavelength, said first wavelength range not overlapping said second wavelength range, and said second wavelength range not overlapping said third wavelength range; a light sensor that receives the light of said light source as reflected by the photographic subject, with the light being separated into each wavelength range; a signal processor that obtains a red signal based on the light including said first wavelength range, a green signal based on the light including said second wavelength range, and a blue signal based on the light including said third wavelength range, on the basis of the light received by said light sensor; a video-signal generator that generates a video signal based on at least one of said red signal, said green signal, and said blue signal, obtained by said signal processor; and a switcher that switches between a first switching state and a second switching state; said red signal, said green signal, and said blue signal being output to said video-signal generator in said first switching state; said green signal and said blue signal being output to said video-signal generator in said second switching state; said switcher outputs said red signal to a red channel of said video-signal generator, outputs said green signal to a green channel of said video-signal generator, and outputs said blue signal to a blue channel of said video-signal generator, in said first switching state; and said switcher outputs said green signal to said red channel, and outputs said blue signal to said green channel and said blue channel, in said second switching state.