Patent ID: 7639287

Claim:
An imaging apparatus having a nonlinear input-output characteristic, and capable of sensing a light and dark difference that is wider than an imaging device having a single linear input-output characteristic over an entire image pick-up range can do, said apparatus comprising: a light receiving element that receives incident light from an object to be sensed and generates a light reception signal; a photoelectric conversion part that converts the light reception signal of said light receiving element into an analog video signal of a voltage corresponding to an amount of light of said incident light; an analog signal processing part that processes said analog video signal to create a signal component; an A/D conversion part that converts said signal component into a digital video signal; a high-pass filter that emphasizes a high frequency component of said analog video signal or said digital video signal; and a high-pass cut-off frequency selection section that selects said high-pass cut-off frequency in accordance with the position of each scan line for said analog video signal or said digital video signal.