Patent ID: 7657116

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: a detecting device configured to detect a defect level of a defective pixel contained in an image pickup device including a plurality of pixels and output second information relating to the detected defect level; a memory configured to store first information relating to a stored defect level of the defective pixel in the image pickup device; a correcting device configured to correct an image signal output from the image pickup device using the first information; and a pixel defect updating circuit configured to compare the first information to the second information, wherein the pixel defect updating circuit is configured to: update the first information with the second information, if the detected defect level of the defective pixel as detected by the detecting device is higher than the stored defect level of the defective pixel; and not update the first information with the second information, if the detected defect level matches the stored defect level, or if the stored defect level is higher than the detected defect level.