Patent ID: 7978261

Claim:
An image pickup device provided with an electronic flash function, comprising: an image pickup unit configured to input image data corresponding to a subject; a face detection unit configured to detect a human face from the image data input from the image pickup unit; an electronic flashing unit configured to emit electronic flash light; and an electronic flash control unit configured to control the electronic flashing unit based on the detection result of the human face by the face detection unit such that when a human face is detected by the face detection unit, when a ratio of an area of the face occupying a screen of the image pickup unit to an area of the screen is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the electronic flash control unit initially sets the electronic flash light quantity of the electronic flashing unit to a weak level, and when the ratio of the area of the face occupying the screen of the image pickup unit to the area of the screen is less than the predetermined value, the electronic flash control unit does not initially set the electronic flash light quantity of the electronic flashing unit to the weak level.