An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, where each of the plurality of pixels includes a photodiode. The image sensor is configured to capture images of a scene exposed with a flickering light source by for each of the plurality of pixels, acquiring a value representative of a light level at a corresponding pixel by gradually varying a value of sensitivity of the corresponding pixel.

One general aspect for motion-based video tonal stabilization uses a keyframe and motion estimation techniques to determine the level of spatial correspondence between input images and the keyframe. When the level of spatial correspondence is high, tonal stabilization is performed through regression and power law tonal transformation to minimize the color differences between images caused by automatic camera parameters without a priori knowledge of the camera model. Tonal error accumulation is reduced by using long-term tonal propagation.

In the combination of a wide dynamic range by combining a first image and a second image of different light exposure conditions, pixel values at which cumulative frequency proportions (B) become first and second reference values are generated as first and second index values (Sa, Lb) with regard to the first and second images, and first and second light exposure amounts (ES, EL) are controlled under first and second target conditions that the first and second index values (Sa, Lb) have predetermined relations with first and second target values (Sat, Lbt), respectively. It is possible to shorten a time taken until convergence of the light exposure amount in relation to a change of brightness of a subject.

Image data obtained by imaging of an imaging element capable of imaging a subject with sensitivity to a wavelength band of visible light and a wavelength band of near-infrared light via an optical system is acquired. A point image restoration process using a common restoration filter is performed on the image data of the subject captured with sensitivity to the wavelength band of the visible light by the imaging element and the image data of the subject captured with sensitivity to the wavelength band of the near-infrared light by the imaging element. The common restoration filter is calculated on the basis of average optical characteristics of the optical system obtained by performing weighted averaging of first optical characteristics with respect to the visible light of the optical system and second optical characteristics with respect to the near-infrared light of the optical system.

A method for adjusting exposure of a camera device is provided to include steps of: using first to M.sup.th camera modules to continuously capture images in sync; reducing an exposure value of the first camera module according to a first current image captured at a latest time point by the first camera module until a first condition associated with the first current image is met; adjusting an exposure value of an i.sup.th camera module according to an i.sup.th current image, which is captured at the latest time point by the i.sup.th camera module, and an (i-1).sup.th previous image, which is captured at a time point immediately previous to the latest time point by an (i-1).sup.th camera module.

An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup section configured to shoot a live view image between shooting periods of two continuous still images in continuous shooting, a display section configured to display a live view image in a live view display period and display a black image in another period, and a display luminance change section configured to calculate a during-continuous-shooting display luminance value larger than a normal display luminance value to change luminance of the live view image.

A video processor includes a receiving section that receives video information representing video images and luminance-related information on the luminance of the video images and a video processing section that determines an expansion target luminance range of the video images based on the luminance-related information and expands the expansion target luminance range in such a way that the maximum luminance in the expansion target luminance range increases.

This document describes techniques and systems that enable automatic exposure and gain control for face authentication. The techniques and systems include a user device initializing a gain for a near-infrared camera system using a default gain. The user device ascertains patch-mean statistics of one or more regions-of-interest of a most-recently captured image that was captured by the near-infrared camera system. The user device computes an update in the initialized gain to provide an updated gain that is usable to scale the one or more regions-of-interest toward a target mean-luminance value. The user device dampens the updated gain by using hysteresis. Then, the user device sets the initialized gain for the near-infrared camera system to the dampened updated gain.

Provided is a video creation method in which, in a configuration in which a part of a captured video is extracted and displayed, the adjustment of an exposure amount and the video display in a case in which an extracted region is changed are appropriately executed. A video creation method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes setting, in an imaging region of a reference video having a first angle of view, a plurality of regions having a second angle of view smaller than the first angle of view, selecting a selection region of a recorded video from among the plurality of regions, reselecting the selection region from among the plurality of regions to switch the selection region, recording each of a pre-switching video and a post-switching video, displaying the post-switching video after the pre-switching video is displayed and displaying an insertion video in a period between a display period of the pre-switching video and a display period of the post-switching video, and adjusting, during a display period of the insertion video, an exposure amount and the like of a post-switching selection region.

An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging element; an imaging element driving unit that directs the imaging element to alternately perform imaging operations at a first frame rate and a second frame rate being different from the first frame rate; and a flicker detection unit that detects whether a first flicker of a light source with a first frequency is present and whether a second flicker of a light source with a second frequency is present, based on a captured image signal obtained by an imaging operation at the first frame rate, a captured image signal obtained by an imaging operation at the second frame rate following the imaging operation at the first frame rate and a captured image signal obtained by an another imaging operation at the first frame rate or the second frame rate, wherein the first frame rate and the second frame rate are as defined herein.