IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND COLOR IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus capable of realizing excellent image processing by detecting a face and not employing color information of the face for a white balance arithmetic operation so as to prevent white balance having a sense of incongruity such as a pale face from being controlled. SOLUTION: The method employing the image processing apparatus includes: a step S1 of discriminating whether or not an imaging apparatus is set to a face recognition operating mode; a step S5 of designating an AWB (Automatic White Balance) value acquisition area to an ordinary area 20 when the mode is not set to the face recognition operating mode; a step S2 of performing face recognition processing when the mode is set to the face recognition operating mode; a step S3 of discriminating whether or not a face is recognized; a step S5 of designating the AWB evaluation value acquisition area to the ordinary area 20 when no face is recognized; a step S4 of shifting the AWB evaluation value acquisition area to other area 21 than the face 22 when the step S3 recognizes the face (a YES branch in the step S3); a step S6 of setting the AWB evaluation value acquisition area; a step S7 of acquiring the AWB evaluation value; a step S8 of calculating an AWB value; and a step S9 of setting a final AWB gain. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO