DYNAMIC RANGE EXPANDING CAMERA

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To satisfactorily execute the mixing processing of image pickup signals (a SHORT signal and a LONG signal) of different shutter times, even when a CCD camera is panned. SOLUTION: When a successive scanning photoelectric conversion means 10 for scanning successively the picked up image of a subject, a signal separation means 11 separates it to a long period exposing (LONG) signal and a short period exposing (SHORT) signal to output them. First and second time extending means 12 and 13 hourly extend the LONG signal and the SHORT signal respectively, to convert them to the image pickup signal of a normal time axis. A signal level suppressing means 14 suppresses the input/output characteristic of the SHORT signal and offset adjusting means 15 adds offset. A signal-mixing means 16 executes weighting adding processing with respect to the LONG signal and the SHORT signal at their boundary level. A gradation correcting means 17 executes gradation restoring processing to a mixed signal again.