Image processing method, image processing apparatus and image recording apparatus

An image processing method to conduct an image processing on image signals indicating a photographed image for generating image signals for output, comprising:

• estimating whether or not an area irradiated by both of environment light and flashlight is present in the photographed image, based on information about environment light in the course of photographing and information about flashlight in the course of photographing;
• detecting an area in the photographed image where the mixed ratio of flashlight to environment light in the course of photographing is greater than a prescribed value, based on information about environment light in the course of photographing, information about flashlight in the course of photographing, and on at least one of information about zoom magnification in the course of photographing, information about ISO speed and information about a subject distance in the course of photographing;
• and
• determining a content of the image processing in accordance with a ratio of the area detected to the total area of the photographed image.

An image processing method to conduct an image processing on image signals indicating a photographed image for generating image signals for output, comprising:

• estimating whether or not an area irradiated by both of environment light and flashlight is present in the photographed image, based on information about environment light in the course of photographing and information about flashlight in the course of photographing;
• estimating a mixed ratio of flashlight to environment light both in the course of photographing based on information about environment light in the course of photographing, information about flashlight in the course of photographing and, at least one of information about zoom magnification in the course of photographing, information about ISO speed and information about a subject distance in the course of photographing;
• detecting an area where the mixed ratio of flashlight to environment light in the course of photographing is greater than a prescribed value;
• and
• determining a content of the image processing in accordance with a ratio of the area detected to the total area of photographed images.

An image processing apparatus to conduct an image processing on image signals indicating a photographed image for generating image signals for output, comprising:

• a mixed area estimating section for estimating whether or not an area irradiated by both of environment light and flashlight is present in the photographed image, based on information about environment light in the course of photographing and information about flashlight in the course of photographing;
• an area detecting section for detecting an area in the photographed image where the mixed ratio of flashlight to environment light in the course of photographing is greater than a prescribed value, based on information about environment light in the course of photographing, information about flashlight in the course of photographing, and on at least one of information about zoom magnification in the course of photographing, information about ISO speed and information about a subject distance in the coursed of photographing;
• and
• an image processing section for determining a content of image processing in accordance with a ratio of the area detected to the total area of the photographed image to conduct an image processing on the image signals indicating a photographed image.

An image processing apparatus to conduct an image processing on image signals indicating a photographed image for generating image signals for output, comprising:

• an mixed area estimating section for estimating whether or not an area irradiated by both of environment light and flashlight is present in the photographed image, based on information about environment light in the course of photographing and information about flashlight in the course of photographing;
• a mixed ratio estimating section for estimating a mixed ratio of flashlight to environment light both in the course of photographing based on information about environment light in the course of photographing, information about flashlight in the course of photographing and, at least one of information about zoom magnification in the course of photographing, information about ISO speed and information about a subject distance in the course of photographing
• an area detecting section for detecting an area where the mixed ratio of flashlight to environment light in the course of photographing is greater than a prescribed value;
• and
• an image processing section for determining a content of image processing in accordance with a ratio of the area detected to the total area of the photographed image to conduct an image processing on the image signals indicating a photographed image.

An image recording apparatus to conduct an image processing on image signals indicating a photographed image inputted by an image inputting means for generating image signals for output, and to record the image signals for output, comprising:

• a detecting section for detecting an area in the photographed image where the mixed ratio of flashlight to environment light in the course of photographing is greater than a prescribed value, based on respective information including information about environment light in the course of photographing, information about flashlight in the course of photographing, and at least one of information including information about zoom magnification in the course of photographing, information about ISO speed and information about a subject distance in the course of photographing;
• an image processing section for determining a content of image processing in accordance with a ratio of the area detected to the total area of the photographed image to conduct an image processing on the image signals indicating a photographed image, and for generating image signals for output;
• and
• a recording section for recording the image signals for output onto a recording medium.

An image recording apparatus to conduct an image processing on image signals indicating a photographed image inputted by an image inputting means for generating image signals for output, and to record the image signals for output, comprising:

• a mixed area estimating section for estimating whether or not an area irradiated by both of environment light and flashlight is present in the photographed image, based on information about environment light in the course of photographing and information about flashlight in the course of photographing;
• an area detecting section for detecting an area in the photographed image where the mixed ratio of flashlight to environment light in the course of photographing is greater than a prescribed value, based on information about environment light in the course of photographing, information about flashlight in the course of photographing, and on at least one of information about zoom magnification in the course of photographing, information about ISO speed and information about a subject distance in the coursed of photographing;
• an image processing section for determining a content of image processing in accordance with a ratio of the area detected to the total area of the photographed image to conduct an image processing on the image signals indicating a photographed image, and for generating image signals for output;
• and
• a recording section for recording the image signals for output onto a recording medium.

An image recording apparatus to conduct an image processing on image signals indicating a photographed image inputted by an image inputting means for generating image signals for output, and to record the image signals for output, comprising:

• an mixed area estimating section for estimating whether or not an area irradiated by both of environment light and flashlight is present in the photographed image, based on information about environment light in the course of photographing and information about flashlight in the course of photographing;
• a mixed ratio estimating section for estimating a mixed ratio of flashlight to environment light both in the course of photographing based on information about environment light in the course of photographing, information about flashlight in the course of photographing and, at least one of information about zoom magnification in the course of photographing, information about ISO speed and information about a subject distance in the course of photographing
• an area detecting section for detecting an area where the mixed ratio of flashlight to environment light in the course of photographing is greater than a prescribed value;
• an image processing section for determining a content of image processing in accordance with a ratio of the area detected to the total area of the photographed image to conduct an image processing on the image signals indicating a photographed image, and for generating image signals for output;
• and
• a recording section for recording the image signals for output onto a recording medium.

An image recording apparatus to conduct an image processing on image signals indicating a photographed image inputted by an image inputting means for generating image signals for output, and to record the image signals for output, comprising:

• an information obtaining section for obtaining information about a white balance adjustment function of a photographing apparatus used to get the photographed images;
• an image processing section for determining a content of image processing based on the obtained information about a white balance adjustment function to conduct an image processing on the image signals indicating a photographed image, and for generating image signals for output;
• and
• a recording section for recording the image signals for output onto a recording medium.