Image capture device and image data correction process of image capture device

An image capture device comprising:

• an image capture unit, which provides image data of a photographic image with a solid-state image capture component, which is equipped with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements for photoelectrically converting light in accordance with a subject;
• a first memory unit, which memorizes position information of first defective pixels at the solid-state image capture component, a noise component which is included in image data corresponding to these defective pixels being larger for a longer exposure duration of the solid-state image capture component;
• a second memory unit, with a higher access rate than the first memory unit, which memorizes position information of second defective pixels at the solid-state image capture component, a noise component which is included in image data corresponding to these defective pixels being constant with respect to changes of the exposure duration of the solid-state image capture component;
• a duration information provision unit, which provides information representing the exposure duration of the solid-state image capture component;
• and
• a correction unit which corrects the image data,
• wherein,
• when the exposure duration information provided by the duration information provision unit represents an exposure duration greater than or equal to a predetermined duration, the correction unit corrects, of the image data provided by the image capture unit, image data that corresponds to defective pixels according to the position information memorized at the first memory unit and the position information memorized at the second memory unit, and
• when the exposure duration information provided by the duration information provision unit represents an exposure duration less than the predetermined duration, the correction unit corrects, of the image data provided by the image capture unit, image data that corresponds to defective pixels according to the position information memorized at the second memory unit.

An image capture device which is settable to at least two different photography modes, the image capture device comprising:

• an image capture unit including a solid-state image capture component which is equipped with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, the image capture unit generating image data with the solid-state image capture component;
• a first memory unit, which memorizes position information of each of non-contiguous defective pixels at the solid-state image capture component;
• a second memory unit, with a higher access rate than the first memory unit, which memorizes position information of each of contiguous defective pixels at the solid-state image capture component;
• and
• a correction unit which corrects the image data,
• wherein,
• when a photography mode is one of a continuous photography mode for providing image data of a series of photographic images and a video photography mode for providing image data of a moving image, the correction unit corrects the image data on the basis of the position information of defective pixels memorized at the second memory unit, and
• when the photography mode is a still photography mode for providing image data of a still image, the correction unit corrects the image data on the basis of the position information memorized at the second memory unit and the position information memorized at the first memory unit.

An image capture device comprising:

• an image capture unit including a solid-state image capture component which is equipped with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, the image capture unit generating image data with the solid-state image capture component;
• a first memory unit, which memorizes position information of defective pixels at the solid-state image capture component, a noise component which is included in image data corresponding to these defective pixels being larger for a longer exposure duration of the solid-state image capture component;
• a second memory unit, with a higher access rate than the first memory unit, which memorizes position information of defective pixels at the solid-state image capture component, a noise component which is included in image data corresponding to these defective pixels being non-dependent on the exposure duration of the solid-state image capture component;
• and
• a correction unit which corrects the image data,
• wherein,
• when the exposure duration of the solid-state image capture component is greater than or equal to a previously specified duration, the correction unit corrects the image data on the basis of the position information memorized at the first memory unit and the position information memorized at the second memory unit, and
• when the exposure duration is less than the previously specified duration, the correction unit corrects the image data on the basis of the position information memorized at the second memory unit.

An image data correction process for an image capture device which includes a solid-state image capture component and is provided with at least two different photography modes, the process comprising the steps of:

• memorizing, at a first memory unit, position information of each of non-contiguous defective pixels at the solid-state image capture component;
• memorizing, at a second memory unit with a higher access rate than the first memory unit, position information of each of contiguous defective pixels at the solid-state image capture component;
• generating image data with the solid-state image capture component;
• and
• correcting the image data, including
• when a photography mode is one of a continuous photography mode for providing image data of a series of photographic images and a video photography mode for providing image data of a moving image, correcting the image data on the basis of the position information of defective pixels memorized at the second memory unit, and
• when the photography mode is a still photography mode for providing image data of a still image, correcting the image data on the basis of the position information memorized at the second memory unit and the position information memorized at the first memory unit.

An image data correction process for an image capture device which includes a solid-state image capture component, the process comprising the steps of:

• memorizing, at a first memory unit, position information of defective pixels at the solid-state image capture component, image data corresponding to these defective pixels including a noise component which is larger for a longer exposure duration of the solid-state image capture component;
• memorizing, at a second memory unit with a higher access rate than the first memory unit, position information of defective pixels at the solid-state image capture component, image data corresponding to these defective pixels including a noise component which is not dependent on the exposure duration of the solid-state image capture component;
• generating image data with the solid-state image capture component;
• and
• correcting the image data, including
• when an exposure duration of the solid-state image capture component is greater than or equal to a previously specified duration, correcting the image data on the basis of the position information memorized at the first memory unit and the position information memorized at the second memory unit, and
• when the exposure duration is less than the previously specified duration, correcting the image data on the basis of the position information memorized at the second memory unit.