Image pickup apparatus including infrared light reduction section, method of controlling the same, and storage medium

An image pickup apparatus including an image pickup device that has an optical image formed thereon through a photographic optical system, and outputs an image signal corresponding to the optical image, comprising:

• an infrared light reduction unit configured to be inserted into an optical path between the photographic optical system and the image pickup device so as to reduce an amount of infrared light contained in the optical image reaching the image pickup device;
• a detection unit configured to detect a luminance of an object according to the image signal to thereby obtain a luminance detection result;
• an illuminating unit configured to illuminate the object with infrared light;
• a correction unit configured to correct a threshold value for use in determining insertion or removal of said infrared light reduction unit into or from the optical path, based on a light emission intensity of infrared light emitted by said illuminating unit;
• and
• a control unit configured to compare the luminance detection result and a corrected threshold value, and determine insertion of said infrared light reduction unit into the optical path according to the comparison result.

A method of controlling an image pickup apparatus including an image pickup device that has an optical image formed thereon through a photographic optical system, and outputs an image signal corresponding to the optical image, an infrared light reduction unit configured to be inserted into an optical path between the photographic optical system and the image pickup device so as to reduce an amount of infrared light contained in the optical image reaching the image pickup device, and an illuminating unit configured to illuminate the object with infrared light, the method comprising:

• detecting a luminance of an object according to the image signal to thereby obtain a luminance detection result;
• correcting a threshold value for use in determining insertion or removal of the infrared light reduction unit into or from the optical path, based on a light emission intensity of infrared light emitted by the illuminating unit;
• and
• comparing the detection result and a corrected threshold value, and determining insertion of the infrared light reduction unit into the optical path according to the comparison result.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable control program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling an image pickup apparatus including an image pickup device that has an optical image formed thereon through a photographic optical system, and outputs an image signal corresponding to the optical image, an infrared light reduction unit configured to be inserted into an optical path between the photographic optical system and the image pickup device so as to reduce an amount of infrared light contained in the optical image reaching the image pickup device, and an illuminating unit configured to illuminate the object with infrared light,

• wherein the method comprises:
• detecting a luminance of an object according to the image signal to thereby obtain a luminance detection result;
• correcting a threshold value for use in determining insertion or removal of the infrared light reduction unit into or from the optical path, based on a light emission intensity of infrared light emitted by the illuminating unit;
• and
• comparing the detection result and a corrected threshold value, and determining insertion of the infrared light reduction unit into the optical path according to the comparison result.