Imaging apparatus including light source that emits pulsed light, image sensor, and control circuit

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source that, in operation, emits first pulsed light and second pulsed light, toward an object;
• an image sensor including pixels;
• and
• a control circuit that, in operation, controls the light source and the image sensor, wherein
• the control circuit causes the light source to emit the second pulsed light, later than the first pulsed light, and
• when a period, in which a first surface reflection component included in the first pulsed light and reflected off a surface of the object is incident on the pixels, and an amount of the first surface reflection component is equal to or larger than an amount of an inside dispersion component included in the first pulsed light and dispersed in inside of the object, is a third period, and
• a period, in which the inside dispersion component is incident on the pixels, and the amount of the inside dispersion component is larger than the amount of the first surface reflection component, is a fourth period, and
• a period, which is from end of incidence of the inside dispersion component on the pixels, to start of incidence of a second surface reflection component included in the second pulsed light and reflected off the surface of the object on the pixels, is a fifth period,
• the control circuit increases sensitivity of the pixels in at least part of the fourth period, to a level higher than the sensitivity of the pixels in at least part of the fifth period, and
• the control circuit decreases the sensitivity of the pixels in at least part of the third period, to a level lower than the sensitivity of the pixels in the at least part of the fifth period.