Image capturing for capturing an image of an object by illuminating the object and receiving light from the object

An image capturing apparatus for capturing an image of an object by illuminating the object and receiving reflected light from the object, comprising:

• an image sensor for receiving the reflected light,
• a plurality of light-emitting devices mounted on a circuit board, on which is also mounted said image sensor at peripheral positions of the image sensor;
• a light guide member for guiding light emitted from the plurality of light-emitting devices to an image capturing range, and illuminating the image capturing range;
• an optical unit accommodated inside the light guide member and for guiding the reflected light of the object in the illuminated image capturing range to the image sensor;
• an optical filter disposed on the object side of the optical unit and the light guide member;
• and
• a hood for optically intercepting the optical unit from the light guide member,
• wherein said hood further comprises a flange for intercepting the light reflected on the optical filter among the light output from the light guide member, from being incident to the optical unit,
• wherein the image sensor and the plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted on an identical circuit board,
• said image capturing apparatus further comprising a photo-detector device for monitoring the light of the light-emitting devices, and disposed between each plurality of light-emitting devices on the circuit board,
• wherein the photo-detector device is disposed at a lower portion of the light guide member in such a position as to receive the light reflected at the lower portion of the light guide member among the light emitted from the light-emitting devices.