Image pickup apparatus having gradation control function for providing image signals definitive of backlighted objects

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus which can produce an image provided with exposure suitable for both a backlighted object and its background without requiring a mechanical member, such as an iris or the like. The image pickup apparatus has a photoelectric conversion section for photoelectrically converting a light image so as to accumulate light information and to output the light information every unit light accumulation period which forms one picture. A digital camera signal processing circuit processes an output from the photoelectric conversion section to output a video signal. A timing signal generator outputs a plurality of timing signals for setting light information accumulation time every unit light accumulation period which is set in the photoelectric conversion section. An image analyzing circuit selects one of the timing signals output from the timing signal generator correspondingly with higher luminance and lower luminance regions based on luminance information from the digital camera signal processing circuit and inputs the selected timing signal into the photoelectric conversion section.