An imaging apparatus (100) includes an imaging unit (102), an illuminating unit (104), and an image-characteristic setting unit (106). The imaging unit (102) images an object to acquire an image of the object. The illuminating unit (104) includes a light source configured to apply illumination light beams different in optical characteristics to the object. The image-characteristic setting unit (106) sets the image characteristics of the image data the imaging unit (102) should acquire, then refers to light source characteristic information including at least one of the light-intensity control characteristic data, light-distribution pattern characteristic data, spectrum distribution characteristic data and polarization characteristic data, and sets to the illuminating unit (104), the intensity, distribution pattern, spectrum distribution or polarization characteristic of at least one illumination light beam. The imaging unit (102) acquires effectively image data having the image characteristics set.
