PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve such a problem that the accuracy of noise reduction processing deteriorates, when the edge of an image appears only at a local position on the periphery of a target pixel.SOLUTION: A noise reduction device includes target pixel selection means for selecting each pixel of an imaging element sequentially as a target pixel, pixel area definition means for defining a plurality of predetermined pixel areas including a selected target pixel and different from each other, differential value calculation means for calculating the signal difference value from the target pixel for each pixel area, on the basis of each pixel area thus defined and the image signal of the target pixel, and noise reduction means performing noise reduction processing for the target pixel on the basis of the maximum value and minimum value out of the signal difference values of each pixel area thus calculated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2COPYRIGHT: (C)2016,JPO&INPIT【課題】注目画素周辺の局所的な位置にだけ画像のエッジ部分が現れる場合に、ノイズ低減処理の精度が劣化する。【解決手段】撮像素子の各画素を注目画素として順次選択する注目画素選択手段と、選択された注目画素を含む所定の複数の画素領域であって、互いに異なる画素領域を規定する画素領域規定手段と、規定された各画素領域及び注目画素の画像信号に基づいて、該注目画素との信号差分値を該画素領域毎に計算する差分値計算手段と、計算された画素領域毎の信号差分値のうちの最大値及び最小値に基づいて注目画素に対するノイズ低減処理を行うノイズ低減手段とを備えるノイズ低減装置を提供する。【選択図】図2
