A photographic image is divided into a central area and a surrounding area and
video signals for the central and surrounding areas are integrated by an area integrator
circuit. When an operator of video camera attached to a notebook personal computer
photographs himself or herself with an imager of the video camera pointing toward
the operator, a control microcomputer causes an integration result for the central
area to be multiplied by a larger weighting before both are summed. The control
microcomputer generates exposure information according to a result and compares
the exposure level indicated by this information with a reference level to control
an electronic shutter of an imaging device and a gain of an amplifier circuit so
that the exposure level matches the reference level, whereby the exposure of the
video camera is adjusted to an appropriate level. When the imager points towards
an object on the opposite side of the operator exposure control is performed as usual.
