Backlight correction by the following steps. The location of a dark distribution is determined, and a dark distribution histogram ratio is calculated. Next, the location of a bright distribution is determined, and a high-brightness slice set value is set. A determination is made as to whether or not a subject is in a backlighted state. When the subject is not in a backlighted state, the high-brightness slice set value is used unchanged. On the other hand, when the subject is in a backlighted state, the dark_ratio is normalized so that, for example, backlight correction is carried out so that a high-brightness component limiter value of an integration signal of a peak-value-detected output is decreased.