An image processing element 4 (image processing apparatus) of the present invention, the benchmark value calculation element 41 calculates a benchmark value indicating the unevenness level of the brightness value from the brightness distribution in the proximity of pixels and the area-dividing element 43 sets up the enhancement level (property of the filter or intensity of the filter) corresponding to the unevenness level of the benchmark value per se every divided divided-area, so that an adjustment corresponding to the level of the brightness value is unnecessary and the enhancement processing can be executed in high-accuracy from a low-brightness portion to a high-brightness portion. In addition, no setting depending on the brightness value is mandatory, so that a fine setting and a fine adjustment prior to imaging is unnecessary and a highly-accurate processing can be executed securely even when the imaging environment and an imaging condition change.