Image-data noise reduction apparatus and method of controlling same

A CCD that outputs a video signal has an optical black area. The level of a video signal obtained from the optical black area is adopted as a black level in the execution of an offset correction. A video signal whose level is below an offset level used in the offset correction is thought of as representing a noise pixel. The noise pixel is detected before the video signal is clipped at the offset level by the offset correction. The noise pixel that has been detected undergoes pixel interpolation using pixels surrounding the noise pixel. Since the noise pixel is replaced by a pixel generated by pixel interpolation, noise is reduced in the image obtained.