Method for providing image illumination calibration for an imaging apparatus

A method for providing image illumination calibration includes: generating a plurality of images of a calibration target at a plurality of exposure levels, each image of the plurality of images being represented by a total pixel area; identifying a plurality of zones of the total pixel area, each zone of the plurality of zones corresponding to a particular image of the plurality of images at a particular exposure level of the plurality of exposure levels, with each zone representing a pixel sub-area that excludes saturated pixels; combining the plurality of zones for the plurality of images of the calibration target to generate a final calibration image; and generating a shading table to correct the final calibration image to obtain a uniform image of the calibration target over the total pixel area, the shading table including gain and offset values associated with each pixel of the total pixel area.