Image enhancement method and apparatus, image processing system thereof

An image enhancement method and an adaptive exposure setting method using the same are provided to process an image adaptively according to a kind of an input image, and improve quality of an image having high proportionality of samples belonging to low brightness and high brightness areas. An element extracting unit(110) separates a brightness signal and a color signal from an input image signal. A brightness enhancing unit(120) enhances brightness of the brightness signal. A contrast enhancing unit(130) separates the brightness signal whose brightness is improved into at least one local area and improves contrast of the improved bright signal per a local area.