An image filter circuit generates unsharp image signals to subject image signals to a dodging treatment which adjusts areas of exposure over an entire image within an image processing apparatus for image processing the image signals. The circuit includes an IIR type filter for carrying out a filtering treatment to generate the unsharp image signals. It further includes a FIFO type field memory for delaying image signals which are not subjected to the filtering treatment at the IIR filter for a time corresponding to the delay time of image signals which have been subjected to the filtering treatment at the IIR type filter. The image filter circuit, which obtains the unsharp image signals corresponding to an unsharp mask for obtaining a dodging effect, can be made small in size with a simplified circuit arrangement.