Patent ID: 6850278
Filing Date: 2005-02-01
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state image pickup apparatus comprising: a photoelectric conversion unit; a transfer unit for transferring signal charges from said photoelectric conversion unit; a capacitance unit for holding the transferred signal charges; and an amplification unit for outputting a signal corresponding to the signal charges held by said capacitance unit, wherein said capacitance unit includes a first capacitance value and an additive capacitance unit for adding a capacitance to said capacitance unit to increase the first capacitance value to obtain a second capacitance value, and wherein a signal read-out from said amplification unit has a first read-out mode in which a signal is read out while holding the signal charges in said capacitance unit and said additive capacitance unit, and a second read-out mode in which a signal is read out while holding the signal charges in said capacitance unit.