Patent ID: 7289155

Claim:
An automatic exposure control apparatus receiving an exposure evaluation value from an output signal of a photoelectric conversion area performing photoelectric conversion and an output signal of a solid-state imaging device comprising a transfer area wherein the signal is transferred from the photoelectric conversion area and using the evaluation value as a reference value to perform automatic exposure control for the solid-state imaging device, characterized by comprising a first drive unit for transferring a first signal including a smear component and a signal charge component in a photoelectric conversion area in each successive exposure period to said transfer area and then outputting the signal from signal solid-state imaging device; and a second drive unit responsive to a shutter trigger operation for outputting a second signal in said photoelectric conversion area from said solid-state imaging device providing a smear component, while preventing transfer of a signal charge component to said transfer area; wherein is obtained an exposure evaluation value containing almost no smear component from the first and second signals received from said first drive unit and said second drive unit.