Patent ID: 8345126

Claim:
A solid-state image pickup element comprising: a pixel portion having a plurality of pixel circuits, each including (a) an output node, (b) a photoelectric conversion element configured to convert an optical signal into an electrical signal and accumulate the electrical signal, and (c) a transfer element configured to be turned ON and OFF in accordance with a drive signal and transfer the electrical signal in the photoelectric conversion element in an ON state to the output node; a pixel driving portion configured to perform (d) a first read drive with which the transfer element is turned OFF in accordance with the drive signal to output a first signal at the output node caused by a potential drop on a corresponding signal line, and (e) a second read drive with which the transfer element is turned ON in accordance with the drive signal to transfer the accumulated electrical signal to the output node, thereby outputting a second signal at the output node a pixel signal reading portion configured to output a signal corresponding to a difference between the second signal read out in accordance with the second read drive and the first signal read out in accordance with first read drive.