Patent ID: 7595474

Claim:
A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising: a photoelectric conversion element; a floating diffusion region; a transfer switch which transfers charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element to the floating diffusion region; an amplification transistor having a gate electrically connected to the floating diffusion region, and a drain to which a power supply voltage is applied; a switching element having one terminal electrically connected to an electrical path which connects the floating diffusion region to the gate of the amplification transistor, and the other terminal electrically connected to a node capable of providing a voltage lower than the power supply voltage with the other terminal; and a control unit for controlling ON/OFF state of the transfer switch and the switching element, wherein the control unit simultaneously turns on the transfer switch and the switching element while the voltage lower than the power supply voltage is provided with the other terminal of the switching element by the node, in accordance with an input of a trigger pulse.