Patent ID: 7728891

Claim:
An image sensor which has a plurality of pixels arranged such that a plurality of columns are formed and which provides a first readout mode in which one pixel signal is read out from each readout area including a plurality of pixels, the image sensor comprising: a plurality of readout circuits each configured to generate a pixel signal based on a signal provided by a pixel in a corresponding column; a plurality of operation circuits each configured to operate pixel signals read out from the pixels included in the corresponding readout area by the corresponding readout circuits to generate a pixel signal in the first readout mode; a plurality of output channels; a plurality of column selecting switches arranged between output terminals of the plurality of operation circuits and the plurality of output channels; and a control circuit configured to control the plurality of column selecting switches, wherein the control circuit controls the plurality of column selecting switches such that pixel signals the number of which is equal to the number of the plurality of output channels are output to the plurality of output channels in parallel in the first readout mode, and wherein the circuit arrangements, each included in the corresponding one of the plurality of operation circuits and each viewed from the corresponding one of the column selecting switches used in the first readout mode, are equivalent to each other.