Patent ID: 7041950

Claim:
An image sensing element to be used for an image sensing apparatus having an image sensing lens and a stop, and arranged to sense an image formed by the image sensing lens, the image sensing element comprising: a plurality of microlenses; and a plurality of light-receiving portions arranged so as to correspond to the respective microlenses, wherein each light-receiving portions includes first, second and third light-receiving regions each outputting a signal, the third light-receiving region having first and second end portions and continuously extending from the first end portion to the second end portion along a longitudinal direction of the third light-receiving region, each of the first and second light-receiving regions having substantially symmetrical shape with respect to a line parallel to the longitudinal direction, the first and second light-receiving regions being substantially symmetry with each other and being arranged to sandwich the third light-receiving region, the width of center portions of the first and second light-receiving regions being wider than the width of center portion of the third light-receiving region, and the width of peripheral portions of the first and second light-receiving regions being narrower than the width of the peripheral portions of the third light receiving region.