Patent ID: 7280146

Claim:
An image pickup apparatus comprising: an image pickup area comprising a plurality of pixels each of which includes a photoelectric conversion element for converting light into an electric signal, and an amplifying element for amplifying the signal from the photoelectric conversion element; a plurality of converging lenses each of which is arranged corresponding to each of the pixels; a light shielding film having openings formed correspondingly to the photoelectric conversion elements, wherein the plurality of pixels are classified into first and second groups, the pixels of the second group are arranged at a peripheral portion of the image pickup area relative to the pixels of the first group, openings corresponding to the photoelectric conversion elements of the pixels of the second group are shifted toward a peripheral portion of the image pickup area as compared to the converging lenses corresponding to the pixels of the second group, and the pixels of the first and second groups are arranged such that optical axes of converged light pass through centers of gravity of light receiving area surfaces of the photoelectric conversion elements, and pass through the centers of gravity of openings of the light shielding film.