Patent ID: 8081248

Claim:
A solid-state image pickup device, comprising: a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each of the pixels being configured to perform photoelectric conversion; and a pixel signal read-out circuit for reading out a pixel signal from the pixel array in units of pixels, the pixel signal read-out circuit including (a) a plurality of comparators, each comparator corresponding to a respective column of the pixels, each comparator being configured to compare a read-out signal potential and a reference voltage to generate a determination signal and output the determination signal; and (b) a plurality of counters whose operations are respectively controlled by outputs of the comparators, each of the counters being configured to count a comparison time of a respective comparator, wherein, the plurality of counters have different operation periods for one or a plurality of the columns, each of the comparators is configured to invert an output level when the read-out signal potential agrees with the reference voltage, and the plurality of counters, corresponding to respective columns, having different operation periods that include: (i) first counters each configured to operate until an output of the corresponding comparator is inverted; and (ii) second counters each configured to operate after an output of the corresponding comparator is inverted.