Patent ID: 7479997

Claim:
An image pickup apparatus comprising: an image pickup region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, each pixel including a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions disposed in the depth direction of a semiconductor, wherein the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions comprises first, second and third regions at different depths, wherein the first region is closest to the surface of the image pickup region, the second region is between the first and the third region, and the third region is farthest from the surface of the image pickup region; and a filter which is disposed on the incident side of the image pickup region and which has a characteristic wherein the transmittance of light in the visible wavelength region decreases as the wavelength of light becomes longer, and the transmittance is at least 90% at a wavelength of 400 nm and continuously decreases from the wavelength of 400 nm to 700 nm so that with any increase in the wavelength in the range from 400 nm to 700 nm the transmittance decreases; and wherein the filter includes at least one of a dielectric multilayer film evaporated on a transparent substrate and a material which absorbs light in a predetermined wavelength range, or a combination of the dielectric multilayer film evaporated on the transparent substrate and the material which absorbs light in a predetermined wavelength range, and means for i) causing the spectral sensitivity of the first region to become closer to the spectral sensitivity of the human eye to visible blue light, ii) causing the spectral sensitivity of the second region to become closer to the spectral sensitivity of the human eye to visible green light, and iii) causing the spectral sensitivity of the third region to become closer to the spectral sensitivity of the human eye to visible red light, wherein said means comprises said filter.