Patent ID: 8773557

Claim:
A solid-state imaging element comprising: pixel signal read lines; a pixel unit including a plurality of pixels in a matrix form, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion element; and a pixel signal reading unit configured to read pixel signals from the pixel unit via the pixel signal read lines, wherein, the pixel unit includes a shared pixel having an output node shared among a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels include a pixel signal configured to be selectively output from the shared output node to a corresponding one of the pixel signal read lines, the pixel signal reading unit includes (a) a load element (i) connected to the pixel signal read line, (ii) configured to function as a current source, and (iii) in which a current dependent on a reference bias voltage flows, and (b) a plurality of comparators (i) arranged to correspond to a column arrangement of the pixel signal read lines and (ii) configured to compare a read signal potential with a reference voltage for judgement and output a judgement signal, and the bias voltage for the load element is set to a voltage causing a current value to be higher than the current dependent upon the reference bias voltage when (i) pixel signals of the respective pixels in the shared pixel are driven, and (ii) there is no difference between added charge amounts of the pixel signals read by the pixel signal reading unit.