Patent ID: 8098321

Claim:
An image pickup element comprising: a light-receiving portion having a matrix arrangement of photoelectric conversion portions, the matrix arrangement being formed by disposing a plurality of first-direction arrays, each having photoelectric conversion portions arranged in a first direction with a predetermined gap maintained therebetween, in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction; and a plurality of micro-lenses provided above the light-receiving portion, wherein a certain first-direction array in the matrix arrangement of photoelectric conversion portions is provided with a pair of first photoelectric conversion portions that optically receive, via a pair of micro-lenses, photographic-subject light beams passing through a pair of segmental regions in an exit pupil of a photographic optical system, the pair of segmental regions being disposed biasedly in opposite directions from each other in the first direction, wherein a certain second-direction array in the matrix arrangement of photoelectric conversion portions is provided with a pair of second photoelectric conversion portions that optically receive photographic-subject light beams passing through a pair of segmental regions in the exit pupil, the pair of segmental regions being disposed biasedly in opposite directions from each other in the second direction, wherein the pair of micro-lenses is disposed such that light axes thereof extend through vicinities of edges of the pair of first photoelectric conversion portions, the edges being the farthest edges from each other in the first direction, wherein the pair of first photoelectric conversion portions includes two neighboring photoelectric conversion portions disposed on opposite sides of one photoelectric conversion portion in the certain first-direction array, and wherein the one photoelectric conversion portion is disposed at an intersection between the certain first-direction array and the certain second-direction array.