Patent ID: 8384807

Claim:
An imaging element, comprising: a plurality of color filters arranged in a Bayer array where two-row-by-two-column unit grids of primary colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) are arranged; photoelectric conversion elements provided for the respective color filters, each of which elements outputs an analog signal corresponding to an intensity of light having passed through an associated color filter; a signal adder circuit which carries out additions in each of the unit grids, by (i) adding up signals outputted from two photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to different colors of two color filters out of four color filters, and (ii) adding up signals outputted from two photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to remaining two color filters, and then outputs analog signals corresponding to respective results of the additions; and an A/D converter which converts the signals outputted from the signal adder circuit to digital signals and outputs the digital signals; wherein based on the signals outputted from the signal adder circuit, the imaging element outputs: (i) a first digital image signal where signals of one color out of Ye (yellow) and Cy (cyan), and signals of G, are alternately placed; and (ii) a second digital image signal where signals of an other color out of Ye and Cy, which is different from the one color, and signals of Mg (magenta), are alternately placed.