Patent ID: 8102450

Claim:
A solid-state imaging device comprising: a plurality of pixels each of which is two-dimensionally arranged on a semiconductor substrate and comprises a photoelectric conversion portion configured to convert a light signal to signal charge, a read portion configured to transfer the signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion portion to a floating diffusion, an output portion configured to output the signal charge of the floating diffusion after amplification, and an initializing portion configured to discharge the signal charge of the floating diffusion; and a scanning section for selectively outputting a drive signal to each of the plurality of pixels, wherein during the operation of reading signals from pixels included in a first pixel group of the plurality of pixels and skipping the reading of signals from pixels included in a second pixel group, the read portion transfers signal charge of a photoelectric conversion portion of the pixel included in the first pixel group until the signal charge reaches a first level, and the read portion transfers signal charge of a photoelectric conversion portion of the pixel included in the second pixel group until the signal charge reaches a second level, the second level being different from the first level.