Patent ID: 7705896

Claim:
An imaging apparatus, comprising image pickup elements for obtaining image signals and a control device which control read-out of image signals from the image pickup elements, wherein the image pickup elements comprise: light receiving elements which separate incident light into R, G and B colors and photoelectrically convert the incident light separated into the individual colors to obtain image signals including R, G and B signals corresponding to each of the colors; a vertical transfer channel for vertically transferring an image signal read out from the light receiving elements; and a horizontal transfer channel for horizontally transferring the vertically transferred image signal, the control device comprises: a read-out control device which applies a reading pulse to the light receiving elements to control read-out of the image signal from the light receiving elements; a vertical transfer control device which controls vertical transfer of an image signal read out onto the vertical transfer channel; a horizontal transfer control device which controls horizontal transfer of an image signal read out onto the horizontal transfer channel; and a driving control device which controls the read-out control device and the vertical transfer control device so that the R and B signals are each vertically added for a first number of vertical addition pixels and the G signals are vertically added for a second number of vertical addition pixels that is larger than the first number of vertical addition pixels.