Patent ID: 7595830

Claim:
An imaging device comprising: a pixel circuit comprising: multiple pixels each having a photoelectric conversion unit and transfer means for transferring signal charges output from the photoelectric conversion units; capacitance means for storing the signal charges transferred from the transfer means; signal amplifying means for amplifying and outputting signals corresponding to the signal charges stored in the capacitance means; reset means for resetting the signal charges stored in the capacitance means; and pixel selection means for selecting each pixel to read a signal from, wherein the imaging device has an all-pixel read mode for reading signals from all the pixels and a pixel downsampling read mode for reading signals of pixels by discarding the others, wherein adjacent ones of the pixels use the capacitance means, the signal amplifying means, the reset means and the pixel selection means in common, and wherein in the pixel downsampling read mode, not only the capacitance means but also the photoelectric conversion units of pixels to be discarded are used as capacitances for storing the signal charges transferred from the transfer means so as to lower voltage applied to the signal amplifying means as compared with the case of using only the capacitance means as a capacitance for storing signal charges transferred from the transfer means, thereby reducing sensitivity of the pixels.