Patent ID: 7786448

Claim:
An imaging apparatus comprising: a detection unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in row and column directions, wherein each of the pixels includes a conversion element for converting incident radiation or incident light into an electric charge and a switch element for transferring an electric signal corresponding to the electric charge; a drive circuit unit for driving a plurality of the switch elements arranged in the row direction to transfer the electric signals in parallel from the pixels arranged in the row direction; a read-out circuit unit for reading out the electric signals in parallel, wherein the read-out circuit unit comprises a first sampling and holding circuit for performing a first sampling and holding operation to sample and hold an electric signal from pixels arranged along one column of the detection unit, and a second sampling and holding circuit for performing a second sampling and holding operation to sample and hold an electric signal from pixels arranged along another column of the detection unit; and a control unit for controlling the read-out circuit unit, wherein the control unit controls the first and second sampling and holding circuits, such that (1) a timing of starting the first sampling and holding operation is different from a timing of starting the second sampling and holding operation or (2) a timing of ending the first sampling and holding operation is different from a timing of ending the second sampling and holding operation, and such that (3) a first period of performing the first sampling and holding operation is partially overlapped with a second period of performing the second sampling and holding operation is partially overlapped.