Image pickup apparatus and image pickup method

An image pickup method comprising the steps of:

• generating image signals of picked up images;
• converting the image signals generated in the generating step to digital image signals;
• and
• controlling writing the image signals obtained in the converting step in the memory and reading the image signals from the memory,
• wherein the controlling step assigns bands of the memory in order to simultaneously perform writing image signals in the memory and reading the image signals from the memory for displaying picked up images and/or reading the image signals from the memory for recording picked up images at different frame rates.

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• an image pickup unit configured to output image signals of picked up images;
• and
• a plurality of converting units configured to convert the frame rate of the image signals by controlling writing the image signals output from the image pickup unit in a memory and reading the image signals written in the memory,
• wherein the image signals output from the image pickup unit are assigned to the plurality of converting units so that the image signals are arranged in order of sequential pixels when the image signals are read in the plurality of converting units.

An image pickup method comprising the steps of:

• outputting image signals of picked up images;
• and
• converting the frame rate of the image signals in a plurality of converting units by controlling writing the image signals output in the outputting step in a memory and reading the image signals written in the memory,
• wherein the image signals output in the outputting step are assigned to the plurality of converting units so that the image signals are arranged in order of sequential pixels when the image signals are read in the plurality of converting units.