Image pickup device and solid-state image pickup element

An image capture device comprising:

• a solid-state image sensor including an array of pixels and a number of light-transmitting portions, wherein the array of pixels is made up of a number of pixels that are arranged two-dimensionally on an imaging area in a first direction and in a second direction that intersects with the first direction and the array is divided into a number of unit pixel blocks, each of which is made up of N pixels (where N is an integer that is equal to or greater than two), and wherein each said light-transmitting portion is provided for an associated one of the pixels and is divided into M areas (where M is an integer that is equal to or greater than two) that are arranged in the first direction, the respective areas have had their optical transmittances set independently of each other, and the arrangement patterns of the optical transmittances of N light-transmitting portions that are provided for N pixels included in each said unit pixel block vary from one light-transmitting portion to another;
• an optical system for producing an image on the imaging area of the solid-state image sensor;
• a shifting section for changing the relative position of the image with respect to the light-transmitting portions in at least one of the first and second directions;
• and
• a signal processing section for generating an image, of which the resolution is higher than the resolution that is defined by a pixel pitch of the array of pixels in the first direction, based on the output signals of respective pixels of the solid-state image sensor.