Solid-state image pickup apparatus capable of realizing image pickup with wide dynamic range and at high frame rate, control method therefor, and storage medium

A control method for a solid-state image pickup apparatus that has a pixel unit in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a two-dimensional matrix and obtains image data based on pixel signals output from the pixels according to amounts of light incident on the pixels, the pixel unit having first pixels having a first sensitivity to the light and second pixels having a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity, the first pixels and the second pixels being alternately arranged in a row direction, comprising:

• a first signal processing step of, when reading out the pixel signals from the pixel unit, reading out the pixel signals from the first pixels as first pixel signals and performing analog-to-digital conversion of the first pixel signals to obtain first digital signals;
• a second signal processing step of, when reading out the pixel signals from the pixel unit, reading out the pixel signals from the second pixels as second pixel signals and performing analog-to-digital conversion of the second pixel signals to obtain second digital signals;
• and
• an output step of outputting the first digital signals and the second digital signals as image data.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for causing a computer to implement a control method for a solid-state image pickup apparatus that has a pixel unit in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a two-dimensional matrix and obtains image data based on pixel signals output from the pixels according to amounts of light incident on the pixels, the pixel unit having first pixels having a first sensitivity to the light and second pixels having a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity, the first pixels and the second pixels being alternately arranged in a row direction, the control method comprising:

• a first signal processing step of, when reading out the pixel signals from the pixel unit, reading out the pixel signals from the first pixels as first pixel signals and performing analog-to-digital conversion of the first pixel signals to obtain first digital signals;
• a second signal processing step of, when reading out the pixel signals from the pixel unit, reading out the pixel signals from the second pixels as second pixel signals and performing analog-to-digital conversion of the second pixel signals to obtain second digital signals;
• and
• an output step of outputting the first digital signals and the second digital signals as image data.