Light detection element

A light detection element comprising:

• a first attenuation circuit that attenuates an input signal at any of three or more attenuation rates according to a signal level and outputs an output signal;
• a first comparator that compares the output signal of the first attenuation circuit with a reference signal;
• and
• a first counter that generates a digital signal according to the input signal on a basis of a comparison result of the first comparator.

A light detection element comprising:

• a plurality of comparators that compares respective separate input signals with reference signals;
• and
• a plurality of counters that generates digital signals according to corresponding input signals on a basis of comparison results of the plurality of comparators,
• wherein an attenuation rate of at least one of each of the input signals and each of the reference signals input to each of the plurality of comparators is individually set for each of the plurality of comparators.