High-definition still picture camera having a solid-state imaging device with photoelectric conversion elements divided into four fields

A solid-state imaging device comprising:

• a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, arranged in rows and columns in a matrix form, each of said photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to a pixel and the rows being divided into first and second frame regions;
• a plurality of vertical charge transfer paths formed between each column of said photoelectric conversion elements;
• and
• a horizontal charge transfer path coupled to a terminal portion of each of said vertical charge transfer paths, said horizontal charge transfer path consisting of a pair of horizontal charge transfer lines, each of which transfers a different signal charge,
• drive signals of said vertical charge transfer paths and said horizontal charge transfer lines are supplied wherein pixel signals generated at said photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to one of said first and second frame regions are transferred to transfer elements in a field shift period corresponding to said one frame region and thereafter transferred toward said horizontal charge transfer lines at every two rows in accordance with said drive signals, said pixel signals being outputted chronologically, and said transferred pixel signals are horizontally transferred by said horizontal charge transfer lines at every two rows for thereby outputting said pixel signals corresponding to said one frame region, and
• pixel signals generated at said photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to the other one of said first and second frame regions are transferred to transfer elements in a field shift period corresponding to said other frame region and thereafter transferred toward said horizontal charge transfer lines at every two rows in accordance with said drive signals, said pixel signals being outputted chronologically, and said transferred pixel signals are horizontally transferred by said horizontal charge transfer at every two rows for thereby outputting said pixel signals for said other frame region.