Solid state imaging device having an adjustable width/height ratio

A charge-coupled solid state imaging device comprising a system of sensor elements arranged in rows and columns for converting photo-radiation into electric charges which are transported parallel to the column direction by vertical charge coupled transport means screened against radiation and forming a memory for storing charge packets generated in the sensor elements to a single horizontal readout register comprising a charge-coupled device into which the charges are entered row by row and subsequently read out at an output of the single horizontal register during an active line time interval, means for setting the device in a selected one of two states to obtain a desired image aspect ratio, a first state for obtaining a first image aspect ratio of at least about 16 to 9 in which the signals from all columns of the system are used and a second state for obtaining a second image aspect ratio of at least about 4 to 3 in which the signals from a number of columns are not used, wherein the columns not used in the second state of the device form two strips of columns on two opposite ends of the system, the charges derived from these columns being transferred to the single horizontal readout register simultaneously with the charges from the columns which are used and subsequently being drained from the register in a horizontal blanking interval which lies between two consecutive active line time intervals to increase a frame rate of the imaging device, and wherein in said second state, the charges coming from the unused columns are transported into the horizontal register in the same direction as the used columns and are drained off partly before the active line time interval in which the used charges are read out and partly after this active line time interval.