Imaging device for endoscope equipped with both NTSC system and PAL system

An imaging device for an endoscope equipped with both NTSC system and PAL system, comprising:

• a scope for capturing an observed object;
• an imaging element which images a picture of an observed object and which is suitable for either a number of scanning lines of NTSC system or a number of scanning lines of PAL system;
• an oscillator for NTSC system and an oscillator for PAL system;
• a drive means which selects either of both the oscillators and which drives said imaging element on the basis of a timing signal corresponding to each selected system;
• and
• a picture processing processor that comprises a memory for storing picture data which is timed according to the selected television system, so that a NTSC system picture and a PAL system picture are selectively formed;
• wherein said PAL system oscillator is an oscillator which generates a frequency of N times about 15.625 kHz which is close to a frequency of a horizontal synchronization signal for said NTSC system;
• wherein when said imaging element has a number of scanning lines for said NTSC system and when said PAL system is selected, said picture processing processor executes interpolation processing using the stored picture data which is read out from said memory, so that the picture data corresponding to the number of scanning lines of said PAL system is obtained.