Digital camera which produces a single image based on two exposures

A digital camera, comprising:

• an imager including a vertical transfer register having a plurality of transfer areas, a horizontal transfer register connected to an output terminal of said vertical transfer register, and a plurality of light-receiving elements respectively assigned to said plurality of transfer areas;
• a timing generator connected to said imager, and for applying timing signals to said imager, wherein said timing signals include a first exposure signal for carrying out a first exposure of a first time period, a second exposure signal for carrying out after said first exposure a second exposure of a second time period, which is shorter than said first time period, a first reading signal for reading-out from first light-receiving elements intermittently present in a vertical direction out of said plurality of light-receiving elements to said vertical transfer register first electric charges generated by said first exposure, a second reading signal for reading-out from second light-receiving elements respectively assigned to vacant transfer areas in which no electric charge is present out of said plurality of light-receiving elements to said vertical transfer register second electric charges generated by said second exposure, a vertical transfer signal for transferring the electric charges read-out to said vertical transfer register in a vertical direction, and a horizontal transfer signal for transferring in a horizontal direction the electric charges that reaches said horizontal transfer register by a transfer in accordance with said vertical transfer signal, and wherein said second light receiving elements are intermittently present in the vertical direction, and said first electric charges read out by said first reading signal and said second electric charges read out by said second reading signal are alternately arranged on said vertical transfer register;
• and
• a processor for generating one screen of a first image signal based on said first electric charges and said second electric charges output from said imager;
• an instruction key for inputting an imaging instruction;
• and
• a shutter member arranged at a front surface of said imager, and for cutting-off an irradiation of light into said imager;
• wherein
• said timing signal further includes a third exposure signal output in response to an operation of said instruction key, and for carrying out a third exposure of a third time period, a third reading signal for reading out from said plurality of light-receiving elements to said vertical transfer register third electric charges generated by said third exposure, a second vertical transfer signal for transferring in a vertical direction said third electric charges on said vertical transfer register, a second horizontal transfer signal for transferring in a horizontal direction said third electric charges applied to said horizontal transfer register, a fourth exposure signal for carrying out a fourth exposure after said third exposure, a driving signal output after a fourth time period, which is different from said third time period, has passed since a time of starting said fourth exposure, and for driving said shutter member, a fourth reading signal for reading out fourth electric charges generated by said fourth exposure from said plurality of light-receiving elements to said vertical transfer register after a completion of a vertical transfer of said third electric charges, a third vertical transfer signal for transferring in a vertical direction said fourth electric charges on said vertical transfer register, and a third horizontal transfer signal for transferring in a horizontal direction said fourth electric charges applied to said horizontal transfer register, and said processor generating one screen of a second image signal based on said third electric charges and fourth electric charges output from said imager.