Amplification type image pickup apparatus and method of controlling the amplification type image pickup apparatus

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• an array of unit cells arranged in rows and columns, each having a light-receiving device operable to receive light and generate an electric charge corresponding to the light;
• a plurality of vertical signal lines extending along the columns of unit cells, respectively, each operable to receive an electric data item corresponding to the electric charge generated by the light-receiving device of any unit cell of the associated column;
• a vertical control circuit operable to control the unit cells such that electric data items corresponding to electric charges generated by the light-receiving devices of different rows and accumulated during different periods differing in length, respectively, are read to the vertical signal line during the same horizontal blanking period, and such that electric data items corresponding to electric charges generated by the same light-receiving device and accumulated during different periods differing in length, respectively, are read through the vertical signal line during different horizontal blanking periods;
• a plurality of data-holding circuits operable to temporarily hold the electric data items corresponding to electric charges accumulated during different periods differing in length, respectively, and read from the unit cells of different rows during the same horizontal blanking period under the control of the vertical control circuit;
• a horizontal control circuit operable to control reading of the electric data items from the data-holding circuits;
• a storage circuit configured to store the electric data items read from the data-holding circuits under the control of the horizontal control circuit;
• and
• an adder circuit operable to add the electric data items stored in the storage circuit, which correspond to the electric charges generated by the same light-receiving device and accumulated during different periods differing in length, respectively.