Solid-state imaging device, imaging apparatus and signal reading method having photoelectric conversion elements that are targets from which signals are read in the same group

A signal reading method of reading signals from pixels of a solid-state imaging device, the solid-state imaging device including a pixel unit in which pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element and a signal accumulation circuit are arranged in a matrix shape and a plurality of pixels in a range of two or more rows form the same group, the method comprising:

• generating signals by a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements that are targets from which signals are read in the same group;
• associating the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements with a plurality of signal accumulation circuits in the same group of an array having a number of rows smaller than a number of rows in an array of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and transferring the signals generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements to the signal accumulation circuits associated with the respective photoelectric conversion elements;
• and
• outputting the signals accumulated in the signal accumulation circuits for each row.