Image pickup device, imaging apparatus containing the same, and control method thereof

摘要

An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus capable of obtaining a sufficient resolution in a picture signal for zooming in on an output signal of an image pickup device by means of an electronic zoom process and a control method thereof. To attain this object, a timing generator generates a timing signal for controlling timing for reading charges to an image pickup device and the timing for mixing or transferring the charges. A zoom control portion determines a scaling factor for, by signal processing, expanding or reducing picture data generated based on the output signal of the image pickup device. The zoom control portion also determines the number of mixed pixels and a cutout range of the charges in the image pickup device. A vertical scaling factor control portion controls the timing generator so that mixture of the charges and charge transfer will be compliant with the number of mixed pixels and the cutout range respectively as determined by the zoom control portion.