SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE

PURPOSE:To prevent the generation of a screen defect caused by a glass cap of an image pickup plate, a foreign matter of a crystal filter, etc., contamination, distortion, etc., by constituting the title device so that the lens diaphragm quantity can be limited at the time of photographing an object to be photographed of a high illuminance. CONSTITUTION:A solid-state image pickup element MID has a sensitivity variable function, and a read-out signal outputted from the solid-state image pickup element MID is amplified by a pre-amplifier. This amplifying signal Vout is used as a television image signal on the one hand, and utilized for an automatic diaphragm control on the other hand. Also, in a comparatively high illuminance area, a stopped-down-aperture by a mechanical lens diaphragm mechanism MF is limited and an automatic exposure control which the sensitivity variable function of the solid-state image pickup element MID is governing is executed, and in a comparatively low illuminance area, an exposure control in which the mechanical lens diaphragm mechanism MF is governing is executed. In such a way, since a lens diaphragm is limited at the time of photographing of an object to be photographed of a high illuminance, the generation of a screen defect caused by a glass cap of an image pickup plate, a foreign matter of a crystal filter, etc., contamination, distortion, etc., can be prevented.