VERTICAL SMEAR CORRECTING DEVICE

PURPOSE:To suppress the increase in the level of a vertical smear component and to keep the level of the smear component required for the correction to a correct value, by detecting the level of the vertical smear component and controlling the storage time of the vertical smear component in response to this level. CONSTITUTION:A video signal including the vertical smear signal from a solid- state image pickup element 1 is applied to an amplifier circuit 42 and an addition/subtraction circuit 48 of a smear correcting circuit 40, and a level detecting and controling circuit 49 monitors the level of the stored smear signal applied from the circuit 42. When the level of this smear signal reaches a prescribed level or over, signal ts and ls are generated from the circuit 49, and the signal ts controls a smear signal readout control circuit 2 to change the readout timing of the vertical smear signal in a vertical blanking period. Further, the signal ls is applied to a regenerating circuit 46 so as to change the gain of the vertical smear signal from a storage circuit 44 and to apply it to the circuit 48. Further, the increase in the level of the vertical smear component is suppressed and the level of the smear component required for the correction is kept to a correct value.