PURPOSE: To decrease the number of image pickup cells, by providing a shutter to an optical information path leading to a CCD to cut off the optical information, and closing the shutter after exposure to read out an electric charge pattern.

CONSTITUTION: The optical information, i.e., the reflected light given from a subject, etc. that is given from an optical information source 4 is fed to a CCD7 via an optical lens 5 and a light shielding shutter 6. The shutter 6 is opened to give the optical information given from the source 4 to the CCD7 via the lens 5. The shutter 6 is closed after an exposure of a certain period of time. Thus an electric sharge pattern formed at the CCD7 is read out via an output register. The number of cells can by cut down to half since no accumulation part is required at the CCD7.