A color filter array is applied to an interline CCD (image pickup element) in which a vertical CCD is driven in eight phases). The reading operation is performed as follows: photoelectrically converted carriers for two horizontal lines are transferred to the vertical CCD every third lines (e.g., C in the first line and M in the second line, C in the fifth line and G in the sixth line,... are transferred to the vertical CCD), and residual photoelectrically converted carriers (the Y carrier in the third line, the G carrier in the fourth line, the Y carrier in the seventh line, and the M carrier in the eighth line) are discharged by a substrate discharge operation. Thereafter, the photoelectrically converted carriers in the vertical CCD are sequentially transferred in the vertical CCD, and are output via a horizontal CCD and an output amplifier. Chrominance signal carriers on the 1/2PH axis generated by the color filter array of this invention can be removed by an optical LPF.