An optical imaging system for use as a solid-state camera, for example, which includes a plurality of solid-state elements for providing long-term storage of images, such elements being, for example, MNOS chips having a plurality of storage cells, which chips when exposed to an image focussed thereon can store a representation thereof. The chips are at a later time optically addressed, as by a scanning-light beam, to read out the stored image so as to provide an electrical output representing the stored image, such output being usable to provide a visual representation of the image such as on a display screen or in hard copy form.