A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a solid-state image sensor having photosensitive cells and vertical transfer paths. The cells are bidimensionally arranged for converting light incident from a subject via optics to electric charges corresponding to the light to store signal charges. The vertical transfer paths each adjoins the photosensitive cells arranged on a particular column for vertically transferring the signal charges. Before the signal charges are transferred from the cells to the vertical transfer paths, a sweep controller causes unnecessary charges on the vertical transfer paths to be swept out. The sweep controller controls a sweep transfer period necessary for the sweep transfer in dependence upon the amount of the unnecessary charges.
