An active pixel including a precharge circuit for a sample and hold (S/H) stage and methods of operating the same are provided. In addition to the precharge circuit and S/H stage, the pixel may include a sensor circuit to generate a signal in response to electromagnetic radiation received on a photodetector included therein, and a multiplexer circuit. The S/H stage may include a switching-element to couple the signal from the sensor circuit to a capacitor element in the S/H stage to read-out and store the signal. The multiplexer circuit may include a switching-element coupled to an output node of the capacitor element to couple the signal to a column. The precharge circuit may include a switching-element coupled between the output node of the capacitor element and the column to precharge the capacitor element to a fixed voltage applied to the column when the S/H stage is not reading-out the signal.