Electronic camera

Claim 1

An electronic camera system comprising: (a) an image pickup section outputting digital signals and including: an image pickup element; an A/D converter for converting analog signals outputted from said image pickup element into digital signals; solid-state memory means, integral with said image pickup section and having a storage capacity and a first rising time which is required to start recording, for digitally recording at least one frame of digital image signals supplied from said image pickup element; and output means for outputting the digital signals recorded in said solid-state integral memory means; and (b) an external recording section including: a D/A converter for converting input digital signals into analog signals; and analog memory means, having a storage capacity larger than said solid-state integral memory means and having a second rising time longer than said first rising time, for storing the analog signals corresponding to the digital signals output by said image pickup section output means; wherein said external recording section is removably mounted on said image pickup section; and wherein said D/A converter converts the digital signals supplied from said image pickup section output means into the analog signal to be stored in said analog memory means.