JPH06133264A - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the convenience of use by forming a non-compression retrieval pattern data area in a memory card. CONSTITUTION:An analog signal from an image pickup system 201 is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter 202 and written in a buffer memory 204 via a changeover switch 203. A compression circuit 205 generates compression or non-compression data and they are recorded on a memory card 112 via an I/F 206. Picture data from the buffer memory 204 are sampled on a 1/N pattern and outputted to the I/F 206 without compression and recorded on the card 112. No missing frame number takes place even when a frame is erased by controlling data so as to move up all patterns after the erased pattern in the case of erasure. Since the non-compression retrieval pattern data area is formed in addition to the usual picture data areas in the card 112, the recorded pattern is quickly confirmed without expansion at reproduction and the camera whose convenience of use is enhanced is manufactured economically with miniaturization.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic still camera (hereinafter referred to as a camera) which records an image signal obtained by an image pickup operation on a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a camera is known which records captured image data on a recording medium (for example, a memory card) which can be attached to and detached from the camera. In such a camera, when the image data is compressed and then recorded,
In some cases, the data may be recorded as it is (without being compressed) without adding compression processing.

There is also known a method of creating a so-called search screen by sampling photographed image data on a 1 / N screen and displaying a plurality of small screens in one screen. Further, there is known a camera or a reproducing device which reproduces image data recorded on a memory card and visually displays the image data on a display device.

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
In order to reproduce the search screen and perform the screen search, it is necessary to decompress the compressed image data of the search screen, which causes a problem that it takes time to reproduce. In the past,
In order to create the search screen, the image data once recorded on the memory card was taken out and sampled on the 1 / N screen, so there is a problem that it cannot be created unless the remaining capacity of the memory card is sufficient. there were. In addition, there is a problem that a special operation for creating the search screen is required, which is troublesome for the photographer.

It is an object of the present invention to make the most effective use of the recordable area of a memory card, and to make a memory card capable of searching a recorded screen and shortening the reproduction time. It is to provide an electronic still camera.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, the recording medium (112) uses the object light as one screen of image pickup screen data received by the photoelectric conversion means (201).
The recording means (206) is controlled so that the object light is recorded on the recording medium as search screen data reduced to an arbitrary size without applying the compression processing by the compression means (205). The recording control means (211) for controlling is constructed in an electronic still camera.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the electronic still camera controls the recording means so that the subject light is recorded on the recording medium as the imaged screen data of one screen received by the photoelectric conversion means, and the subject light is compressed by the compression means. Without adding compression
Since the recording control means is configured to control the recording means to record the retrieval screen data reduced to an arbitrary size on the recording medium, it is possible to quickly confirm the recorded screen without performing the expansion operation during reproduction. It is possible to manufacture an electronic still camera that is easy to use and can create a recorded memory card at low cost and in a small size.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a camera (electronic still camera) using the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows the appearance of the camera. In FIG. 1, an opening 113 is provided on the side surface of the camera body 111. The memory card 112 is inserted into the camera body 111 through the opening 113.
The memory card 112 is a recording medium for recording image data obtained by the main body 111 performing an imaging operation.

On the back surface of the main body 111, a first display device 114,
Second display device (monitor) 115, optical viewfinder 119
An up / down button 120 and a selection switch 121 are provided. The first display device 114 displays the number of frames (the number of captured images) recorded in the memory card, the memory card 11
The number of frames that can be recorded (the remaining number of images that can be captured) is displayed in 2.

The second display device 115 is a display device made of liquid crystal or the like, and is used for displaying the contents of the memory card 112 (images already taken, usage of the memory card, etc.) and as an electronic viewfinder. The up / down button 120 is a button used when reproducing image data in the memory card 112 on the monitor 115 or when searching.

The selection switch 121 is a switch capable of selecting whether or not to record a search screen in addition to the normal screen on the memory card 112 during image pickup. A release button 116 for instructing the start of an exposure operation, a mode setting dial 117, and a select button 118 are provided on the top of the main body 111. The setting dial 117 is normally used for setting shutter speed and aperture, but the display contents of the display device 115 are switched by rotating the setting dial 117 while pressing the select button 118.

Note that it is also possible to perform a so-called overlap display on the display device 115, in which the display of the number of captured images displayed on the display device 114, the remaining number of images that can be captured, and the like are superimposed on the reproduced image. is there. Also display device 115
Normally reproduces and displays the image designated by the photographer among the images recorded in the memory card 112 (hereinafter referred to as the reproduction mode). Select button 118 depending on the photographer
When the setting dial 117 is operated (the setting dial 117 is rotated while pressing the select button 118), the display mode is switched from the playback mode to the video operation mode which functions as an electronic viewfinder. When the release button 116 is pressed halfway down, a movie is output to the electronic viewfinder.

Although not shown, the camera is also provided with a delete button which is operated when deleting the photographed data. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the camera. The image pickup system 201 includes an image pickup lens, a diaphragm, a shutter, and a C
It is composed of a CD, a signal processing circuit and the like, and outputs an analog signal. This analog signal is the A / D converter 202
After being converted to a digital signal by
It is written in the buffer memory 204 via 3.

The output of the buffer memory 204 is branched into the following two according to the purpose of use. One output is the compression circuit 205
Entered in. The compression circuit 205 not only selects the compression ratio according to the operation of the photographer, but also performs uncompressed output in which the input signal is output without being compressed. When the search screen creation selection switch 121 is turned on, as shown in a timing chart (FIG. 8) described later, the main compression circuit 20
First, in step 5, compressed or non-compressed data is created as imaged data, output to the interface circuit and recorded in the memory card. After that, the image data output from the buffer memory 204 is sampled (described later) on the 1 / N screen this time, and the sampled image data is output to the interface circuit without being compressed and recorded in the memory card. Here, the sample will be described with reference to FIG.

Now, it is assumed that there is image pickup data as shown in FIG. This imaging data is displayed on one line as “○ △ × □ ○ △
× □ ”are lined up. This imaging data is 1 /
When the screen of FIG. 4 is sampled, it becomes as shown in FIG.
That is, in the sampled image data, "OO" is lined up on one line, and line 5 is line 5 next to line 1, and line 9 next. Sampling in this way means reducing the image data using the original image data. The other output of the buffer memory 204 is a D / A converter
It is reproduced as a still image on the LCD monitor 115 on the back side of the camera through 208, the changeover switch 209 and the adding circuit 210. In the LCD monitor 115, in addition to the image signal, information such as various recording conditions stored together with the image signal in the memory card 112 is discriminated by the CPU 211, and converted into an image signal by the addition circuit 210 as a signal such as a character or a symbol. It is also displayed superimposed. The character signal and the like are simultaneously displayed on the display device 114.

Further, the CPU 211 is provided with a release button 116, a setting dial 117, a select button 118, and an up / down button 120.
, An operation unit 212 including a search screen creation selection switch 121, etc.
Various setting signals from are input. Further, the data in the memory card is expanded by the expansion circuit 207 via the interface circuit 206, and the changeover switch 203, D /
It is displayed on the LCD monitor 115 via the A converter 208, the changeover switch 209, and the addition circuit 210. Here, if the data stored in the memory card 112 is uncompressed, the decompression circuit 207 naturally outputs nothing as it is without any processing.

When the LCD monitor 115 is used as an electronic viewfinder, the analog video signal obtained from the image pickup section 201 is changed over by a switch 209 and an adder circuit.
Input to the LCD monitor 115 via 210. Next, writing and reading of image signals to and from the memory card 112 and display of images on the display device 115 under the control of the CPU 211 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. However, it is assumed here that the memory card 112 has already been inserted into the camera body 111 and that the memory card 112 cannot be pulled out during the operation.

First, when a power switch (not shown) is turned on in step S300, power is supplied to the CPU 211 and step S3 is performed.
Go to 01. In step S301, it is determined whether the display mode of the LCD monitor 115 is the reproduction mode. If it is set to the reproduction mode, the process proceeds to step S302, and if it is not set, the process proceeds to step S312.

In step S302, the memory card 112
It is determined whether or not the image data is read from. Here, as a condition for proceeding to the next step S303 for reading out image data, when it is detected that the reproduction mode is set for the first time after the power switch is turned on, the display mode is changed from the moving image mode to the motion mode while the power is on. This is one of the three cases of switching to the reproduction mode, or operating the up / down button 120 in the reproduction mode. If these are not the case, it means that the image data has already been written in the buffer memory 204, and the process advances to step S308.

In the case of any of the above three cases, the process proceeds to step S303. In step S303, it is determined whether the search screen creation selection switch 121 is ON or OFF. switch
If 121 is OFF, the process proceeds to step S304, and if ON, the process proceeds to step S306. In step S304, the image data of one frame selected by the up / down button 120 is read from the image data area of the memory card 112. Then step
Proceed to S305.

If the read image data is compressed in step S305, it is expanded, and if it is not compressed, the process proceeds to the next step S307 via the changeover switch 203. Buffer memory in step S307
Write to 204. On the other hand, if the search screen creation selection switch 121 described above is ON, step S306
Image No. selected with UP / DOWN button 120. To total N
The search screen data for the screen is read from the search screen data area of the memory card 112, and similarly the changeover switch 203
The data is written to the buffer memory 204 in step S307 via.

Thereafter, in step S308, the buffer memory 204
The image data is read from and the process proceeds to step S309. In step S309, D / A conversion is performed, the changeover switch 209 and the addition circuit 210 are passed through, and a still image is reproduced on the LCD monitor 115 in step S310. After that, the power is turned on in step S311.
Unless FF is performed, the process returns to step S301 and the above-described flow is repeated to select the still screen for one screen or N
The screen search screen is reproduced on the LCD monitor 115.
On the other hand, if the display mode is set to the moving image mode in step S301, the process proceeds to step S312.

In step S312, it is determined whether or not the timer 213, which has started counting the time when the power is turned on, has finished counting the predetermined time. Release button 16 before the specified time elapses
If no operation is performed on the LCD monitor 115, nothing is displayed on the LCD monitor 115 and the process proceeds to step S313. In this case, in step S313, since the display has not been started from the beginning, the process directly proceeds to step S311.

On the other hand, in step S312, if the predetermined time has not elapsed and the timer is operating, step S314
Go to. In step S314, it is detected whether or not the release button 116 is half pressed. When it is detected that the button has been half-pressed, the process proceeds to the next step S315. If the button has not been pressed halfway, the process returns to step S301 and waits for a display mode change.

In step S315, the image signal obtained from the image pickup unit 201 is displayed on the LCD monitor 115 via the changeover switch 209 and the adder circuit 210, the LCD monitor 115 is operated as an electronic viewfinder, and the process proceeds to step S316. . In step S316, it is determined whether or not the timer 213, which has started to count a predetermined time after the half-push switch is turned on, is operating, and while the timer 213 is operating, the release button 11
If 6 has not been pressed all the way and a certain time has passed, the process proceeds to step S313.

In this case, in step S313, the LCD monitor
Turn off the movie displayed with 115. On the other hand, during the timer operation, it is detected in step S317 whether or not the release button 116 is fully pressed, and if it is not fully pressed, the process returns to step S301 to wait for the change of the display mode. When it is detected in step S317 that the release button 116 has been fully pressed during the timer operation, the next image capturing operation after step S318 is started.

In step S318, the image signal obtained by exposing the CCD is input, and the flow advances to step S319. A / D conversion is performed in step S319, and the process proceeds to step S320. In step S320, the data is once written in the buffer memory 204. Then step S321
Then, the image signal is read from the buffer memory 204, and the destination is divided into two paths.

One is a path for displaying the captured image on the LCD monitor 115 in steps S322 to 323, and the other is a path for writing the captured image in the memory card 112 in steps S324 to 328. First, in the path displayed on the LCD monitor 115, the captured image signal read from the buffer memory 204 in step S322 is D / A converted in step S322, passes through the changeover switch 209 and the adder circuit 210, and is switched to L in step S323.
The image just captured is displayed on the CD monitor 115 as a still image. The time for displaying the still image may be long enough to allow the photographer to confirm the captured image in consideration of continuous shooting.

In the path for writing to the other memory card 112, first, the image signal is read from the buffer memory 204 in step S321, and the compression circuit 205 in step S324 performs processing according to compression or non-compression, and then in step S325.
Memory card 1 via interface circuit 206 at
Write to 12 image data areas (details of which will be described later).

After that, it is confirmed whether the search screen creation selection switch 121 is ON or OFF. If the switch 121 is ON, the process proceeds to step S327, and if it is OFF, the process proceeds to step S329.
In step S327, the image data is sampled on the 1 / N screen, and the process proceeds to step S328. In step S328, the compression circuit 20
Send to 5. However, in this case, the compression circuit 205 is not compressed.
To only go through. Then, the data is written in the search screen data area (details will be described later) of the memory card 112 via the interface circuit 206, and the process proceeds to step S329.

On the other hand, if the switch 121 is OFF, the search screen is not created and the next step S329 is immediately executed.
Go to. In this way, when the writing to the memory card 112 is completed and the display of the image pickup screen on the LCD monitor 115 is completed, the display of a moving image, that is, the LCD
The monitor operates as an electronic viewfinder, returns to step S301, and waits for the next imaging. here,
An example of the allocation of the image data area and the search screen data area in the memory card 112, which has appeared in the above description, will be described with reference to FIG.

The image data area is set by sequentially storing imaged frames from the beginning of the memory logical area, while the search screen data area is stored in reverse order from the end of the memory logical area. Is set. In addition, in the memory card, there is provided a management data area for recording management data such as data length and address of each image data. In this management data area, image pickup screen management data corresponding to each image pickup screen and each search screen, and search screen management data are recorded. In addition, it is usually desirable that the recording screen and the search screen correspond to each other in a 1: 1 manner. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when a memory card in which only some of the normal screens are already recorded is inserted in the camera. Even if the search screen creation selection switch 121 is ON, a warning is displayed on the monitor or a warning is given by a buzzer or the like to inform the user that this setting is invalid. I have to.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart showing this operation. Note that this flow includes steps S301 and S312 in FIG.
It should be placed between the two. In step S401, it is determined whether or not the search screen creation selection switch 121 is ON. If it is ON, the process proceeds to step S402, and if it is OFF, the process proceeds to step S312 of FIG.

In step S402, it is determined whether or not the search screen is recorded on the memory card. This determination is made based on the management data recorded on the memory card. If there is a search screen, the steps of FIG. 4 described above
Proceed to S312 to repeat the above operation. If there is no search screen, the process proceeds to step S403. A warning operation is performed in step S403. This warning operation may be performed by the LCD, blinking or lighting of an LED (not shown), or a sound such as a buzzer (not shown). This warning prompts the user to turn off the search screen creation switch. Then, the process returns to step S401 and the above operation is repeated. Further, in this embodiment, when a certain frame is deleted, the search screen is also deleted at the same time, and all the screens after the deletion screen are moved up so that the frame number does not have a missing number. This sequence is shown in FIG.

This flow starts when the data erasing button (not shown) is operated to turn on the erasing switch (not shown).
In step S501, the imaging screen management data corresponding to the imaging screen data of the frame number N is deleted in order to delete the specified frame (the frame number is N) specified by the eraser frame selection button (not shown) by the photographer. to erase. Erasing the management data here means rewriting the management data to information indicating that nothing is recorded in the imaging data area corresponding to the management data. After that, it advances to step S502.

In step S502, the search screen for the designated piece is deleted. This deletion method is similar to step S501 described above, and deletes the search screen management data corresponding to the search screen. After that, it advances to step S503. In step S503,
The management data of both the Nth frame and the subsequent frames (N + 1th frame and subsequent frames) (that is, the management data for the imaging screen and the search screen)
Rewrite so that it is carried up one by one. Specifically, the frame number before erasing is rewritten to N + 1, and the frame number that was N + 1 is rewritten to N.

As described above, by controlling the data so that the screens after the erase screen are all moved up when erased, even if a certain frame is erased, a missing frame number will not occur. Next, when a memory card whose recorded contents are unknown is inserted into the camera, it is necessary to inform the user of the number of imaged frames or the number of remaining frames, regardless of the confirmation of the screen recorded in the card. Regarding the number of imaged frames, it is easy to detect and display the number of imaged frames by reading the management data area in the above-mentioned card. An example will be described below.

First, let M be the effective remaining capacity of the memory card, D be the amount of data per frame of the normal screen, R be the amount of data sampled for I / N for retrieval, and X be the number of remaining frames. , And the following relations hold between them: 0 ≦ M−X · (D + R) <D + R, where X is a non-negative integer. Solving this gives the following: {M− (D + R)} / (D + R) <X ≦ M / (D + R) Here, for example, M = 2 MB (bytes), D = 0.05 M
If B and R = 0.1 MB, the required number of remaining frames X is 12.3 <X ≦ 13.3. Since the integer value that satisfies this is 13, the required number of remaining frames is 13.

Here, the sampled data amount R is always constant because it is uncompressed data, but the data amount D for one frame has a value that greatly differs depending on the operation mode of the camera. For example, first, in the non-compression mode, D is an amount corresponding to all the pixels of the image pickup device, and in that case, there is a relation of D = NR. Next, in the compression mode, if the compression method is the fixed-length coding method in which the code amount after compression is always a constant value, D
Is a fixed value, and the number of remaining frames can be uniquely determined. However, in the case of a variable length coding method in which the code amount after compression does not become constant, it is impossible to make the value of D constant, so the manufacturer actually images various screens in advance and It is better to predict the data value and use this as the value of D.

FIG. 8 shows an example of an image pickup sequence by this electronic camera. (A) is a vertical synchronizing signal, (B) is a release switch, (C) is a signal for discharging unnecessary charges from the CCD, (D) is a signal indicating the exposure state of the CCD, and (E) is writing to the buffer memory 204. A signal, (F) is a read signal from the buffer memory 204, (G) is a write signal to the memory card, and (H) is a changeover signal of the changeover switch 209.

First, assuming that the video operation mode (electronic viewfinder) is set when the power switch is turned on, by turning on the half-press switch,
The moving image continues to be displayed at the timing of the vertical synchronizing signal of (A) (state before time T1). At this time, the changeover switch 209 is set so that the analog signal from the CCD goes directly to the monitor (H).

When the release switch is turned on at time T1, charging of the front curtain of the shutter which has been in the valve state until then is started. At time T2 when the front curtain charge is completed, the vertical synchronizing signal is reset and unnecessary charges of the CCD are discharged. After the discharge is completed, the CCD is exposed for the period shown in (D). After the exposure is completed, the image signal is read from the CCD at time T3 in synchronism with the vertical synchronizing signal, A / D converted, and then the data is written in the buffer memory 204.

Immediately after the time T4 when the image data for one frame from the CCD is written in the buffer memory 204, compression is started from the buffer memory 204 in a block unit of 8 × 8 pixels by using known DCT encoding or the like. Data is written to the memory card 112 at the same time when the compression for each block is completed. Here, the buffer memory 20
For the speed of reading data from 4, it is necessary to reduce the clock rate so that the compression circuit can follow it. After the time T5 when the compression and the writing to the memory card are finished, the data is read out at the normal clock rate from the time T6 when the first synchronization signal is generated, the data is D / A converted, and then the LCD
While playing back a still image on the monitor 115 for recording confirmation,
The data is sampled into I / N, and the compression circuit does not perform compression and simply allows it to pass, thereby writing a search screen in the memory card 112 as shown in (G). The writing of the search screen ends at time T7, which is one frame time later, but the recording confirmation screen continues to be reproduced on the LCD monitor until time T8. It is desirable that the reproduction time for confirming the recording is, for example, about 0.1 sec to 0.5 sec.

Further, the changeover switch 209 is changed over to pass the output from the D / A conversion circuit 208 during this recording confirmation period (H). When the still image reproduction ends at time T8, the normal video operation mode is resumed thereafter, the rear curtain is charged as shown in (D), and the changeover switch shown in (H) directly outputs the analog signal from the CCD. Switched to enter.

Although the timing of the exposure calculation is not mentioned in the above description, it is possible to calculate it in the video operation mode before the release. However,
If the camera does not have a video operation function, the exposure (T1) to exposure (T2
) Becomes longer. In this example,
Although the search screen creation selection switch 121 is independently provided, the present invention is not limited to this. By operating the setting dial 117 and the mode selection button 118 in combination, various operation modes of the camera, such as the search described above, can be obtained. Even if the screen creation selection mode, memory card initialization mode, single frame deletion mode, search screen playback / single screen playback selection mode, compressed / non-compressed recording selection mode, compression rate selection mode, etc. can be switched. good.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, not only the data of the photographing screen but also the data of the search screen which is uncompressed data is passed through the compression circuit 205 to the memory card.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and when the search screen data is created by providing a changeover switch between the buffer memory 204 and the compression circuit 205, the compression circuit 20
Buffer memory 204 to memory card 11 without going through 5
It may be recorded directly in 2.

Further, in this embodiment, initially, the memory card
When both the image pickup screen and the search screen are recorded in 112, it is possible to stop the creation of the search screen halfway and record only the image pickup screen. In that case, the search screen only includes the image pickup frames in the middle, and subsequent searches are performed on the image pickup screen. Further, in the present embodiment, the data storage method is physically explained for the sake of easy understanding, but in software, for example, the type of image data, the data length, etc. are recorded in the directory area. You can also This makes it easy to obtain the remaining capacity of the memory card and reproduce only the search screen.

[0048]

As described above, according to the present invention, the non-compressed search screen data area is formed in the memory card in addition to the normal image data area, so that the recording can be performed even if the data is not expanded during reproduction. It is possible to quickly check the displayed screen, and to manufacture an easy-to-use electronic camera at low cost and in a small size. In addition, since no hardware or software for decompression is required, the contents of the memory card created by this electronic camera can be easily checked even if it is loaded into a personal computer using a general-purpose card reader. Becomes

According to the second aspect, since the search screen is created at the time of image pickup, the search screen can be created without worrying about the remaining capacity of the memory card. Further, since the user is not required to perform a special operation for creating the search screen, the usability is improved for the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic still camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the electronic still camera of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a sampling operation.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the electronic still camera shown in FIG.

5 is a diagram showing allocation of a logical memory space in a memory card created by the electronic still camera of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of the camera.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation of erasing data by this camera.

8 is a timing chart showing the operation of the electronic still camera shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols for main parts]

 111 camera body 112 memory card 114, 115 display device 115 display device 116 release button 117 mode setting dial 118 select button 119 optical viewfinder 120 up / down button

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An electronic still camera with a removable recording medium, wherein photoelectric conversion means receives light from an object and converts the light from the object into an electric signal; and A / D conversion means to digitize the electric signal. A temporary storage means for temporarily storing the output signal of the A / D conversion means, a compression means for compressing the output signal from the temporary storage means, and an electric signal corresponding to the subject light on a recording medium. An electronic still camera having a recording unit for controlling the recording unit to record the output of the temporary storage unit as it is or by the compression unit to record the imaged screen data of one screen on the recording medium. Recording the output of the temporary storage means to the recording medium as search screen data reduced to an arbitrary size without applying compression processing by the compression means An electronic still camera characterized by comprising a recording control means for controlling the stage. 2. The electronic still device according to claim 1, wherein the recording control unit controls the recording unit to record the imaging screen data and the search screen data in the recording medium during an imaging operation. camera. 3. The recording control means, in order from the one end of the image recording area of the recording medium, the imaging screen data,
The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the recording unit is controlled to record the search screen data in order from the other end of the area. 4. The both screen data is recorded on the recording medium via the compression means, and the compression means can decompress the output signal from the temporary storage means. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the compression unit uncompresses the search screen data. 5. An erasing unit for erasing data recorded on the recording medium, and an erasing control unit for controlling an operation of the erasing unit, wherein the erasing control unit erases the imaging screen data. 2. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the erasing means is controlled so that the search screen data is also erased when brought into a state. 6. An externally operable device, comprising selection means for selecting whether or not to record the search screen data in the recording medium, wherein the recording control means performs the recording by the selection means. Is selected, the recording means is controlled so as to perform the recording, and the selecting means controls the recording means so as not to perform the recording when it is selected not to perform the recording. The electronic still camera according to claim 1. 7. Detecting means for detecting that only the image-capturing screen data is recorded on the recording medium, and recording the search screen on the recording medium when the detecting means makes the detection. 7. The electronic still camera according to claim 6, further comprising: a prohibition unit that prohibits.