Electronic still camera

An electronic still and motion picture camera, comprising:

• an optical system;
• a photoelectric conversion unit including a sensor for converting an optical image from the optical system into electrical signals corresponding to image data;
• a magnetic recording unit, operatively connected to the photoelectric conversion unit, for recording the image data from the photoelectric conversion unit on a magnetic tape, the magnetic tape being preformatted with tape marks to have a plurality of record units of a fixed length, each record unit corresponding to one frame, the magnetic recording unit recording still pictures on photographing units including a single frame and motion pictures on photographing units including plurality of frames, the record area preceeding each photographing unit being a non-record area used as a start and stop area for starting and stopping the magnetic tape;
• a format signal detector for detecting the tape marks on the magnetic tape;
• a controller, operatively connected to the format signal detector, for controlling the magnetic recording unit so as to record the image data in the area of each record unit of the magnetic tape in accordance with the signal detected by the format signal detector;
• and
• a magnetic tape drive unit, operatively connected to the format signal detector and the controller, for driving the magnetic tape for recording and stopping the magnetic tape after recording.