Electronic still camera

An electronic still and motion picture electronic 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, having a multi-track magnetic head for simultaneously recording the image data from the photoelectric conversion unit on a plurality of tracks of a magnetic tape, the magnetic tape having a width and being preformatted with format signals of a frequency lower than an image data recording frequency, the format signals extending over the entire width of the magnetic tape and defining a plurality of record units of a fixed length, each record unit corresponding to one frame, the magnetic recording unit recording still pictures on individual frames and motion pictures on a plurality of successive frames;
• a magnetic reproducing circuit for detecting the format signals on the magnetic tape;
• a controller, operatively connected to the magnetic recording unit and the magnetic reproducing unit, for controlling the recording of still pictures and motion picture image data in accordance with the format signals detected by the magnetic reproducing circuit;
• and
• a magnetic tape drive unit, operatively connected to the controller, for driving the magnetic tape for recording and stopping the magnetic tape after recording.