Data storage management system for camera and camera system

A digital camera, comprising:

• a storage component for storing image data obtained by photographing;
• an input component for inputting designation information that designates the image data to be inhibited from being erased from the storage component;
• a setting component for setting inhibition of erasing of the image data in accordance with the designation information;
• an external storage component for storing the image data stored in the storage component in an external storage device;
• and
• a control component for performing control so that an inhibition of erasing set to the image data in the storage component is canceled when the image data stored in the external storage device by the external storage component is image data to which the inhibition of erasing is set,
• wherein the input component further inputs count information indicating the number of times the image data to which the inhibition of erasing has been set is to be stored in the external storage device as a condition of cancellation of the inhibition of erasing performed by the control component, and
• wherein the control component performs control so that the inhibition of erasing set to the image data is canceled when the image data to which the inhibition of erasing has been set is stored in the external storage device the number of times indicated by the count information.

A method for controlling a digital camera including a storage component for storing image data obtained by photographing, comprising the steps of:

• inputting count information indicating a number of times the image data is to be stored as a condition of canceling an inhibition of erasing set to the image data;
• storing the image data stored in the storage component in an external storage device;
• and
• canceling the inhibition of erasing set to the image data in the storage component only when the image data to which the inhibition of erasing has been set is stored in an external storage device the number of times indicated by the count information.

A method for controlling a digital camera including a storage component for storing image data obtained by photographing, comprising the steps of:

• inputting count information indicating a number of times the image data is to be stored as a condition of canceling an inhibition of erasing the image data;
• storing the image data stored in the storage component in an external storage device;
• and
• automatically erasing the image data from the storage component only after storing the image data in an external storage device the number of times indicated by the count information without querying the user when the image data are set to be inhibited from being erased from the storage component.

A digital camera, comprising:

• a storage component configured to store image data obtained by photographing;
• an input component configured to set an auto-set mode based on a selection by a user;
• and
• a setting component configured to set a protection attribute of the image data to indicate that the image data is protected for all image data obtained subsequent to the setting of the auto-set mode by the input component,
• wherein the input component is further configured to set a count variable, the count variable representing a minimum number of back up copies of the image data is to be stored in the external system before the protection attribute of the image data in the storage component can be unset.