Controlling communications in a camera system including a camera body and an interchangeable lens

A camera system having an interchangeable lens and a camera body from which the interchangeable lens can be removed, wherein:

• the interchangeable lens comprises:
• a storage unit which stores data relating to a communication operation between the interchangeable lens and the camera body;
• and
• a lens control unit which communicates with the camera body, and controls an operation of the interchangeable lens at a control instruction from the camera body;
• the camera body comprises:
• an imaging unit which photographs a subject on an imaging element by using the interchangeable lens at a specified frame rate and generates image data;
• a body control unit which communicates with the lens control unit and controls an operation of the camera body;
• and
• a timing signal transmission unit which transmits a timing signal at the frame rate to the lens control unit under control of the body control unit;
• the body control unit acquires data relating to a communication operation stored in the storage unit via a communication with the lens control unit, determines a transmission period of the timing signal according to the acquired data, and controls the timing signal transmission unit on the basis of the determined transmission period,
• wherein data relating to the communication operation is related to a time required for a communication of a control instruction transmitted from the body control unit to the lens control unit, and
• wherein
• a time required for a communication of the control instruction is set so that a time required for a process of the interchangeable lens control unit transmitting necessary information for driving of the interchangeable lens to the body control unit, and a time required for a process of the body control unit transmitting a drive instruction of the interchangeable lens to the lens control unit may be included in a period in which a communication between the camera body and the interchangeable lens is permitted.