Patent ID: 7586516

Claim:
An image pickup apparatus which records a digital image signal by taking a picture of an object and transfers the recorded digital image signal to an external device, the apparatus comprising: an image memory unit configured to temporarily store the digital image signal obtained by picture taking; a photography preparation state determining unit configured to determine whether or not said image pickup apparatus is in a photography preparation state; a photography running state determining unit configured to determine whether or not said image pickup apparatus is in a photography running state; an image memory accumulation state determining unit configured to determine whether or not a new digital image signal can be accumulated in said image memory unit; a transfer unit configured to transmit the digital image signal accumulated in said image memory unit to the external device; and an image transfer propriety determining unit configured to determine whether or not the digital image signal accumulated in said image memory unit will be transferred to the external device by said transfer unit, wherein, in a case where during the transfer of the digital image signal by said transfer unit, it is determined that said image pickup apparatus is in the photography preparation state or in the photography running state, said image transfer propriety determining unit determines whether or not to continue the transfer of the digital image signal by said transfer unit, on the basis of the determination of said image memory accumulation state determining unit, and in a case where during the transfer of the digital image signal by said transfer unit, it is determined that said image pickup apparatus is neither in the photography preparation state nor in the photography running state, said image transfer propriety determining unit determines whether or not to continue the transfer of the digital image signal by said transfer unit, irrespective of the determination of said image memory accumulation state determining unit.