Patent ID: 7092010

Claim:
An image photographing system comprising: an image server connected to a computer network; image saving areas managed by the image server; a communication apparatus for communicating with the image server; and an image photographing device that includes a photographing component, which converts an optical image into image data, a built-in storage component in which the image data is temporarily stored, a first communication component, which can communicate with the communication apparatus, a save control component which saves the image data, photographed by the photographing component and temporarily stored in the storage component, in the image saving area by the communication apparatus, in such a way that the image data is transferred to the communication apparatus via the first communication component when an instruction is given for the image data to be saved, and a management component which stores the number of times written according to a predetermined procedure, which updates the stored number of times each time the save control component saves the image data, and which prevents at least one of the photographing by the photographing component and the saving of the image data by the save control component when the number of times has become equal to a predetermined value, wherein, as an equivalent for a rental fee paid by a user, the image photographing device is lent to the user after the number of times has been written into the image photographing device according to the predetermined procedure, or after attaching information required for the user to personally write the number of times into the image photographing device according to the predetermined procedure, and one of the image saving areas is opened and dedicated to the user, the user is allowed to browse, via the communication apparatus, the images expressed by the image data which the user has saved in the image saving area dedicated to the user, and when an order has been placed via the communication apparatus by the user, for printing a specified one of the images expressed by the image data saved in the image saving area, a photographic print is created by employing the image data saved in the image saving area, whereupon the created photographic print is delivered to the user.