Patent ID: 7095437

Claim:
An electronic camera comprising: an imaging part for driving an imaging device to capture image data representing an image of a subject; an external storage medium interface for writing the image data captured by the imaging part into an external storage medium; a connector for detachably connecting the external storage medium to the external storage medium interface; an external storage medium chamber for receiving the external storage medium connected to the external storage medium interface, the external storage medium chamber having an opening through which the external storage medium is received; a lid for closing the opening of the external storage medium chamber; a power supply part for supplying power to components of the camera; a master switch for turning on and off the power supply part, wherein the master switch is a switch to be operated manually; a detector for detecting that the lid is opened and closed; and a controller for performing suspension of a power supply from the power supply part when the detector detects that the lid is opened while the master switch is on, and for performing resumption of the power supply from the power supply part when the detector detects that the lid is closed during the suspension of the power supply, wherein when the detector detects that the lid is opened while the master switch is turned on, the controller suspends the power supply from the power supply part to at least the external storage medium while maintaining the power supply from the power supply part to the detector while the master switch is on, wherein: the controller has a timer for measuring elapsed time since the power supply from the power supply part is suspended, and the controller turns off the master switch when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time shorter than a time for an automatic power-off control while the detector does not detect that the lid is closed.