JPH0332266B

PURPOSE:To attain excellent still picture, by opening a shutter in synchronizing with a vertical synchronizing signal so as to obtain a image pickup signal of a correct still picture independently of a type of the image pickup element to be employed. CONSTITUTION:A two-dimensional image pickup element 103 is driven in synchronizing with a television synchronizing signal generated from a synchronizing signal generator 107 and an object image is formed on the pickup element 103 via a lens system 101. A shutter device 201 is arranged between the lens 101 and the pickup element 103 and the shutter device 210 is opened with a command of the release switch 203. In recording a still picture, the shutter device 210 is opened in synchronizing with a vertical synchronizing signal of a television synchronizing signal and the reading is stopped at the same time and the stop state is held until the next vertical synchronizing signal. Further, the reading and writing of signal is attained in synchronizing with the vertical synchronizing signal.