The present invention is concerned with an electronic still camera for photographing a subject by use of an image sensing device such as a solid state image sensing device and the image signal thereof is recorded into a rotary recording medium such as a magnetic disc. With this electronic still camera, photographing in an electronic view finder ( EVF) mode and a movie still mode in addition to a normal mode can be performed. The EVF mode is the mode for making exposure of the image of the subject to the normally open image sensing means by use of an electronic finder to observe the subject, and subsequently, releasing an exposure device for a period of time required for the exposure to make exposure of the image of the subject to an image sensing device. The movie still mode is the mode for steadily rotating a spindle motor in synchronism with a synchronous signal generator, outputting a video signal to the outside through an interface and recording a still image into the rotary recording medium in response to an exposure command.