An electronic still camera comprises a solid state image pickup element including photosensitive elements, a vertical transfer CCD and a horizontal transfer CCD, and a read drive circuit for the solid state image pickup element. Before the start of reading the signal from the solid state image pickup element, at least one pulse is applied to the horizontal transfer CCD to remove electric charges of the interior of the CCD to nullify dark current. The above-described pulse applied to the horizontal transfer CCD before the start of reading the signal from the solid state image pickup element lies in an image pickup period, and the frequency of the above-described pulse of this time is less than the frequency in the read period.