An electronic still camera which photographs an object by image pickup means such as a solid image pickup element or the like and records the video signal of the object into a rotary recording medium such as a magnetic disc or the like. The electronic still camera includes a mechanical shutter and an electronic shutter function to control electrically the accumulation time of the image pickup means and it is adapted such that, when the shutter speed is slower than a predetermined value, it controls a time for exposure to the image pickup means by the mechanical shutter and, when the shutter speed is higher than the predetermined value, it controls the exposure time to the image pickup means by means of the electronic shutter function and also controls the mechanical shutter to remain open at least for the exposure time.