An image pickup system including a digital camera and a personal computer
(PC) connected to each other. The camera includes a camera control unit
for controlling picture-taking based on photographing conditions set
either by the camera or the PC, and a communication unit for
communicating with the PC. The PC includes: a display for displaying the
photographing condition and an image, a mouse and the like capable of
setting the photographing condition through the operation on a screen, a
communication unit for communicating with the camera, a capture-mode
start/termination unit for selecting between a first photographing mode
in which the camera serves as a master and a second photographing mode in
which the PC serves as the master, and a control unit for setting the
second photographing mode just after the start of control of the PC for:
reading photographing information of the camera, and after that, setting
either the first photographing mode or the second photographing mode in
accordance with the selection.