connecting system includes a cradle (1) and a digital camera (10) electrically connected to the cradle (1) through connectors (5, 15). The cradle (1) hold the digital camera (10) with a liquid crystal display (13) facing the front and also with the photographing lens (12) facing the front. The cradle (1) electrically detects whether the digital camera (10) is held with the display (13) facing the front or with the photographing lens facing the front. When the digital camera (10) is held with the display facing the front, operation starts in a recorded image-data transferring mode. When the digital camera (10) is held with the photographing lens facing the front, operation starts in a PC camera mode. A desired operation mode can be set in the digital camera simply by changing the installing state of the digital camera (10).