An electronic camera and method include an imaging device, a luminance detection device, a selection device, a first control circuit, a second control circuit and a third control circuit. The first control circuit re-executes an exposure calculation by adjusting the exposure sensitivity if a first control exposure determined in the first mode does not achieve the optimal exposure. The second control circuit automatically sets the exposure sensitivity at the imaging device in correspondence to a subject luminance detected by the luminance detection device. The third control circuit disallows the second control circuit from operating and allows the first control circuit to operate when the first mode is selected, and that disallows the first control circuit from operating and allows the second control circuit to operate when the second mode is selected.