Digital camera system having a retail mode

1. A digital camera system comprising:

an image sensor configured to capture a digital image;

an optical system configured to form an image of a scene onto the image sensor;

a data processing system;

a storage memory configured to store captured digital images; and

a program memory communicatively connected to the data processing system and storing instructions configured to cause the data processing system to implement a method for automatically deleting captured digital images, wherein the instructions include:

instructions to set the digital camera system to operate in a retail mode in response to detecting a predefined first condition;

instructions to enable capture of a plurality of digital images while the digital camera system is operating in the retail mode;

instructions to store in the storage memory digital images captured while the digital camera system is operating in the retail mode and an indication that the stored digital images were captured in the retail mode; and

instructions to automatically delete at least one of the stored digital images from the storage memory in response to detecting a predefined second condition, wherein stored digital images that were not captured in the retail mode are not deleted from the storage memory, wherein the digital camera system further includes:

a memory card receptacle configured to receive a removable memory card that is configured to store captured digital images; and

a power supply connector configured to supply external power to the digital camera system,

wherein the predefined first condition comprises a determination that no removable memory card is inserted into the memory card receptacle and a determination that external power is supplied to the digital camera system via the power supply connector.

2. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the digital camera system further includes a user interface, and wherein the predefined first condition comprises a selection of a retail mode setting using the user interface.

3. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the digital camera system further includes a global positioning system receiver, and wherein the predefined first condition comprises a determination that a location of the digital camera system corresponds to a predefined location.

4. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the predefined first condition comprises at least one of reception of an electrical signal transmitted over a wire connected to a signal transmitter located at a retail location, reception of a wireless signal from a wireless signal transmitter located at a retail location, or activation of a mechanical sensor configured to indicate that the digital camera system is being operated at a retail location.

5. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the stored digital images are stored in the storage memory as digital image files, and wherein the indication that the digital images were captured in the retail mode is provided as metadata included in the digital image files.

6. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the stored digital images are stored in the storage memory as digital image files, and wherein a naming convention used to name the digital image files provides the indication that the stored digital images were captured in the retail mode.

7. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the predefined second condition includes detecting that the storage memory has been filled to a predefined capacity.

8. The digital camera system of claim 7 , wherein the predefined capacity is reached when the storage memory has capacity to store less than a predefined number of additional digital images.

9. The digital camera system of claim 7 , wherein the predefined capacity is reached when the storage memory does not have a capacity to store any additional digital images.

10. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the predefined second condition includes a determination that the digital camera has been power cycled.

11. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to automatically delete at least one of the stored digital images from the storage memory comprise instructions to automatically delete all of the stored digital images that were captured in the retail mode in response to detecting the predefined second condition.

12. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to automatically delete at least one of the stored digital images from the storage memory comprise instructions to automatically delete an oldest stored digital image that was captured in the retail mode before deleting a new stored digital image.

13. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the digital images comprise at least one of digital still images or digital video images.

14. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to automatically delete at least one of the stored digital images comprise instructions to automatically delete an entirety of the at least one of the stored digital images.

15. The digital camera system of claim 1 , wherein the retail mode comprises a first image capture mode of the digital camera system, wherein the program memory further stores instructions to enable capture of a second plurality of digital images while the digital camera system is operating in a second image capture mode of the digital camera system, and wherein the stored digital images that were not captured in the retail mode were captured via the second image capture mode.

16. A method comprising:

in response to detecting a predefined first condition, enabling, by the digital camera system, capture of a plurality of digital images in a retail mode;

storing in a storage memory, by the digital camera system, digital images captured while the digital camera system is operating in the retail mode; and

automatically deleting, by the digital camera system, at least one of the stored digital images from the storage memory in response to detecting a predefined second condition while retaining any stored digital images that were not captured in the retail mode, wherein the predefined first condition comprises a determination by the digital camera system that no removable memory card is inserted into a memory card receptacle of the digital camera system and a determination by the digital camera system that external power is supplied to the digital camera system via a power supply connector.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to, in response to detecting a predefined first condition, enable capture of a plurality of digital images in a retail mode;

instructions to store, in a storage memory, digital images captured while the digital camera system is operating in the retail mode; and

instructions to automatically delete at least one of the stored digital images from the storage memory in response to detecting a predefined second condition while retaining any stored digital images that were not captured in the retail mode,.

wherein the predefined first condition comprises a determination that no removable memory card is inserted into the memory card receptacle and a determination that external power is supplied via a power supply connector.