PURPOSE: To suppress useless deceleration in recording speed and to improve the recording speed by predicting the extending time of code data based on the stored amount of the code data and controlling the recording speed based on the predicted extending time and the stored amount of image data.

CONSTITUTION: The extending time of code data from when they are read out of a code data buffer part 1 to when they are stored in an image data buffer part 3 after they are extended, is predicted by an extending time predicting part 4. On the other hand, when image data are stored in the buffer part 3, the image data are read in a record control part 5 and recorded in a recording part 6. When it is predicted that the recording speed will be able to be kept at a constant speed because of a short extending time predicted by the predicting part 4 even if it is required to decelerate the recording speed because the stored amount of image data becomes lowered, deceleration of the recording speed is suppressed. Thus, the recording speed can be improved by keeping it at the constant speed.