Patent ID: 7643082
Filing Date: 2010-01-05
Classification: G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging apparatus, comprising: image pickup means for imaging an object; contrast AF means for performing a contrast AF operation including detecting, for each of a plurality of lens positions of a focus lens, an AF evaluation value of an image picked up by the image pickup means at the lens position, and moving the focus lens to a focus lens position based on the plurality of detected AF evaluation values; lens position storing means for storing a respective predetermined number of lens position settings in association with at least one of (i) each of a plurality of photographic scene types and (ii) each of a plurality of zoom magnifications; deciding means for deciding whether to perform a priority contrast AF operation in which the contrast AF means performs the contrast AF operation such that a number of the lens positions of the focus lens at which the AF evaluation values are detected is limited to the predetermined number; judgment means for judging at least one of a photographic scene type and a zoom magnification; priority contrast AF control means for, when the deciding means decides to perform the priority contrast AF operation, acquiring from the lens position setting storage means the lens position settings corresponding to the at least one of the photographic scene and the zoom magnification judged by the judgment means, and controlling the contrast AF means to perform the priority contrast AF operation such that the AF evaluation values are only detected at lens positions corresponding to the acquired lens positions settings; normal contrast AF control means for controlling the contrast AF means to perform a normal contrast AF operation, in which the contrast AF means performs the contrast AF operation without limiting the number of the lens positions of the focus lens at which the AF evaluation values are detected to the predetermined number; and a shutter button having a half-depressed position and a fully-depressed position; wherein the deciding means decides whether to perform the priority contrast AF operation or the normal contrast AF operation based on operation of the shutter button; and wherein the deciding means decides to perform the priority contrast AF operation when the shutter button is fully-depressed without the shutter button first being held in the half-depressed position.