An automatic tracking apparatus for tracking a moving object, comprising: first object detecting means for detecting the object from an image photographed by a camera which is provided with a zooming mechanism and photographs at a predetermined image angle; first zooming control means for changing zooming magnification of the camera in such a case that a dimension of the detected object does not satisfy a predetermined condition on the image, wherein the object is zoomed at a higher speed as being permitted as possible until the dimension of the object becomes the predetermined dimension; second object detecting means for detecting the object from an image again photographed by the camera after the zooming magnification is changed; tracking means for extracting a feature of the object detected by the second object detecting means as an initial template image, and comparing the initial template image with the image photographed by the camera so as to specify a position of the object and to commence the tracking operation of tracking the object on the image; second zooming control means for controlling the zooming magnification of the camera in such a manner that a dimension of the object to be tracked becomes a predetermined dimension on an image which is photographed by the camera, estimating means for estimating a move destination to which the object is moved while the zooming magnification of the camera is changed by the first zooming control means; first panning/tilting control means for controlling a panning angle and a tilting angle of the camera toward the estimated move destination of the object; and second panning/tilting control means for controlling the panning angle and the tilting angle of the camera in connection with movement of the object tracked by the tracking means in such a manner that the object is not deviated from the image wherein the second zooming control means controls the zooming magnification at a lower speed, as compared with that of the first zooming control means, and wherein the second zooming control means controls the panning angle and the tilting angle at lower speeds, as compared with those of the first panning/tilting control means. first object detecting means for detecting the object from an image photographed by a camera which is provided with a zooming mechanism and photographs at a predetermined image angle; first zooming control means for changing zooming magnification of the camera in such a case that a dimension of the detected object does not satisfy a predetermined condition on the image, wherein the object is zoomed at a higher speed as being permitted as possible until the dimension of the object becomes the predetermined dimension; second object detecting means for detecting the object from an image again photographed by the camera after the zooming magnification is changed; tracking means for extracting a feature of the object detected by the second object detecting means as an initial template image, and comparing the initial template image with the image photographed by the camera so as to specify a position of the object and to commence the tracking operation of tracking the object on the image; second zooming control means for controlling the zooming magnification of the camera in such a manner that a dimension of the object to be tracked becomes a predetermined dimension on an image which is photographed by the camera, estimating means for estimating a move destination to which the object is moved while the zooming magnification of the camera is changed by the first zooming control means; first panning/tilting control means for controlling a panning angle and a tilting angle of the camera toward the estimated move destination of the object; and second panning/tilting control means for controlling the panning angle and the tilting angle of the camera in connection with movement of the object tracked by the tracking means in such a manner that the object is not deviated from the image wherein the second zooming control means controls the zooming magnification at a lower speed, as compared with that of the first zooming control means, and wherein the second zooming control means controls the panning angle and the tilting angle at lower speeds, as compared with those of the first panning/tilting control means.