An endoscope apparatus comprising: an endoscope; a movable lens (22, 23) that forms an objective optical system of the endoscope; lens drive means for electrically driving the lens; operating means for outputting operation signals corresponding to an on-operation and an off-operation of an operator; and lens control means for moving the lens (22, 23) to one step position among a plurality of step positions, characterized in that the lens control means is adapted to detect a duration of the on-operation, a duration of the off-operation after the on-operation and before a next on-operation and a number of repetitions of the on-operation, on the basis of the operation signal, wherein the lens control means distinguish a long push on-operation if the duration of the on-operation is equal to or longer than a second predetermined threshold and a normal on-operation if the duration of the on-operation is shorter than the second predetermined threshold, wherein the number of repetitions of the on-operations is 1 if the lens control means detects the long push on-operation and if the lens control means detects the normal on-operation, the duration of the off-operation is compared to a first predetermined threshold and the number of repetitions of the on-operation is increased by 1 if the duration of the off-operation is shorter than the first predetermined threshold and is not increased if the duration of the off-operation is equal or longer than the first predetermined threshold, wherein the lens control means is adapted to determine a step position to which the lens (22, 23) is to be moved on the basis of the detected long push on-operation or normal on-operation and the detected number of repetitions of the on-operation. an endoscope; a movable lens (22, 23) that forms an objective optical system of the endoscope; lens drive means for electrically driving the lens; operating means for outputting operation signals corresponding to an on-operation and an off-operation of an operator; and lens control means for moving the lens (22, 23) to one step position among a plurality of step positions, characterized in that the lens control means is adapted to detect a duration of the on-operation, a duration of the off-operation after the on-operation and before a next on-operation and a number of repetitions of the on-operation, on the basis of the operation signal, wherein the lens control means distinguish a long push on-operation if the duration of the on-operation is equal to or longer than a second predetermined threshold and a normal on-operation if the duration of the on-operation is shorter than the second predetermined threshold, wherein the number of repetitions of the on-operations is 1 if the lens control means detects the long push on-operation and if the lens control means detects the normal on-operation, the duration of the off-operation is compared to a first predetermined threshold and the number of repetitions of the on-operation is increased by 1 if the duration of the off-operation is shorter than the first predetermined threshold and is not increased if the duration of the off-operation is equal or longer than the first predetermined threshold, wherein the lens control means is adapted to determine a step position to which the lens (22, 23) is to be moved on the basis of the detected long push on-operation or normal on-operation and the detected number of repetitions of the on-operation.