Patent ID: 7391461

Claim:
An image pickup apparatus comprising: a setting unit configured to set a number of times photographing operations are to be performed, the number being selected by a user; a focus adjusting unit configured to: automatically identify each of a plurality of objects at different distances from the image pickup apparatus in at least one detection field of view; automatically determine positions to which a photographing optical system is to be driven to focus on the plurality of identified objects; and automatically drive the photographing optical system by the number of times set by said setting unit so that in each photographing operation the photographing optical system is driven to one of the automatically determined positions to focus on a different one of the plurality of identified objects; and a control unit configured to control the image pickup apparatus to perform photographing operations performed by an image pickup sensor at each determined position of the photographing optical system driven by said focus adjusting unit so as to be focused on a different one of the plurality of identified objects in each photographing operation, wherein said setting unit sets the number before said focus adjusting unit drives the photographing optical system.