Patent ID: 8208058

Claim:
An automatic focusing apparatus comprising: plural focus detection units that detect focus states in plural areas independently from one another; a measuring unit that measures focus detection time of the detection by the focus detection units; a unit that sets a maximum focus detection time; a defocus calculation unit that calculates defocus amounts on the basis of outputs from the focus detection units; a focus drive unit that drives a focus lens on the basis of the defocus amounts; and an object position prediction unit that calculates an object predicted position based on the defocus amounts and the focus detection time, wherein when the focus detection time exceeds the maximum focus detection time, all detections of focus positions by the plural focus detection units are completed, wherein the defocus calculation unit calculates defocus amounts corresponding to the respective plural areas on the basis of the focus states in the areas detected by the plural focus detection units, and wherein the focus lens is driven according to an output of the focus detection unit corresponding to a focus target position among focus target positions based on the plural defocus amounts where a difference between the focus target position and the object predicted position is within an allowable range.