Patent ID: 8743209

Claim:
An image pickup apparatus that captures a plurality of main images in a continuous shooting mode, the image pickup apparatus comprising: an image pickup unit configured to capture a plurality of auxiliary images during an interval between capturing of a main image and capturing of a next main image; a main subject determining unit configured to determine a main subject; a first subject tracking processing unit configured to detect a region where a subject that is the same as the main subject exists, from a first region that is a part of a first auxiliary image among the plurality of auxiliary images; and a second subject tracking processing unit configured to detect a region where a subject that is the same as the main subject exists, from a second region of a second auxiliary image among the plurality of auxiliary images, the second region being larger than the first region, wherein a result of the detection performed by the first subject tracking processing unit is used in focus adjustment that is performed before the capturing of the next main image, and a result of the detection performed by the second subject tracking processing unit is used in detection of a region where a subject that is the same as the main subject exists, the detection being performed after the capturing of the next main image.