Patent ID: 8391699

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a receiving unit configured to receive an instruction for focus adjustment; an image-pickup unit configured to perform image-pickup of an image input through a focus lens to supply image data; a setting unit configured to set a focus detecting area; and a focus adjusting unit configured to detect a focus signal representing a focusing state of the focus lens in the focus detecting area while moving the focus lens to adjust a position of the focus lens in a predetermined range based on the focus signal, wherein the focus adjusting unit controls a first operation for detecting the focus signal, prior to reception of the instruction, to determine an object area to be focused, and a second operation for detecting the focus signal based on information of the determined object area, upon reception of the instruction, to perform the focus adjustment of the focus lens, and stops the focus lens at a position in the first operation on at least one of an evaluation value relevant to luminance in a predetermined area of the image data and a focus signal, the evaluation value and the focus signal being such that the focus adjusting unit cannot determine the object area to be focused.