Patent ID: 7796182

Claim:
An image-taking apparatus configured to have a moving-image recording mode and a still-image recording mode and allows still-image recording in the moving-image recording mode, the apparatus comprising: an image-pickup device configured to photoelectrically convert an object image formed by an image-taking optical system including a focus lens; a signal generator configured to generate a focus evaluation signal representing a focus state based on an output signal from the image-pickup device; and a controller configured to drive the focus lens such that an in-focus position is searched for based on the focus evaluation signal in performing moving-image recording, configured to drive the focus lens in a predetermined scan area to detect an in-focus position based on the focus evaluation signal, and drives the focus lens to the detected in-focus position in performing still-image recording, wherein the controller is configured to drive the focus lens in a first scan area in performing still-image recording in the still-image recording mode, and configured to drive focus lens in a second scan area that is smaller than the first scan area in performing the still-image recording in the moving-image recording mode, and wherein the second scan area is set when an instruction of the still-image recording is made by a user in the moving-image recording mode and an in-focus level before the focus lens is driven in response to the instruction is higher than a predetermined level, the in-focus level being determined based on the focus evaluation signal generated by the signal generator.