Patent ID: 8531586

Claim:
An image pickup apparatus comprising: a storing unit adapted to store information on a position of a focus lens corresponding to a position of a zoom lens, the position of the focus lens being dependent on an object distance; and a controlling unit adapted to obtain a position of the zoom lens in each predetermined cycle and estimate a position of the zoom lens to which the zoom lens moves by the next cycle, and subsequently move the focus lens based on the information stored in said storing unit with respect to the estimated position of the zoom lens, wherein, when a moving direction of the zoom lens is switched, said controlling unit stops the focus lens before the moving direction of the zoom lens is switched, and said controlling unit stops the focus lens upon reception of a stopping notification asynchronously with the predetermined cycle, and subsequently stops the zoom lens and moves the focus lens based on the information stored in said storing unit with respect to the position of the stopped zoom lens and then stops the focus lens.