Patent ID: 7941041

Claim:
An image pickup apparatus comprising: an imaging optical system capable of varying a zoom magnification concerning optical zoom; detecting means for performing focus detection in phase difference detection; focusing means for performing focus control of a lens in the imaging optical system on the basis of the result of the focus detection by the detecting means; and imaging means capable of generating an image signal concerning an optical image of a subject, received through the imaging optical system in which the focus control of the lens is performed, wherein the detecting means includes a sensor unit including a first licensor and a second licensor in which pixels are arranged; setting means for setting detection sections having the same section length in the first licensor and the second licensor; focus detecting means for performing the focus detection in the phase difference detection on the basis of an optical image of the subject detected in each detection section set in the first licensor and the second licensor; and section length controlling means for decreasing the section length of the detection section in accordance with a decrease in the zoom magnification.