Patent ID: 7634182

Claim:
A lens apparatus comprising: a focus lens; a drive source generating a driving force to move the focus lens forward or backward within an optical lens stroke of the focus lens; a gear train transmitting the driving force to the focus lens; a sensor detecting that the focus lens reaches a reference position in the optical lens stroke; and a controller, wherein the drive source is controlled by the controller so as to cause the gear train to transmit a driving force to the focus lens to move the focus lens from the reference position to a first one of end limits of the optical lens stroke and then to move the focus lens from the first one of the end limits to a second one of the end limits of the optical lens stroke, while AF evaluation values with respect to positions of the focus lens are obtained to determine a position, in the optical lens stroke between the two end limits, of the focus lens coming into focus, and then causing the focus lens to move from the second one of the end limits of the optical lens stoke toward the reference position, and when the position of the focus lens coming into focus is determined to be between the reference position and the second one of the end limits of the optical lens stroke and the sensor thereafter detects that the focus lens reaches the reference position, the drive source is controlled by the controller so as to cause the gear train to transmit a driving force to the focus lens to move the focus lens from the reference position toward the first one of the end limits of the optical lens stroke by a distance to remove a backlash of the gear train, and then causing the focus lens to move up to the position of the focus lens coming into focus.