Patent ID: 7957633

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 object image input through a focus lens to output 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 of detecting the focus signal prior to reception of the instruction to determine an object area to be focused, and a second operation of detecting the focus signal based on information of the determined object area to be focused upon reception of the instruction to perform focus adjustment of the focus lens, and judges whether or not an object to be focused can be predicted prior to the first operation to change a manner of the first operation based on a result of a judgment.