Patent ID: 8554067

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a focus detection sensor that detects a focal state of a photographing lens based on an image signal of an object based on light flux obtained from an object light transmitted through the photographing lens, and that has a plurality of detection areas for detection of the focal state of the photographing lens; a monitor unit configured to monitor and output an accumulation state of a signal level of a monitor area, which is associated with the detection areas; a control unit configured to start an accumulation in the plurality of detection areas at once, and to end the accumulation in the plurality of detection areas at once, when it is determined that the signal level reaches a predetermined level; a selection unit configured to select a detection area to perform focus adjustment from the plurality of detection areas, which is associated with the monitor area; and an adjusting unit configured to use, for the focus adjustment, a focal state of a photographing lens in the area selected by the selection unit.