Patent ID: 7518649

Claim:
An image pickup apparatus comprising: an image pickup unit that outputs a signal in response to light received from an object via a lens unit; a lens moving unit configured to move the lens unit in first and second directions along an optical axis, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; an adjusting unit that carries out focus adjustment based on the signal output from said image pickup unit according to movement of the lens unit; a display unit that displays an image based on the signal output from said image pickup unit; and a control unit that controls said display unit, while said adjusting unit is carrying out the focus adjustment, to display the image when the lens unit is being moved in the first direction, and imposes a display limitation on said display unit when the lens unit is being reversely moved in the second direction after moving the lens unit in the first direction, wherein the display limitation comprises displaying the image in a freeze mode or inhibiting displaying of the image while the lens is being moved in the second direction.