Patent ID: 7683968

Claim:
An image-taking apparatus which captures object light to take an image, the apparatus comprising: an optical device through which the object light is transmitted; an image pickup device which generates an image signal representing an object image obtained by focusing the object light which has passed through the optical device; a cleaning section which is deformed by receiving a predetermined stimulus, the cleaning section being brought into contact with, and being separated from, the optical element and/or the image pickup device by the deformation to clean a substance attached to a contact portion; a stimulus application section which applies the stimulus to the cleaning section; a control section which controls the deformation of the cleaning section by controlling the stimulus applied to the cleaning section by the stimulus application section, and which thus causes the cleaning section to clean the contact portion; and further comprising a cleaning instruction section which gives an instruction for performing cleaning by the cleaning section according to a user operation, wherein upon receipt of the instruction for performing cleaning from the cleaning instruction section, the control section causes the stimulus application section to apply the stimulus, and thus causes the cleaning section to perform cleaning; and a body casing accommodating the image pickup device therein; an optical lens barrel which is provided in a front part of the body casing, and which accommodates the optical device; and a lens barrel drive section which extends the optical lens barrel from the body casing, and which retracts the optical lens barrel to the body casing, wherein the control section rejects the instruction for performing cleaning from the cleaning instruction section in a case where the optical lens barrel is retracted to the body casing.