Patent ID: 7738028

Claim:
A camera with a photographing optical system including a focusing lens group movable for focusing, said camera comprising: a focus adjusting system which captures images at different focal positions of said focusing lens group via an image pickup device while moving said focusing lens group within a controllable searching range to detect an in-focus position of said focusing lens group based on contrasts of said captured images, and moves said focusing lens group to said in-focus position; a memory which stores a first image captured via said image pickup device when an in-focus state is achieved upon said focusing lens group being moved to said in-focus position; and a comparing device which compares said first image that is stored in said memory with a second image which is captured via said image pickup device before commencement of movement of said focusing lens group when said focus adjusting system is subsequently actuated, wherein said focus adjusting system operates with said controllable searching range narrowed to a limited searching range including a current position of said focusing lens group when predetermined conditions are satisfied, said predetermined conditions including a condition upon which it is determined that the first image and the second image match each other one of completely and by a predetermined degree.