IMAGING APPARATUS AND FOCUSING METHOD FOR IMAGING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus and a focusing method of the imaging apparatus for shortening a focusing operation time. SOLUTION: A aperture/gain control part 16 is installed to expand the detection range of the output characteristics of a detection integrator 7 after the filter processing of a luminance signal in the movable region of a focus lens 2 by stopping down a diaphragm. That is, when the detection integration output at the position of the focus lens 2 before the start of the focusing operation is a predetermined normal value or more, hill climbing control is performed to search a focal point, and when the detection integration output at the position of the focus lens 2 is less than the specific value, the diameter of a diaphragm for adjusting light quantity to be made incident on the imaging sensor 1 is reduced until the specific value is exceeded, and hill climbing control is performed since a point of time when the specific value is exceeded to search the focal point and when any focal point is not found in this search, the hill climbing control is repeatedly performed each time the diameter of the diaphragm is increased by predetermined quantity until the focal point is searched. Thus, it is possible to attain hill climbing operation in an early stage, and a focusing operation time can be shortened. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT