Image pickup apparatus and image pickup method

Abstract

Provided is an image pickup apparatus that can determine a step-out with a high approximation accuracy and then return a lens position to an initial position. The image pickup apparatus includes: an optical element that is movable with respect to a predetermined initial position; acceleration detection means that detects a shock applied to a body of the apparatus and outputs a vector of the shock; and control means that adds up an optical axis direction component of the optical element in the vector of the shock each time the shock is detected and, when a cumulative shock that is a result of adding up exceeds a predetermined threshold, determines that the optical element has stepped out and returns the optical element to the initial position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.