Automatic focusing device

In an automatic focusing device comprising:

• intensity distribution detecting means for detecting the intensity distribution of images of an object being photographed and formed by light rays passing through a photographing optical system of a photographic apparatus and for developing video signals corresponding to the intensity distribution;
• a signal processing circuit receptive of the video signals and having means for storing the video signals, means for subjecting the video signals to relative movement little by little and for determining the correlation of the signals, at each relative movement including means for developing a correlation output representative of said correlation;
• means for detecting whether the photographing optical system is focused or not by detection of the peak position of said correlation output and including means for generating a drive direction signal in response to the peak position of said peak position is not representative of a focused condition of the photographing optical system, a lens in said photographing optical system, means driven by the drive direction signal in a direction for focusing the photographing optical system as long as said drive direction signal is delivered, the improvement comprising:
• a low contrast detecting circuit having counting means for counting how many times the correlation output is higher than a predetermined level in a detection operation of the focusing condition by said signal processing circuit and to provide a count value, means for rendering the drive direction signal ineffective when said count valve reaches a predetermined value, and warning means for presenting a warning display when said count value reaches said predetermined level.