Image pickup apparatus enabling automatic irradiation direction control, lighting device, image pickup system, automatic irradiation direction control method, and storage medium storing program therefor

An automatic irradiation direction control method for an image pickup apparatus to which a lighting device that changes an irradiation direction of a light emitting section is mounted or is attachable, having a first operation switch that starts automatic irradiation direction control that drives the light emitting section to direct in a determined irradiation direction and starts photographing preparation, and a second operation switch that starts the automatic irradiation direction control, the automatic irradiation direction control method comprising:

• starting the automatic irradiation direction control when either of the first operation switch and the second operation switch is operated;
• performing the automatic irradiation direction control in operation continuously without stopping when the second operation switch is operated during the automatic irradiation direction control owing to the operation of the first operation switch,
• wherein the automatic irradiation direction control is started when the second operation switch is operated after execution of the automatic irradiation direction control owing to the operation of the first operation switch is finished.

An automatic irradiation direction control method for an image pickup system that is configured by attaching a lighting device that changes an irradiation direction of a light emitting section to an image pickup apparatus, the lighting device having a lighting-device-side operation member that starts automatic irradiation direction control that drives the light emitting section to direct in a determined irradiation direction, and the image pickup apparatus having a first operation switch that starts the automatic irradiation direction control and starts photographing preparation, the automatic irradiation direction control method comprising:

• starting the automatic irradiation direction control when either of the first operation switch and the lighting-device-side operation member is operated;
• and
• performing the automatic irradiation direction control in operation continuously without stopping when the lighting-device-side operation member is operated during the automatic irradiation direction control owing to the operation of the first operation switch.