PURPOSE: To exercise sufficient sequence control by inhibiting a photographic lens from starting movement until effective distance data is obtained by a distance detection system which detects the distance of a subject repeatedly or until the frequency of distance detecting operation reaches a prescribed value.

CONSTITUTION: When the 1st switch SW1 is turned on by the 1st stroke of a shutter button 1, a transistor TR1 turns on to start feeding from a power circuir, repeating distance detection. The 2nd stroke of the shutter button 1 turns on the 2nd switch SW2 to put the power source of a camera control circuit IC1 to work. After the 2nd depression of the button, the start of the movement of a photographic lens is inhibited by the control circuit IC1 until effective distance data is obtained by a distance detection system or until the frequency of the distance detecting operation reaches a prescribed number, thus exercising rational and effective sequence control.