To prevent lens groups from interfering with one another and separating from one another while simultaneously driving the plurality of lens groups by means of separate drive units respectively, in a photographic lens drive controller and imaging apparatus photographic lens.

The photographic lens drive controller includes: first to second lens group 1A and third lens group 1B, which have variable power functions; a first to second group motor 4A and third group motor 4B, which drive the lens groups 1A and 1B so that their drive speeds can be adjusted; a CPU 5B which controls the motors 4A and 4B so that those drive speeds are adjusted; and a first to second group reference position detecting device 9A and third group reference position detecting device 9B, which detect the positions of the lens groups 1A and 1B. When the respective motors 4A and 4B drive the corresponding lens groups 1A and 1B simultaneously, the CPU 5B controls the respective motors 4A and 4B so that a lens group the drive speed of which is to be adjusted is switched between the first to second group 1A and the third group 1B according to the positional relationship between the lens groups 1A and 1B detected by the lens group reference position detecting devices 9A and 9B respectively.

COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT