There are provided a focus adjusting apparatus and method in which judgment of an object area to be focused can be favorably performed when the judgment of the object area to be focused is executed at the time of image-taking preparation operation. In the focus adjusting apparatus and method, a first operation of determining the object area to be focused is performed prior to the image-taking preparation operation, and a second operation different from the first operation is performed to execute a focusing operation at the time of the image-taking preparation operation. Prior to the first operation, whether or not an object to be focused can be predicted is judged to change a manner of the first operation based on a result of a judgment.