An automatic status discriminator has a distance measuring unit for calculating the distance to a target object to provide a signal corresponding to the distance. A reflection coefficient calculation unit calculates the reflection coefficient of the target object on the basis of the signal provided from the distance measuring unit. A light intensity measuring unit provides signals respectively corresponding to the brightness of the target object and the brightness of a region near the target object. An adjusting unit adjusts the signal corresponding to the brightness of the target object on the basis of the reflection coefficient obtained from the reflection coefficient calculation unit to provide the adjusted signal. A status discriminating means compares the signal corresponding to the brightness of the region near the target object with the output from the adjusting unit to thereby discriminate the status of the target object.