An auto-focus apparatus which has different levels for determining whether to emit an auxiliary focusing light and whether to inhibit the focusing operation is operative with a light-receiving sensor for receiving light reflected by the object and performs a focusing operation on the basis of the output from the sensor. A processing circuit is provided for executing signal processing on the basis of the output from the sensor. The processing circuit outputs an instruction signal for activating a focusing light projector when a characteristic value for focusing (e.g., contrast) based on the output from the sensor falls within a first range. The processing circuit detects the output from the sensor in a state where light is being projected by the light projector. The processing circuit inhibits the focusing operation based on the output from the sensor when the characteristic value falls within a second range which is within the first range.