A control method for a zoom lens camera which includes a focal length detection mechanism which detects the focal length divided into a finite number of steps; and a focus drive mechanism which drives the focusing lens group to move the same to the finite number of steps, the method includes measuring actual focal points of the zoom lens system at the wide angle extremity and the telephoto extremity, whereby any deviations of the focal points from a focal plane are obtained; converting the deviations to a displacement of said focusing lens group at each focal length of said finite number of steps, taking into account the focus sensitivity of said focusing lens group, wherein the data of said displacement is stored in a memory; and driving the focusing lens group, upon focusing, in accordance with the displacement of said focusing lens group determined based on object distance data and focal length data, in addition to the stored displacement data. A zoom lens camera to which the control method is applied is also disclosed.