Abstract: This distance measuring apparatus comprises a first light projecting device for projecting a distance measuring light to an object to be photographed in the central part of a picture; second and third light projecting devices for projecting distance measuring light to objects in the peripheral parts of the picture; a first distance measuring operating device for receiving the reflected light from the object in the central part of the picture and outputting the first distance information in response to the object distance; second and third distance measuring operating devices for receiving reflected light from objects in the peripheral parts of the picture and outputting second and third distance informations in response to the object distances; and a photographing distance determining device for determining a photographing distance based on the above mentioned distance information.