Abstract: In a camera in which a luminance difference between the luminance of a subject and the luminance of the subject background is discriminated by using a predetermined first threshold value and a photographic mode is selected in conformity with the results of this discrimination and distance to the subject, the first threshold value is varied in dependence upon the distance to the subject. The luminance difference between the subject and the background is judged when the average luminance of the entire imaged region is greater than a second threshold value, and the photographic mode is selected based upon the results of judgment and the distance to the subject. Furthermore, when the luminance difference between the subject and the background is large and the distance to the subject is short, the luminance of the subject is measured by spot photometry and exposure is controlled based upon the spot photometric value.