An image taking apparatus of the present invention includes: a shooting lens which comprises a plurality of lens groups and which has a variable focal length and adjusts a focus; and a lens barrel which accommodates the shooting lens and which can advance and retract. The lens barrel comprises a lens advancing/retracting mechanism which retracts at least one of the lens groups from a shooting optical axis when the lens barrel is retracted, and which advances the lens group retracted when the lens barrel is retracted to the shooting optical axis when the lens barrel advances. The shooting lens forms a fixed focus shooting optical system by the remaining lens group among the plurality of lens groups excluding the lens group which is retracted from the shooting optical axis.