A group of optical elements of a zoom lens unit has variable-focal-length
lenses whose optical properties can be adjusted. A camera having this
zoom lens unit incorporated therein includes a control unit into which
control information, with respect to any of a plurality of variable
design parameters for the zoom lens unit, is inputted by the user. The
camera also has a processing unit for obtaining an optical parameter of
the zoom lens unit through a simulation operation when the variable
design parameters are controlled based on the control information, a
display unit which displays the results of the simulation operation that
is carried out by the processing unit, and a photographing control unit
for controlling the variable design parameters based on the control
information, so that a desired optical property can easily be obtained.