Lighting apparatus and illuminating apparatus using same

This lighting apparatus is provided with a chopper circuit, and a control circuit that controls the chopper circuit. The control circuit is provided with a determining unit that determines the duty ratio of dimming signals, and an output control unit that outputs drive signals. In normal mode, the control circuit outputs the drive signals from the output control unit corresponding to determination results obtained from the determining unit, and lights a solid-state light emitting element. In charging mode, the control circuit increases the average value of a current flowing in an inductor such that the average value is larger than that in the normal mode, and charges a smoothing capacitor until both the end voltages of the smoothing capacitor become a specified voltage. At the time of supplying power, the control circuit charges the smoothing capacitor in the charging mode, then, lights the solid-state light emitting element in the normal mode.