The image pickup apparatus includes an image production unit producing an image by using an output signal from an image pickup unit, a size detection unit detecting a size of a specific object in the image, a zoom control unit performing auto zoom control that automatically provides a specific zoom operation to make the size of the specific object equal or closer to a target value, and a focus control unit performing focus control of an image taking optical system based on a contrast evaluation value obtained from the image. The zoom control unit is configured to restrict the specific zoom operation in the auto zoom control until a determination is made that an in-focus state of the image taking optical system has been obtained by the focus control.