An image pickup apparatus capable of changing a live view photographing drive mode without causing freezing of live view display is demonstrated. When a switch is operated in a state where image signals output from an image pickup device sent via a first path are used for live view and image signals output from the image pickup device sent via a second path are used for AF, a drive mode of the image pickup device is changed such that image signals from the second path can be used for live view, then an acquisition destination of the live view signals is changed from the first path to the second path, then the drive mode is changed such that high-definition live view image signals are output from the first path, and then the acquisition destination of the live view signals is changed from the second path to the first path.