Image pickup apparatus capable of inserting and extracting filter

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• an insertion-extraction unit configured to insert and extract a filter of which transmittance for infrared light is higher than the transmittance for visible light;
• an obtaining unit configured to obtain a gain value set up when brightness of an image including a picked-up object image is adjusted;
• a gain value determination unit configured to determine whether the obtained gain value is equal to or more than a predetermined gain threshold;
• and
• a control unit configured to control said insertion-extraction unit so as to extract the filter when the obtained gain value is equal to or more than the predetermined threshold and to insert the filter when the obtained gain value is less than the predetermined threshold.

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• an insertion-extraction unit configured to insert or extract a first filter of which transmittance for infrared light is higher than the transmittance for visible light, a second filter of which a wavelength band of transmitting infrared light is narrower than that of the first filter, or a third filter of which a wavelength band of transmitting infrared light is narrower than that of the second filter;
• a computation unit configured to compute an object distance between the image pickup apparatus and an object;
• an obtaining unit configured to obtain a focal length of the image pickup apparatus;
• and
• a control unit configured to control said insertion-extraction unit so as to insert the first filter, the second filter, or the third filter according to the computed object distance and the obtained focal length.