An optical reproducing apparatus connectable to optical pickups and a method of controlling an optical pickup thereof are provided. The optical reproducing apparatus measures resistance of an optical pickup on a port of a connection unit to which the optical pickup is connected, and determines the type of the optical pickup according to the measured resistance. Accordingly, optical reproducing apparatuses may be controlled according to the type of optical pickups, and manufactured using various optical pickups without checking the type of optical pickups, which allows convenient manufacturing of optical reproducing apparatuses.