An image pickup apparatus which prevents distortion of an image captured using an image pickup element employing an XY reading method and which suppresses degradation of the captured image caused by light leakage to pixel circuits is provided. Transfer transistors and reset transistors in all rows are turned on and photodiodes and FDs are reset before exposure of the photodiodes is started. Then, after a predetermined exposure time has been elapsed, the transfer transistors in all the rows are turned on and signal charges of the photodiodes of all pixels are transmitted to the FDs. When the exposure is terminated, a mechanical shutter is closed so as to block leakage light, and voltages corresponding to the signal charges transmitted from the photodiodes are successively read from the FDs on a row-by-row basis.