An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device that includes a plurality of pixels; a first curtain that travels to block incidence of light on the imaging device; a second curtain that permits the incidence of light on the imaging device earlier than the traveling of the first curtain; a reset unit that sequentially reset-scans lines of the pixels earlier than the traveling of the first curtain; and an operation selecting unit that selects one of a mechanical shutter operation performed by the traveling of the first curtain and the second curtain and an electronic shutter operation performed by the first curtain and the reset unit depending on a slit width formed by the first curtain and the second curtain or a slit width formed by the first curtain and the reset-scanning of the reset unit.