A first control unit (172), which controls the timing at which a first image pickup unit (110) starts exposure, obtains a second difference (Δt2) by subtracting a first difference (Δt1) from an exposure-output time (AA) of the first image pickup unit (110), and outputs a first control signal (CTR1) for delaying the timing at which the first image pickup unit (110) starts an exposure, by the second difference (Δt2). The exposure-output time is a time lag between when the image pickup unit starts an exposure and when output of an image signal obtained by the exposure is started. The first difference (Δt1) is a difference between a timing at which the first image pickup unit (110) started outputting a predetermined image signal and a timing at which a second image pickup unit (150) started an exposure for obtaining an image signal that the second image pickup unit (150) outputted immediately after the first image pickup unit (110) started outputting the predetermined image signal. In such a way, the timings at which a plurality of image pickup units provided in an image pickup apparatus start exposure are synchronized.