An image pickup apparatus capable of obtaining a high AF accuracy while reducing unnecessary power consumption and a release delay when photographing while detecting a focusing state using auxiliary light. The image pickup apparatus is capable of mounting a light emission device with which a first light emitting section of which an irradiation direction can be changed with respect to a body of the light emission device and a second light emitting section of which an irradiation direction is fixed to the body are provided. An obtaining unit obtains information about the irradiation direction of the first light emitting section. A control unit controls one of the first light emitting section and the second light emitting section on the basis of the information about the irradiation direction obtained as a light emitting section for irradiating with auxiliary light at the time when the focus detection unit performs focus detection.