An image pickup apparatus is equipped with a distance information calculator, a high frequency signal extractor, a focus assist signal generator, and a signal synthesizer. The distance information calculator calculates distance information of a video signal and generates an in-focus range signal from current focus information and the distance information. The high frequency signal extractor extracts a high frequency signal of the video signal. The focus assist signal generator generates a focus assist signal representing a focused region by using the high frequency signal and the in-focus range signal. The signal synthesizer synthesizes the focus assist signal with the video signal to generate a focus-assist-signal-added video signal.