In an image pickup apparatus and image pickup method, an image pickup area where a plurality of pixels each having at least first and second photoelectric conversion sections are arranged in a depth direction is used to pick up an object image, signals from the first and second photoelectric conversion sections are obtained in case that the image pickup area is light-shielded, and differential processing between a signal obtained in the first photoelectric conversion section in case that the image pickup area is light-shielded and a signal obtained in the first photoelectric conversion section by picking up an object image in the image pickup area, and differential processing between a signal obtained in the second photoelectric conversion section in case that the image pickup area is light-shielded and a signal obtained in the second photoelectric conversion section by picking up an object image in the image pickup area are performed, so that correction of image pickup signals is performed.