IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP METHOD, PLAYBACK CONTROL APPARATUS, PLAYBACK CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM

An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit configured to convert an image input through a lens system into image data, a stitching unit configured to generate a panoramic image from a plurality of the image data items of images captured during a time period from when a panoramic image capture is started to when the panoramic image capture is ended, an imaging direction detecting unit configured to detect an imaging direction during the time period from when a panoramic image capture is started to when the panoramic image capture is ended, a clock unit configured to detect image capture time information regarding image capture times of the panoramic image, and a recording unit configured to record, in association with the panoramic image generated by the stitching unit, the image capture time information detected by the clock unit and the imaging direction detected by the imaging direction detecting unit.