PURPOSE: To prevent color slurring of a still picture by checking a level of each color signal extracted from an image pickup output signal and blocking a freeze command signal when color slurring is detected.

CONSTITUTION: An RGB signal separated from an output signal of a CCD by sample-and-hold circuits 52-54 is stored in RGB memories 58-60 via A/D converters 55-57. Data of the memories 58-60 are simultaneously extracted for each frame and compared with a specified voltage Vr by comparators 64-66. The result of comparison is processed by logic circuits 67-69 and only when it is discriminated that there is no color slurring, a latch 70 sets an analog switch 71 to 'on'. Thus, a command signal from a freeze switch 24 to a freeze circuit 45 is controlled and a still picture is obtained only when no color slurring is in existence.