An image processing apparatus includes: input means for inputting a video signal; decoding means for decoding the video signal; filtering means for performing predetermined filtering on the decoded video signal; and control means for calculating an average bit rate by dividing an amount of bits generated per predetermined data unit from the decoded video signal, and controlling a characteristic of the filtering in accordance with the average bit rate. When the video signal is input per image file, the control means calculates the average bit rate by dividing a file size of the image file by aplayback time corresponding to the file size, and when the video signal input is sequentially input per picture, the control means calculates the average bit rate by dividing a sum of generated bits per picture for a predetermined number of frames by the predetermined number of frames and the frame rate.