PURPOSE: To copy contents of an original on all of the surface of a copy material no matter whether the original is fixed-form or free-form, by comparing the size of the original and that of the copy material with each other in different directions of the original and the copy material to copy contents of the original with different magnifications.

CONSTITUTION: For the purpose of measuring the picture size of an original on an original glass surface, indicating levers 15 are connected mechanically to potentiometers 17 in respect to directions X and Y. A wire 16 is moved in accordance with the movement of an indicating lever 15X, and a potentiometer 17X is rotated through pulleys 14a and 14b, and then, a voltage proportional to the movement of the indicating lever 15X is generated in the potentiometer 17X. This voltage is converted digitally and is inputted to a microcomputer 19 to calculate the position of the indicating lever. The position of the indicating lever 15Y is calculated similarly, and these calculation results are inputted to a main controlling circuit 22 of a copying machine to copy the picture with desired variable magnifications.