PURPOSE: To constitute simply a color picture reader and to miniaturize without using a color separating means such as a color separation filter by constituting a light emitting element array of a light emitting element different in luminescent wavelength.

CONSTITUTION: An original 401 is carried with carrying rollers 405, 406 of a color picture reader and an LED (light emitting diode) array 402 irradiating in plural different wavelengths is arranged repetitively in a line at a length covering the width of the original 401. The light from the array 402 is made incident to the original 401, the reflected light from the original 401 is fed to an image sensor 403 and an electric signal in response to the intensity of the incident light is outputted. The array 402 consists of RGB array substrates 804, 805, 806, R, G, B LEDs 801, 802, 803 and rod lens arrays 807∼809, the R, G, B light source formed on a line at the end part 810 is irradiated on a color original 811 to simplify the constitution of the reader and attain miniaturization.