To provide a picture reader capable of simply cleaning the upper surface of a light diffusing means in the picture reader reading a picture by a line CCD.

Relating to the picture reader reading picture information of a photographic film, etc., by the line CCD, a slit hole 32 transmitting light diffused by a light diffusing box 66 is formed at a path for carrying the film 22. Then, slide members 100A and 100B constituting the slit hole 32 are separated from each other in a carrying direction to expand the hole 32. Consequently, a finger, etc., is inserted from this expanded hole 32 to simply clean the upper surface 66A of the box 66.