PURPOSE: To read a color picture at high speed by selectively driving plural liquid crystal elements by the liquid crystal control means of a color separating means to eliminate the influence of mechanical oscillation or the like.

CONSTITUTION: Color separating filters 222r, 222g, and 222b are arranged correspondingly to plural liquid crystal elements 221. The reflected light from an original 201 is made incident on the side of plural liquid crystal elements 221, and the light transmitted through these liquid crystal elements 221 reaches a sensor 205 after being transmitted through corresponding color separating filters 222r, 222g, or 222r. Consequently, only R components in the reflected light from the original 201 are transmitted through this color liquid crystal filter 220 and reach the sensor 205 when a liquid crystal control part 230 selectively supplies a driving signal to plural liquid crystal elements 221 corresponding to plural color separating filters 222r.