PURPOSE: To eliminate completely a reading error at the manual operation of a hand scanner by coupling the hand scanner and a grip section at one point at least, and making the coupled part turnable in a required direction.

CONSTITUTION: In using the hand scanner 1, the grip section 21 is scanned on an original 2 by gripping it in a hand. Thus, even if the grip section 21 is used tiltedly as shown in the figure, since the hand scanner 1 is supported by a pivot bearing 22 and held normally, a photo diode array 6 is made in parallel with the original 2 and the image of characters on the original 2 is formed accurately on the photodiode array 6 by means of a lens 7. Thus, the reading error at manual operation of the hand scanner is eliminated completely.