A pattern reading apparatus reads a pattern from a reflective object. The pattern reading apparatus includes a minute-area light source, an objective lens system, an imaging lens, and an imaging element. The objective lens system causes the illumination light beam from the light source to be incident on the object and converges the light beam reflected from the object. The imaging lens forms an image of the object using only a scattered component of light which has been reflected from the object. The imaging element is positioned such that the image of the pattern is imaged for reading the pattern. A shift mechanism is provided for supporting the objective lens for movement parallel to a direction approximately perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens.