System and apparatus for recognizing both handwritten and machine-printed character patterns in which the character filed is scanned by photoelectric means to generate an analog-form signal which is converted into a four-bit binary form and fed to a four-bit parallel shift register from which differently delayed versions are taken to summing circuits in the development of ntuples which operate to detect the presence of short line segments of specific orientation within the character area. By means of further summing circuits the line segment responses are analyzed to identify and indicate the position of a number of different topographical features such as line endings, bends or corners, line junctions and line crossings. These feature responses are converted into a list of code signals for matching, as by computer, with standard lists of similar code signals derived from ranges of different standard characters.