A position detecting device comprises a movable member, a first electrode movable with the movement of the movable member, and a second electrode disposed at a location opposed to the first electrode. The edge of at least one of the first and second electrodes are inclined with respect to the direction of movement of the first electrode, whereby the area over which the first electrode and the second electrode overlap each other is varied by the relative movement of the two electrodes and an electrostatic capacity provided by the two electrodes is also varied to make the detection of the absolute position of the movable member possible and to change a position detection accuracy in accordance with a position of the first electrode.