An apparatus for reading the profile of a shank portion (5") of a key wherein said shank portion (5") comprises at least one terminal part, a first face, and a second face (8") opposite to said first face, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises: - a chamber provided with an inlet section for the insertion of at least one segment of said shank portion (5"); - an optical device operatively associated with said chamber, said optical device defining an optical axis and being configured to capture an image comprising at least one view of said profile; - a support device (11,12) which defines a bearing plane for at least one segment of said key, said optical axis being parallel to said bearing plane; - a lighting device (21,22) operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate said at least one terminal part of said shank portion (5"), wherein said lighting device (21,22) comprises: - a first source of scattered light operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate a first side of said shank portion (5") comprised between said first face, which, when the apparatus is being used, is resting on said bearing plane, and said second face (8"); - a second source of scattered light operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate a second side (7") of said shank portion (5") opposite to said first side; and wherein said first and second sources (21, 22) are arranged, with respect to the bearing plane, so as to face the first and second sides (7', 7"), respectively, of the shank portion (5") and extend mainly along a reference direction parallel to said optical axis. being characterized in that it comprises: - a chamber provided with an inlet section for the insertion of at least one segment of said shank portion (5"); - an optical device operatively associated with said chamber, said optical device defining an optical axis and being configured to capture an image comprising at least one view of said profile; - a support device (11,12) which defines a bearing plane for at least one segment of said key, said optical axis being parallel to said bearing plane; - a lighting device (21,22) operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate said at least one terminal part of said shank portion (5"), wherein said lighting device (21,22) comprises: - a first source of scattered light operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate a first side of said shank portion (5") comprised between said first face, which, when the apparatus is being used, is resting on said bearing plane, and said second face (8"); - a second source of scattered light operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate a second side (7") of said shank portion (5") opposite to said first side; and wherein said first and second sources (21, 22) are arranged, with respect to the bearing plane, so as to face the first and second sides (7', 7"), respectively, of the shank portion (5") and extend mainly along a reference direction parallel to said optical axis. - a chamber provided with an inlet section for the insertion of at least one segment of said shank portion (5"); - an optical device operatively associated with said chamber, said optical device defining an optical axis and being configured to capture an image comprising at least one view of said profile; - a support device (11,12) which defines a bearing plane for at least one segment of said key, said optical axis being parallel to said bearing plane; - a lighting device (21,22) operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate said at least one terminal part of said shank portion (5"), wherein said lighting device (21,22) comprises: - a first source of scattered light operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate a first side of said shank portion (5") comprised between said first face, which, when the apparatus is being used, is resting on said bearing plane, and said second face (8"); - a second source of scattered light operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate a second side (7") of said shank portion (5") opposite to said first side; and wherein said first and second sources (21, 22) are arranged, with respect to the bearing plane, so as to face the first and second sides (7', 7"), respectively, of the shank portion (5") and extend mainly along a reference direction parallel to said optical axis. - a first source of scattered light operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate a first side of said shank portion (5") comprised between said first face, which, when the apparatus is being used, is resting on said bearing plane, and said second face (8"); - a second source of scattered light operatively associated with said chamber and configured to illuminate a second side (7") of said shank portion (5") opposite to said first side;