In an optical head device for recording/reproducing information on/from an optical recording medium, at least one laser light source emits a laser light beam provided with a first polarized light component and a second polarized light component which are perpendicular to each other. A plurality of optical elements transmit a return light beam reflected by the optical recording medium passes to the light receiving element. A transmission efficiency for the first polarized light component and a transmission efficiency for the second polarized light component in each optical element is made different. A total transmission efficiency for the first polarized light component and a total transmission efficiency for the second polarized light component, which are defined by the respective transmission efficiencies of all the optical elements, are made substantially identical.