A point diffraction interferometer measures optical performance of a target optical system based on a light intensity distribution of an interference fringe through an interference between a wave front that passes the target optical system and a reference wave front generated from a pinhole, wherein the pinhole satisfies 1.05.ltoreq.ellipticity.ltoreq.1.16, where the ellipticity is defined as a diameter of a pinhole in a direction perpendicular to a linear polarization direction of light incident upon the pinhole, divided by a diameter of the pinhole in the linear polarization direction.