Various embodiments described herein relates to indicia reading system for scanning and decoding direct part markings (DPM) indicia. The indicia reading system includes a plurality of collimating optical elements that generate collimated light beams. A plurality of diffractive optical elements is tuned to split a corresponding collimated light beam into at least two sets of refracted light beams at two incident angles relative to a DPM indicia. A first set of refracted light beams with a zero-diffraction order and a first incident angle causes a bright-field illumination in a far-field area. A second set of refracted light beams with a first-diffraction order and a second incident angle causes a dark-field illumination in a near-field area. An image sensor generates image data of the DPM indicia based on a set of reflected light beams received from the DPM indicia in accordance with one of the bright-field illumination or the dark-field illumination.