The quality of objects and workpieces of a manufacturing process is often evaluated based on surface and/or form. An inspection apparatus for optically, in particular deflectometrically, inspecting an object includes a hollow body housing having an opening, the object being positionable in the opening for the inspection; a camera having a plane of focus and a camera direction extending toward the opening of the housing, and being configured to take a plurality of object images of the object situated in the plane of focus; a plurality of light sources arranged around the opening and designed for variably illuminating the plane of focus; and an evaluation unit configured to determine a topography of the object based on the object images.