The invention relates to an installation for observing or illuminating a container (2) section (t) travelling in translation and each having an axis of revolution (S), the installation including optical systems (61) translationally guided along a parallel direction an adjustment portion of their respective optical paths, and which have, for containers having a section with a first diameter, their respective work volumes each coincident with a part of said container section having the first diameter, the installation including at least one driving device (15) providing, when the containers have a section with a second diameter different to the first diameter, the movement in synchronous translation of the optical systems along a direction parallel to the adjustment portion of their respective optical paths and as a function of the difference between the first and the second diameter.