A probe apparatus includes a first stage, a second stage, a third stage and an image pickup. A Z position measuring unit measures a Z direction position of the mounting table and has a Z scale extending in the Z direction and a reading unit for reading the Z scale. A computation unit obtains a calculated contact position between the probes and the electrode pads of the substrate to be inspected based on images picked up by the image pickup with respect to a coordinate position on coordinates of a driving system which includes a Z direction position and X and Y direction positions measured by a measuring unit for measuring X and Y direction positions of the mounting table. A correcting unit corrects the Z direction position of the contact position based on the change amount thereof for a next contact operation.