To inspect a moving article with only a single video camera in real time.

A sensor 3 detects the tire when an article 1 reaches a reference position in image pickup range of a single video camera, and commands to start imaging/taking-in, and the error between the time when the command is sent and the rise time of the image vertical synchronizing signal sent afterwards is detected with an error detecting part 17, and a real value of the error (distance error) is grasped with a counter 15. When there is an error actually, an inspection mask is moved by the amount of error with a position adjusting part 19 so that it accords with the position of the image of the article 1, and at this time, image taking-in-process is started with the rising of the image vertical synchronizing signal sent afterwards, for deciding presence of abnormality of the article 1. Therefore, article inspection is performed with a single video camera with low cost in real time.