PURPOSE: To easily and effectively illuminate a package to be inspected irrespec tive of the size of the package by disposing dimming elements which can in dependently dim in a two-dimensional manner, and dimming the elements accord ing to an area region responsive to the size of the package.

CONSTITUTION: LED elements (dimming elements) 10-1-10-N of about 3mm×3mm formed on its upper surface in a square shape are disposed in a two-dimensional matrix state to form a dimming element member 10. When an IC package 1 to be inspected is placed on an illuminating stage set above the elements 10 and the type name of the package 1 to be inspected is input from an input unit 18, a control circuit 14 reads the pattern of the illuminating area responsive to the type and the size from a memory 16, controls an LDE driver 12 to light the elements 10-1-10-N, thereby illuminating the package 1. Thus, since the region which does not exceed the end of the connecting part of the lead pin of the package 1 is illuminated, the excellent silhouette image of the end of the pin can be observed.