Apparatus for imaging a page of a book or other similar document

The present invention relates to an apparatus for imaging a page of a book or other similar document comprising: - a table defining a support plane, the book being disposed on the table such that the page to image is substantially parallel to the support plane and an other page of the book is orientated at an angle ± relative to the support plane, ± being between 0° and 70°; - a plurality of light sources, each light source producing an incident light and directing said incident light onto an inspection area of the page to image at a predetermined zenith angle ̧ i and at a predetermined azimuth angle Æ i ; - means for sensing the light reflected by the page to image; - at least one control unit adapted to control said displacing means, said light sources and said sensing means; wherein the light sources are fixedly connected to a main frame, said main frame defining a partially or fully hemispherical dome; the apparatus further comprising displacement means arranged for a relative displacement between the table and the main frame parallel to the support plane along a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction and/or perpendicular to the support plane along a normal direction; wherein said main frame comprises a first module and a second module, said second module being detachably connected to the first module at a first end thereof, said first end defining a plane that is obliquely orientated at an angle ² relative to the support plane; and wherein, when the second module is disconnected from the first module, a free space between the first end of the first module and the support plane is adapted to permit the movement of the table and the book in the longitudinal and lateral directions without coming into contact with the main frame.