A floor-standing profile projector based on a vertical beam, telecentric-zoom optical system for distortion-free viewing on a large screen, which is conveniently positioned so that projected images can be easily traced or compared with a template. The measuring stage incorporates linear scales for fast and accurate linear measurement to 1µm with a digital-readout protractor screen. The oblique surface illumination unit provides clear and bright images, allowing easy inspection of non-reflective work pieces such as plastic parts or printed materials.