Micro scale image capture system

A micro-scale imaging system comprising:

• an imaging module, the imaging module including an optical sensor, an extension tube, and a lens, the lens coupled to the extension tube and the extension tube disposed in front of the optical sensor guiding light from the lens to the optical sensor, the optical sensor including a plurality of pixels having a pixel size, the lens configured to enable the optical sensor to capture, for each pixel of the plurality of pixels, an imaged area of a fabric sample of the same size as the pixel size;
• a sample holder configured to hold the fabric sample for imaging, the sample holder configured to present the fabric sample to the imaging module without obstruction of incident light or reflected light;
• a lighting module, the lighting module including a plurality of light units spatially arranged around the sample holder and directed towards the sample holder, each light unit configured to provide a planar wave front illumination of the incident light on the fabric sample;
• wherein the lens in the imaging module is positioned with respect to the optical sensor and the extension tube to allow the imaging module to be positioned with respect to the sample holder so as to avoid occlusions of the incident light from the lighting module and so as to capture the reflected light at a planar wave front.