An apparatus for performing in-line lens-free digital holography of an object, comprising: - a single point light source adapted for emitting coherent light; - an object space suitable for locating the object and positioned in proximity of the point light source within a range of hundred micrometers to 30 centimeters, for subjecting the object to light waves of the point light source; - an image sensing device adapted and arranged for recording interference patterns resulting from interference from light waves directly originating from the point light source and object light waves, the object light waves originating from scattering or reflection of light waves from the point light source by the object, the image sensing device comprising a plurality of pixels; wherein: - the object space is situated in between the point light source and the image sensing device and situated along or within the light path of the light emitted from the point light source to the image sensing device; - the image sensing device is adapted for receiving and recording, at the same moment in time, a plurality of interference patterns by a respective plurality of disjoint subsets of pixels; - the single point light source comprises a broad wavelength spectrum light source and a pinhole structure, the broad wavelength spectrum light source being arranged such that it emits light towards the pinhole structure; - the image sensing device comprises for each of the disjoint subsets of pixels, a respective narrow band wavelength filter positioned above each of the pixels of the disjoint subset of pixels, wherein a wavelength range of each narrow band wavelength filter falls within the broad wavelength spectrum of the point light source, and wherein these wavelength ranges of the narrow band wavelength filters are non-overlapping; and - said apparatus further comprises a processing means adapted for deriving phase information of the object based on at least the plurality of interference patterns by performing an iterative phase retrieval algorithm using the plurality of interference patterns. - a single point light source adapted for emitting coherent light; - an object space suitable for locating the object and positioned in proximity of the point light source within a range of hundred micrometers to 30 centimeters, for subjecting the object to light waves of the point light source; - an image sensing device adapted and arranged for recording interference patterns resulting from interference from light waves directly originating from the point light source and object light waves, the object light waves originating from scattering or reflection of light waves from the point light source by the object, the image sensing device comprising a plurality of pixels; - the object space is situated in between the point light source and the image sensing device and situated along or within the light path of the light emitted from the point light source to the image sensing device; - the image sensing device is adapted for receiving and recording, at the same moment in time, a plurality of interference patterns by a respective plurality of disjoint subsets of pixels; - the single point light source comprises a broad wavelength spectrum light source and a pinhole structure, the broad wavelength spectrum light source being arranged such that it emits light towards the pinhole structure; - the image sensing device comprises for each of the disjoint subsets of pixels, a respective narrow band wavelength filter positioned above each of the pixels of the disjoint subset of pixels, wherein a wavelength range of each narrow band wavelength filter falls within the broad wavelength spectrum of the point light source, and wherein these wavelength ranges of the narrow band wavelength filters are non-overlapping; and - said apparatus further comprises a processing means adapted for deriving phase information of the object based on at least the plurality of interference patterns by performing an iterative phase retrieval algorithm using the plurality of interference patterns.