A manipulator apparatus arranged for picking and placing of a component in a component assembly process, comprising: - a Z-stroke arranged for component placement along a Z-axis relative to a placement position on a substrate; - an actuation system arranged for aligning the component relative to the placement position; - a pickup head arranged on the Z-stroke to pick up a component and place it on the placement position; and - an alignment system coupled to the actuation system; wherein - the alignment system comprises: o an image detection system arranged on a first off-axis position and arranged for receiving light from the placement position and the component; wherein the alignment system is characterised by: o an imaging system comprising an arc form concave spherical mirror arranged at a second off-axis position and centered relative to the placement position; a folding mirror arranged in a light path between the concave spherical mirror and the placement position for folding the light path to a third off-axis position; and an arc form convex spherical mirror arranged at the third off-axis position having a curvature to image the placement position and the component on the image detection system. - a Z-stroke arranged for component placement along a Z-axis relative to a placement position on a substrate; - an actuation system arranged for aligning the component relative to the placement position; - a pickup head arranged on the Z-stroke to pick up a component and place it on the placement position; and - an alignment system coupled to the actuation system; wherein - the alignment system comprises: o an image detection system arranged on a first off-axis position and arranged for receiving light from the placement position and the component; wherein the alignment system is characterised by: o an imaging system comprising an arc form concave spherical mirror arranged at a second off-axis position and centered relative to the placement position; a folding mirror arranged in a light path between the concave spherical mirror and the placement position for folding the light path to a third off-axis position; and an arc form convex spherical mirror arranged at the third off-axis position having a curvature to image the placement position and the component on the image detection system. o an image detection system arranged on a first off-axis position and arranged for receiving light from the placement position and the component; wherein the alignment system is characterised by: o an imaging system comprising an arc form concave spherical mirror arranged at a second off-axis position and centered relative to the placement position; a folding mirror arranged in a light path between the concave spherical mirror and the placement position for folding the light path to a third off-axis position; and an arc form convex spherical mirror arranged at the third off-axis position having a curvature to image the placement position and the component on the image detection system. o an imaging system comprising an arc form concave spherical mirror arranged at a second off-axis position and centered relative to the placement position; a folding mirror arranged in a light path between the concave spherical mirror and the placement position for folding the light path to a third off-axis position; and an arc form convex spherical mirror arranged at the third off-axis position having a curvature to image the placement position and the component on the image detection system.