To provide a method and apparatus capable of easily measuring characteristics of optical system for a short time especially in the photolithography in the semiconductor manufacturing etc.

A reticle and an image plane are mutually arranged perpendicularly. A plurality of patterns on the reticle are projected in a volume of image space. The image detected or recorded in the above space is analyzed with metrological means, and the projection property of the optical system is obtained. The focus, image curvature, astigmatism, spherical aberration, coma, and/or, focal plane deviation are measured.