Abstract: An apparatus for eddy current testing of a test specimen includes a movable testing unit and a separate evaluating unit. Incorporated therein, the movable testing unit includes an optical position sensor as well as a testing head that has an eddy current generator and an eddy current sensor. The testing head generates and measures an eddy current in the test specimen, while the optical position sensor optically senses the position of the testing head on the test specimen. The optical position sensor includes a camera unit and a signal processor that determines the displacement direction and distance of the testing head based on differences among successive images of the specimen surface sensed by the camera unit. The camera unit includes a light emitting diode and an optical detector such as a CMOS sensor. The evaluating unit evaluates the measured data and allocates it to the associated position data.