An illumination system, an inspection tool and a method for inspecting an object are disclosed. A configurable area light source is arranged in an illumination optical axis of an illumination beam path, wherein the configurable area light source is configured such that different beam diameters are settable. At least one illumination lens is positioned in the illumination beam path for directing a collimated beam at least onto a field of view on a surface of the object, wherein a value of an angle of incidence of the illumination optical axis of the illumination beam path equals a value of an angle of reflectance of the imaging optical axis of the imaging beam path. The invention allows the combination of the functionality of a wide angle coaxial illumination and a collimated coaxial illumination in one illumination system.