Improved component placement inspection and verification is performed by a pick and place machine. Improvements include stereovision imaging of the intended placement location; enhanced illumination to facilitate the provision of relatively high-power illumination in the restricted space near the placement nozzle(s); optics to allow image acquisition device to view the placement location from an angle relative to a plane of the placement location, thereby reducing the possibility of such images being obstructed by the component; techniques for rapidly acquiring images with commercially available CCD arrays such that acquisition of before and after images does not substantially impact system throughput; and image processing techniques to provide component inspection and verification information.