A method and apparatus for optically inspecting a display employs sub-pixel accuracy for each primary color to take into account angle of rotation. The method includes capturing images of a display with R.times.S sensors; determining sets of sensor coordinates mapping to a pixel, determining multiple misalignment angles between the pixel on the display and the R.times.S sensors, determining multiple x scaling ratios, determining multiple weighting factors associated with R.times.S sensors in response to the corresponding multiple misalignment angle and the corresponding multiple x and y scaling ratios, determining multiple luminance values for R.times.S sensors, determining multiple total luminance values in response to the weighting factors and the luminance values, forming scaled images including first and second luminance values, and inspecting the scaled image to identify potential defects of the pixel on the display.