An object handling apparatus comprising image acquisition and processing apparatus for determining positional information in respect of an object area occupied by an object, the apparatus comprising: a light source arrangement 32 for illuminating the object area； a light detector arrangement 33 for detecting light reflected from the object area； and image processing means 41 for determining positional information in respect of the object in dependence on output from the light detector arrangement； wherein the light source arrangement 32 is arranged for illuminating the object area with elliptically polarised light with a first chirality； and the light detector arrangement 33 comprises an elliptical polarisation filter for allowing passage of elliptically polarised light with said first chirality and blocking elliptically polarised light with an opposite chirality for suppressing generation of image artefacts due to specular reflection of the elliptically polarised light from the object area.
