An X-ray scattering chamber 12 includes a housing 14 that may be mounted in X-ray diffraction equipment between an X-ray source 2 and an X-ray detector 4, for example on goniometer arm 6. The housing 14 includes sample holder 16 and beam conditioning optics 22,24, but the system also makes use of primary optics 10 outside the housing. The equipment is suitable for SAXS and/or SAXS-WAXS.