Rocking curve imaging is based on measuring a series of Bragg-reflection digital topographs by monochromatic parallel-beam synchrotron radiation in order to quantify local crystal lattice rotations within a large surface area with high angular and high spatial resolution. In this paper we apply the method to map local lattice tilts in two distinct semiconductor sample types with lattice misorientations up to 0.5 degrees and with spatial resolution from 30 mu m down to I mu m. We analyse the measured surface-tilt data volumes for samples with almost smoothly varying specific misoriented defect formation in GaAs wafers and for an inherent subsurface grain structure of epitaxial lateral overgrowth wings in GaN. Backprojected tilt maps and histograms provide both local and global characteristics of the microcrystallinity. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.