Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for femtosecond-pulsed microscopy, preferably non-linear microscopy. The microscopy system comprises a laser source for providing a pulse train comprising a series of femtosecond pulses and a pulse picker for selecting one or more bursts of pulses from the pulse train. Each of the one or more bursts comprises a plurality of consecutive pulses. The one or more bursts may comprise less than 25%, e.g., less than 15%, of the pulses of the pulse train. The microscopy system further comprises optics for illuminating a sample with the one or more bursts of pulses, and a detector for detecting signals caused by interaction of the one or more bursts of pulses with the sample. The detector may be configured to generate a single signal for each of the one or more bursts.