Abstract: Confocal laser scanning microscope comprising a laser as point light source, a deflection system for the line and frame scanning and a lens system, at least one objective near the object, an object stage, a spatial filter and a detector, and an electronic control and imaging-processing system. The object is scanned point by point by the light beam and measurement is made with the detector only where the point light source is focused so that out-of-focus light is not detected. As a result resolution and contrast in three dimensions, in particular, axially to the image plane can be improved considerably, and 3D information can be derived from the object.