Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining spatial aor time intervals in the focused image or focused sequence of images of a lens-diaphragm system and/or of spatial, time-related object-parameters (10), spectral and/or local frequency-specific object parameters, in particular to control automatons and to monitor production sequences, focusing of the incident electromagnetic beams being implemented by the lens-diaphragm system (10), position-specific modulation of the direction of propagation, intensity, wavelength, polarization and/or of the time modulation frequency of the electromagnetic beams (11) being implemented by a 3D modulator (12) present behind the lens-diaphragm system (10) in or near the focal plane of the lens-diaphragm system (10), detection of the modulated electromagnetic beams being carried out by a detection system (13) located to the rear of the 3D modulator (12), and calculation of the spatial and/or time intervals (14) of the electromagnetic beams in the 3D modulato