Abstract: Optical confocal imaging, being conducted with a programmable array microscope (PAM) (100), having a light source device (10), a spatial light modulator device (20) with a plurality of reflecting modulator elements, a PAM objective lens and a camera device (30), wherein the spatial light modulator device (20) is configured such that first groups of modulator elements (21) are selectable for directing excitation light to conjugate locations of an object to be investigated and for directing detection light originating from these locations to the camera device (30), and second groups of modulator elements (22) are selectable for directing detection light from non-conjugate locations of the object to the camera device (30), comprises the steps of directing excitation light from the light source device (10) via the first groups of modulator elements to the object to be investigated, wherein the spatial light modulator device (20) is controlled such that a predetermined pattern sequence of illumination spots is foc