Abstract: The device for the optical detection of the lateral position of features on the surface of traveling material webs has an optical imaging system including an objective lens (14) and light-sensitive receiver elements (16) arranged in a line and two illumination devices for illuminating the detection area (7), the first (20) of which is arranged in such a way that light beams of variable color emitted by it do not arrive at the imaging system by mirror reflection, while the second is composed of a punctiform light source (10) and a focusing lens (12; 13) that are arranged and disposed in such a way that beams emitted by it converge after mirror reflection on the detection area (7) in the lens (14) of the imaging system.