Abstract: A video controlled solid state range finding system includes an opto-electric camera and a helium neon laser. The laser applies coherent light to a beam splitter which applies a reference beam to the camera and an outgoing beam to a first angularly variable reflector which directs the outgoing beam to the object. An incoming beam from the object is reflected to a second angularly variable reflector and thus to the camera via the beam splitter. The first and second reflectors are configured with respect to the beam splitter so that the distance D travelled by the outgoing beam is the same as the distance travelled by the incoming beam from the second reflector to the beam splitter. The reference beam produces a reference signal and the incoming beam produces an object signal at the camera. The difference between the reference and object signals is used to vary the angle A between the outgoing beam and the reference line (31), and the angle B between the incoming beam and the reference line.