A method of acquiring a large area image of a large area object, comprising: acquiring a plurality of small area electronic images of different divers (50,52,54,56) portions of the large area object by: focusing multiple, overlapping divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object onto an array of photosensitive elements through multiple, individual lens systems (12,14,16,18) in such a manner that respective overlapping divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object is focused onto the array of photosensitive elements by a respective one of the lens systems (12,14,16,18), each of the lens systems (12,14,16,18) having the same focal length and being positioned in a common plane, the array of photosensitive elements being positioned in a focal plane located at a distance from the common plane that corresponds to the focal length; exposing the array of photosensitive elements sequentially to respective overlapping, divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object; and reading the electronic signals out of the photosensitive elements for respective exposures before making the next sequential exposure; forming a mosaic of the small area electronic images by merging the small area electronic images together in such a manner that overlapping areas of adjacent small area electronic images coincide or register with each other; and converting the mosaic of small area electronic images to the large area image of the large area object; wherein merging the small area electronic images together comprises combining respective pixels from the sequential exposures together in a master coordinate system based on matching pixels from distinct features of the large area object that are in overlapping areas of the divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object. acquiring a plurality of small area electronic images of different divers (50,52,54,56) portions of the large area object by: focusing multiple, overlapping divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object onto an array of photosensitive elements through multiple, individual lens systems (12,14,16,18) in such a manner that respective overlapping divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object is focused onto the array of photosensitive elements by a respective one of the lens systems (12,14,16,18), each of the lens systems (12,14,16,18) having the same focal length and being positioned in a common plane, the array of photosensitive elements being positioned in a focal plane located at a distance from the common plane that corresponds to the focal length; exposing the array of photosensitive elements sequentially to respective overlapping, divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object; and reading the electronic signals out of the photosensitive elements for respective exposures before making the next sequential exposure; focusing multiple, overlapping divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object onto an array of photosensitive elements through multiple, individual lens systems (12,14,16,18) in such a manner that respective overlapping divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object is focused onto the array of photosensitive elements by a respective one of the lens systems (12,14,16,18), each of the lens systems (12,14,16,18) having the same focal length and being positioned in a common plane, the array of photosensitive elements being positioned in a focal plane located at a distance from the common plane that corresponds to the focal length; exposing the array of photosensitive elements sequentially to respective overlapping, divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object; and reading the electronic signals out of the photosensitive elements for respective exposures before making the next sequential exposure; forming a mosaic of the small area electronic images by merging the small area electronic images together in such a manner that overlapping areas of adjacent small area electronic images coincide or register with each other; and converting the mosaic of small area electronic images to the large area image of the large area object; wherein merging the small area electronic images together comprises combining respective pixels from the sequential exposures together in a master coordinate system based on matching pixels from distinct features of the large area object that are in overlapping areas of the divers portions (50,52,54,56) of the large area object.