An indicia reading terminal comprising: an illumination subsystem for projection of an illumination pattern, the illumination subsystem having one or more light source; an imaging subsystem including an image sensor array and an imaging lens assembly for focusing an image of a target onto the image sensor array; a hand held housing incorporating the image sensor array; wherein the indicia reading terminal has a first illumination and exposure control configuration and a second illumination and exposure control configuration, the first illumination and control configuration having a first associated illumination control and a first associated exposure control, the second illumination and exposure control configuration having a second associated illumination control and a second associated exposure control, wherein with the first illumination control active an average energization level of the illumination subsystem during exposure periods of one or more frames is higher than with the second illumination control active, wherein with the first exposure control active an average exposure period of the image sensor array is shorter than with the second exposure control active; wherein the indicia reading terminal is operative so that responsively to a trigger signal activation the indicia reading terminal activates the first illumination and exposure control configuration for capturing of a first set of frames, the first set of frames comprising one or more successive frames, and activates the second illumination and exposure control configuration for capturing of a second set of frames, the second set of frames comprising one or more successive frames; wherein the indicia reading terminal is operative so that responsively to the trigger signal activation the indicia reading terminal attempts to decode decodable indicia utilizing one or more frame of the first set of frames and further attempts to decode a decodable indicia utilizing one or more frame of the second set of frames; characterised in that: a switching between said first illumination and exposure control configuration and said second exposure and control configuration includes a switching characteristic selected from (a) the switching is on an open loop basis without the switching being responsive to a sensed condition; (b) the switching is responsive to a measurement of motion of the indicia reading terminal; (c) the switching is responsive to a range of the indicia reading terminal; (d) the switching is responsive to a failure to decode decodable indicia. an illumination subsystem for projection of an illumination pattern, the illumination subsystem having one or more light source; an imaging subsystem including an image sensor array and an imaging lens assembly for focusing an image of a target onto the image sensor array; a hand held housing incorporating the image sensor array; wherein the indicia reading terminal has a first illumination and exposure control configuration and a second illumination and exposure control configuration, the first illumination and control configuration having a first associated illumination control and a first associated exposure control, the second illumination and exposure control configuration having a second associated illumination control and a second associated exposure control, wherein with the first illumination control active an average energization level of the illumination subsystem during exposure periods of one or more frames is higher than with the second illumination control active, wherein with the first exposure control active an average exposure period of the image sensor array is shorter than with the second exposure control active; wherein the indicia reading terminal is operative so that responsively to a trigger signal activation the indicia reading terminal activates the first illumination and exposure control configuration for capturing of a first set of frames, the first set of frames comprising one or more successive frames, and activates the second illumination and exposure control configuration for capturing of a second set of frames, the second set of frames comprising one or more successive frames; wherein the indicia reading terminal is operative so that responsively to the trigger signal activation the indicia reading terminal attempts to decode decodable indicia utilizing one or more frame of the first set of frames and further attempts to decode a decodable indicia utilizing one or more frame of the second set of frames; a switching between said first illumination and exposure control configuration and said second exposure and control configuration includes a switching characteristic selected from (a) the switching is on an open loop basis without the switching being responsive to a sensed condition; (b) the switching is responsive to a measurement of motion of the indicia reading terminal; (c) the switching is responsive to a range of the indicia reading terminal; (d) the switching is responsive to a failure to decode decodable indicia. (a) the switching is on an open loop basis without the switching being responsive to a sensed condition; (b) the switching is responsive to a measurement of motion of the indicia reading terminal; (c) the switching is responsive to a range of the indicia reading terminal; (d) the switching is responsive to a failure to decode decodable indicia.