Method for determining the orientation of an orientation indicator, with ∘ a measuring instrument, more particularly a tachymeter, having distance measuring sensors and image acquiring sensors and ∘ an orientation indicator positionable indirectly or directly at a target point and having at least three reflecting segments (4', 4", 4''', 6, 6', 6", 6''', 6"", 7, 8) of such a shape and arrangement that they - have a detectable mutual geometric relationship, and - can be simultaneously resolved by means of image acquiring sensors, characterized in that ∘ a reflecting segment used for distance measurement is distinguishable from the other reflecting segments independently of the relative position of the reflecting segments to one another, ∘ from the measuring instrument toward the orientation indicator, one simultaneously has a directional emission - of a collimated beam for measurements by means of the distance measuring sensors and - of a divergent beam for acquisition by means of the image acquiring sensors while the two beams (2, 3) differ in their wavelengths and/or polarization, and ∘ the collimated beam reflected and/or scattered by the reflecting segments and the divergent beam reflected and/or scattered by the reflecting segments are captured simultaneously while the distance from the measuring instrument to at least the reflecting segment (4', 4", 4''', 6, 6', 6", 6''', 6"", 7, 8) used for distance measurement is determined by means of the distance measuring sensors, simultaneously with the determination by means of the image acquiring sensors, of the positions in space of the at least three reflecting segments (4', 4", 4''', 6, 6', 6", 6''', 6'''', 7, 8), and in this way the orientation of the orientation indicator is established. ∘ a measuring instrument, more particularly a tachymeter, having distance measuring sensors and image acquiring sensors and ∘ an orientation indicator positionable indirectly or directly at a target point and having at least three reflecting segments (4', 4", 4''', 6, 6', 6", 6''', 6"", 7, 8) of such a shape and arrangement that they - have a detectable mutual geometric relationship, and - can be simultaneously resolved by means of image acquiring sensors, characterized in that - have a detectable mutual geometric relationship, and - can be simultaneously resolved by means of image acquiring sensors, ∘ a reflecting segment used for distance measurement is distinguishable from the other reflecting segments independently of the relative position of the reflecting segments to one another, ∘ from the measuring instrument toward the orientation indicator, one simultaneously has a directional emission - of a collimated beam for measurements by means of the distance measuring sensors and - of a divergent beam for acquisition by means of the image acquiring sensors while the two beams (2, 3) differ in their wavelengths and/or polarization, and - of a collimated beam for measurements by means of the distance measuring sensors and - of a divergent beam for acquisition by means of the image acquiring sensors ∘ the collimated beam reflected and/or scattered by the reflecting segments and the divergent beam reflected and/or scattered by the reflecting segments are captured simultaneously while the distance from the measuring instrument to at least the reflecting segment (4', 4", 4''', 6, 6', 6", 6''', 6"", 7, 8) used for distance measurement is determined by means of the distance measuring sensors, simultaneously with the determination by means of the image acquiring sensors, of the positions in space of the at least three reflecting segments (4', 4", 4''', 6, 6', 6", 6''', 6'''', 7, 8), and in this way the orientation of the orientation indicator is established.