Method for high-resolution 2D scanning microscopy of a sample, wherein - the sample is illuminated with illumination radiation in such a way that the illumination radiation is focused at a point in or on the sample to form a diffraction-limited illumination spot, wherein - the point is imaged in a diffraction-limited manner into a diffraction image on a spatially resolving surface detector, and the surface detector has a spatial resolution that resolves a diffraction structure of the diffraction image, - wherein manipulated is neither an imaging point spread function nor an illumination point spread function for producing an asymmetry, - the point is displaced relative to the sample into different scanning positions with an increment of less than half the diameter of the illumination spot, wherein a plurality of scanning positions are traveled with a fixed z-location of a focal plane of the imaging, - the surface detector is read, and a 2D image of the sample is produced from the data of the surface detector and from the scanning positions assigned to said data, said 2D image having a resolution that is increased beyond a resolution limit for imaging, characterized in that - the data of the surface detector with respect to the plurality of scanning positions at the fixed z-location of the focal plane are used to perform a three-dimensional reconstruction which provides a provisional depth-resolved 3D image, - a reduced section thickness is specified or predetermined, which is less than a section thickness which is produced by the imaging, - in the provisional, depth-resolved 3D image, only portions which are situated in the reduced section thickness around the fixed z-location of the focal plane are selected, and portions which are outside the reduced section thickness around the fixed z-location of the focal plane are discarded to produce the 2D image. - the sample is illuminated with illumination radiation in such a way that the illumination radiation is focused at a point in or on the sample to form a diffraction-limited illumination spot, wherein - the point is imaged in a diffraction-limited manner into a diffraction image on a spatially resolving surface detector, and the surface detector has a spatial resolution that resolves a diffraction structure of the diffraction image, - wherein manipulated is neither an imaging point spread function nor an illumination point spread function for producing an asymmetry, - the point is displaced relative to the sample into different scanning positions with an increment of less than half the diameter of the illumination spot, wherein a plurality of scanning positions are traveled with a fixed z-location of a focal plane of the imaging, - the surface detector is read, and a 2D image of the sample is produced from the data of the surface detector and from the scanning positions assigned to said data, said 2D image having a resolution that is increased beyond a resolution limit for imaging, - the data of the surface detector with respect to the plurality of scanning positions at the fixed z-location of the focal plane are used to perform a three-dimensional reconstruction which provides a provisional depth-resolved 3D image, - a reduced section thickness is specified or predetermined, which is less than a section thickness which is produced by the imaging, - in the provisional, depth-resolved 3D image, only portions which are situated in the reduced section thickness around the fixed z-location of the focal plane are selected, and portions which are outside the reduced section thickness around the fixed z-location of the focal plane are discarded to produce the 2D image.