Method for measuring a distance to an object (51,52,53,62,62a) comprising • emitting pulsed laser light (55,65) with defined measurement pulse width, wherein the pulse width of the laser light (55,65) is adjustable, • receiving at least a part of the pulsed laser light (55,65) with defined measurement pulse width reflected from the object (51,52,53,62,62a), and • determining the distance (d) to the object (51,52,53,62,62a) by means of the received laser light (55,65), wherein the defined measurement pulse width of the emitted laser light (55,65) is provided by pre-adjusting the actual pulse width of the emitted laser light (55,65) in an automated and continuous manner by • performing a test measurement by ▪ emitting an amount of adjusting laser light with the actual pulse width, ▪ receiving at least a part of the adjusting laser light reflected from the object (51,52,53,62,62a) and ▪ determining a test distance to the object (51,52,53,62,62a) by means of the received adjusting laser light, • defining a measurement pulse width region (R1-Rj) on basis of a defined distance criterion (MPEF), wherein the distance criterion (MPEF) provides at least a maximum laser emission level in dependency of the test distance, • pre-adjusting the actual laser pulse width so that the pre-adjusted pulse width lies within limits of the measurement pulse width region (R1-Rj) and provides the measurement pulse width, and • the pre-adjusted pulse width being automatically and continuously fine-adjusted within the measurement pulse width region (R1-Rj) in dependency of a determined measurement performance parameter so that the fine-adjusted pulse width provides the measurement pulse width, characterised in that the measurement performance parameter represents an overall signal-to-noise ratio defined by • a photon noise generated by the stochastic distribution of emitted photons within one single laser pulse, in particular by the stochastic distribution of photon energy, and/or • a receiver noise generated by receiver electronics and/or by signal processing on side of a detector receiving the laser light (55, 65) reflected from the object (51, 52, 53, 62, 62a), in particular wherein the detector is built as a photosensitive detector, and the overall signal-to-noise ratio is adapted • by reducing the pulse width in case of the photon noise being dominant compared to the receiver noise with respect to the overall signal-to-noise ratio or • by increasing the pulse width in case of the receiver noise being dominant compared to the photon noise with respect to the overall signal-to-noise ratio, wherein the pulse width is reduced or increased within the measurement pulse width region (R1-Rj). • emitting pulsed laser light (55,65) with defined measurement pulse width, wherein the pulse width of the laser light (55,65) is adjustable, • receiving at least a part of the pulsed laser light (55,65) with defined measurement pulse width reflected from the object (51,52,53,62,62a), and • determining the distance (d) to the object (51,52,53,62,62a) by means of the received laser light (55,65), wherein the defined measurement pulse width of the emitted laser light (55,65) is provided by pre-adjusting the actual pulse width of the emitted laser light (55,65) in an automated and continuous manner by • performing a test measurement by ▪ emitting an amount of adjusting laser light with the actual pulse width, ▪ receiving at least a part of the adjusting laser light reflected from the object (51,52,53,62,62a) and ▪ determining a test distance to the object (51,52,53,62,62a) by means of the received adjusting laser light, ▪ emitting an amount of adjusting laser light with the actual pulse width, ▪ receiving at least a part of the adjusting laser light reflected from the object (51,52,53,62,62a) and ▪ determining a test distance to the object (51,52,53,62,62a) by means of the received adjusting laser light, • defining a measurement pulse width region (R1-Rj) on basis of a defined distance criterion (MPEF), wherein the distance criterion (MPEF) provides at least a maximum laser emission level in dependency of the test distance, • pre-adjusting the actual laser pulse width so that the pre-adjusted pulse width lies within limits of the measurement pulse width region (R1-Rj) and provides the measurement pulse width, and • the pre-adjusted pulse width being automatically and continuously fine-adjusted within the measurement pulse width region (R1-Rj) in dependency of a determined measurement performance parameter so that the fine-adjusted pulse width provides the measurement pulse width, • a photon noise generated by the stochastic distribution of emitted photons within one single laser pulse, in particular by the stochastic distribution of photon energy, and/or • a receiver noise generated by receiver electronics and/or by signal processing on side of a detector receiving the laser light (55, 65) reflected from the object (51, 52, 53, 62, 62a), in particular wherein the detector is built as a photosensitive detector, • by reducing the pulse width in case of the photon noise being dominant compared to the receiver noise with respect to the overall signal-to-noise ratio or • by increasing the pulse width in case of the receiver noise being dominant compared to the photon noise with respect to the overall signal-to-noise ratio,