A point-of-transaction workstation for processing products by electro-optically imaging indicia associated with the products, comprising: a housing; at least one window (20, 22) supported by the housing; at least one solid-state imager (30, 32) supported by the housing and having an array of image sensors with a field of view; characterized by an optical system supported by the housing and operative for splitting the field of view of the at least one imager (20, 22) into a plurality of subfields of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L) that simultaneously extend through the at least one window (20, 22) over regions of the product; a plurality of energizable illuminators (70C 1, 70C2, 70R, 70L, 72C1, 72C2, 72R, 72L), one for each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L), for illuminating each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L) with illumination light over an adjustable illumination time, the optical system being further operative for capturing the illumination light returned from the indicia in each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L) along respective optical paths from the at least one window (20, 22) to the at least one imager (30, 32); a plurality of exposure sensors (80C, 80R, 80L, 82C, 82R, 82L), one for each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L), and external of the at least one imager (30, 32), for sensing the returned illumination light in each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L); and a controller operatively connected to the at least one imager (30, 32), the illuminators (70C1, 70C2, 70R, 70L, 72C1, 72C2, 72R, 72L), and the exposure sensors (80C, 80R, 80L, 82C, 82R, 82L), for energizing each illuminator (70C1, 70C2, 70R, 70L, 72C1, 72C2, 72R, 72L) to illuminate each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L), for deenergizing each illuminator (70C1, 70C2, 70R, 70L, 72C1, 72C2, 72R, 72L) when the returned illumination light sensed by the respective exposure sensors (80C, 80R, 80L, 82C, 82R, 82L) exceeds a threshold, and for processing the captured illumination light in at least one of the subfields of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L). a housing; at least one window (20, 22) supported by the housing; at least one solid-state imager (30, 32) supported by the housing and having an array of image sensors with a field of view; characterized by an optical system supported by the housing and operative for splitting the field of view of the at least one imager (20, 22) into a plurality of subfields of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L) that simultaneously extend through the at least one window (20, 22) over regions of the product; a plurality of energizable illuminators (70C 1, 70C2, 70R, 70L, 72C1, 72C2, 72R, 72L), one for each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L), for illuminating each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L) with illumination light over an adjustable illumination time, the optical system being further operative for capturing the illumination light returned from the indicia in each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L) along respective optical paths from the at least one window (20, 22) to the at least one imager (30, 32); a plurality of exposure sensors (80C, 80R, 80L, 82C, 82R, 82L), one for each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L), and external of the at least one imager (30, 32), for sensing the returned illumination light in each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L); and a controller operatively connected to the at least one imager (30, 32), the illuminators (70C1, 70C2, 70R, 70L, 72C1, 72C2, 72R, 72L), and the exposure sensors (80C, 80R, 80L, 82C, 82R, 82L), for energizing each illuminator (70C1, 70C2, 70R, 70L, 72C1, 72C2, 72R, 72L) to illuminate each subfield of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L), for deenergizing each illuminator (70C1, 70C2, 70R, 70L, 72C1, 72C2, 72R, 72L) when the returned illumination light sensed by the respective exposure sensors (80C, 80R, 80L, 82C, 82R, 82L) exceeds a threshold, and for processing the captured illumination light in at least one of the subfields of view (30C, 30R, 30L, 32C, 32R, 32L).