An apparatus adapted for collecting image data, the apparatus comprising: a two-dimensional CMOS based image sensor array for receiving light reflected from a target, the CMOS based image sensor array comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a photosensitive region, a storage region in electrical communication with the photosensitive region for receiving a charge transferred from the photosensitive region representative of light incident on the photosensitive region, and an opaque shield for preventing additional incident radiation from affecting the charge transferred to the storage region from the photosensitive region; an imaging lens for focusing reflected radiation reflected from the target onto the CMOS based image sensor array; wherein the apparatus causes the CMOS based image sensor array to simultaneously reset each photosensitive region, and wherein the apparatus causes the CMOS based image sensor array to simultaneously transfer charge at each photosensitive region to its respective storage region so that charge at each photosensitive region formed by incident light thereon between the time each photosensitive region is simultaneously reset and the time charge at each photosensitive region is transferred to its respective storage region referred to as an exposure period is simultaneously transferred from each photosensitive region to its respective storage region; and a light source for emitting light, wherein the apparatus causes the light source to emit light during an illumination period, wherein the apparatus causes the illumination period to occur during at least a portion of the exposure period, wherein the apparatus is operative for readout of image data from the CMOS based image sensor array, characterized by the apparatus being operative for processing the image data, the processing comprising (a) identifying a data type of decodable indicia included in the image data, (b) automatically discriminating between different types of barcodes in the decodable indicia including at least a two-dimensional barcode, and (c) attempting to decode the decodable data included in the image data. a two-dimensional CMOS based image sensor array for receiving light reflected from a target, the CMOS based image sensor array comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a photosensitive region, a storage region in electrical communication with the photosensitive region for receiving a charge transferred from the photosensitive region representative of light incident on the photosensitive region, and an opaque shield for preventing additional incident radiation from affecting the charge transferred to the storage region from the photosensitive region; an imaging lens for focusing reflected radiation reflected from the target onto the CMOS based image sensor array; wherein the apparatus causes the CMOS based image sensor array to simultaneously reset each photosensitive region, and wherein the apparatus causes the CMOS based image sensor array to simultaneously transfer charge at each photosensitive region to its respective storage region so that charge at each photosensitive region formed by incident light thereon between the time each photosensitive region is simultaneously reset and the time charge at each photosensitive region is transferred to its respective storage region referred to as an exposure period is simultaneously transferred from each photosensitive region to its respective storage region; and a light source for emitting light, wherein the apparatus causes the light source to emit light during an illumination period, wherein the apparatus causes the illumination period to occur during at least a portion of the exposure period, wherein the apparatus is operative for readout of image data from the CMOS based image sensor array, characterized by the apparatus being operative for processing the image data, the processing comprising (a) identifying a data type of decodable indicia included in the image data, (b) automatically discriminating between different types of barcodes in the decodable indicia including at least a two-dimensional barcode, and (c) attempting to decode the decodable data included in the image data.