A microscopic imaging system, the imaging system comprising: a light source for generating illumination light; an optical system; a detector system; wherein the optical system is configured: to focus the illumination light to simultaneously form a plurality of foci within an object to be inspected so that detection light is emitted by the object from the foci in response to the illumination light, wherein each of the foci is a line focus (LF1, LF2); and to direct the detection light to the detector system, which is configured to detect the detection light; wherein the optical system is further configured so that the foci, when seen relative to an optical axis of the optical system along which the illumination light is incident on the object, are mutually displaced from each other in an axial direction and mutually displaced from each other in a lateral direction; and wherein for each of the foci generated in the object, the detector system and the optical system are configured to substantially separately detect the detection light which is emitted from the respective focus. wherein the optical system and/or the detector system are configured to compensate for the displacement along the axial direction so that for each of the foci, a light receiving portion (SP1, SP2) of the detector system which receives a portion of the detection light is substantially located at a position which is optically conjugate to at least a portion of the respective focus, wherein the optical system comprises a beam multiplication system which is in the illumination light between the light source and the object and which generates a plurality of beamlets (8, 9), and wherein the beam multiplication system comprises a diffractive optical element, wherein each of the beamlets (8a, 9a) corresponds to a diffraction order generated by the diffractive optical element. a light source for generating illumination light; an optical system; a detector system; wherein the optical system is configured: to focus the illumination light to simultaneously form a plurality of foci within an object to be inspected so that detection light is emitted by the object from the foci in response to the illumination light, wherein each of the foci is a line focus (LF1, LF2); and to direct the detection light to the detector system, which is configured to detect the detection light; wherein the optical system is further configured so that the foci, when seen relative to an optical axis of the optical system along which the illumination light is incident on the object, are mutually displaced from each other in an axial direction and mutually displaced from each other in a lateral direction; and wherein for each of the foci generated in the object, the detector system and the optical system are configured to substantially separately detect the detection light which is emitted from the respective focus. wherein the optical system and/or the detector system are configured to compensate for the displacement along the axial direction so that for each of the foci, a light receiving portion (SP1, SP2) of the detector system which receives a portion of the detection light is substantially located at a position which is optically conjugate to at least a portion of the respective focus, wherein the optical system comprises a beam multiplication system which is in the illumination light between the light source and the object and which generates a plurality of beamlets (8, 9), and wherein the beam multiplication system comprises a diffractive optical element, wherein each of the beamlets (8a, 9a) corresponds to a diffraction order generated by the diffractive optical element. to focus the illumination light to simultaneously form a plurality of foci within an object to be inspected so that detection light is emitted by the object from the foci in response to the illumination light, wherein each of the foci is a line focus (LF1, LF2); and to direct the detection light to the detector system, which is configured to detect the detection light; wherein the optical system is further configured so that the foci, when seen relative to an optical axis of the optical system along which the illumination light is incident on the object, are mutually displaced from each other in an axial direction and mutually displaced from each other in a lateral direction; and wherein for each of the foci generated in the object, the detector system and the optical system are configured to substantially separately detect the detection light which is emitted from the respective focus. wherein the optical system and/or the detector system are configured to compensate for the displacement along the axial direction so that for each of the foci, a light receiving portion (SP1, SP2) of the detector system which receives a portion of the detection light is substantially located at a position which is optically conjugate to at least a portion of the respective focus, wherein the optical system comprises a beam multiplication system which is in the illumination light between the light source and the object and which generates a plurality of beamlets (8, 9), and wherein the beam multiplication system comprises a diffractive optical element, wherein each of the beamlets (8a, 9a) corresponds to a diffraction order generated by the diffractive optical element.