A method of operating a charged particle beam device, comprising: passing each of a plurality of beamlets (4A, 4D) through a deflector and a scanner, wherein the beamlets pass through the scanner after passing through the deflector; focusing, with an objective lens, each of the plurality of beamlets on a sample to form a plurality of focal spots (40A, 40D) forming an array, including focusing a first beamlet on a first spot, and focusing a second beamlet on a second spot; in a centered configuration of the device, directing, with the deflector, each of the plurality of beamlets toward a coma free point on a virtual plane perpendicular to an optical axis, wherein the first spot is a regular first focal spot formed by the first beamlet, and scanning the scanner such that each of the beamlets scans a regular field of view, including the first beamlet scanning a regular first field of view and the second beamlet scanning a regular second field of view; and in a beamlet-displaced configuration of the device provided after the centered-configuration of the device, scanning the scanner such that the first beamlet passes through an acceptable aberrations point on the virtual plane, the first beamlet scanning a displaced first field of view, wherein the first spot is displaced from the regular first focal spot of the centered configuration to a displaced first focal spot and wherein the scanner and deflector are scanned in synchronicity such that the first beamlet passes continually through the acceptable aberrations point or such that the first beamlet oscillates about the acceptable aberrations point. passing each of a plurality of beamlets (4A, 4D) through a deflector and a scanner, wherein the beamlets pass through the scanner after passing through the deflector; focusing, with an objective lens, each of the plurality of beamlets on a sample to form a plurality of focal spots (40A, 40D) forming an array, including focusing a first beamlet on a first spot, and focusing a second beamlet on a second spot; in a centered configuration of the device, directing, with the deflector, each of the plurality of beamlets toward a coma free point on a virtual plane perpendicular to an optical axis, wherein the first spot is a regular first focal spot formed by the first beamlet, and scanning the scanner such that each of the beamlets scans a regular field of view, including the first beamlet scanning a regular first field of view and the second beamlet scanning a regular second field of view; and directing, with the deflector, each of the plurality of beamlets toward a coma free point on a virtual plane perpendicular to an optical axis, wherein the first spot is a regular first focal spot formed by the first beamlet, and scanning the scanner such that each of the beamlets scans a regular field of view, including the first beamlet scanning a regular first field of view and the second beamlet scanning a regular second field of view; and in a beamlet-displaced configuration of the device provided after the centered-configuration of the device, scanning the scanner such that the first beamlet passes through an acceptable aberrations point on the virtual plane, the first beamlet scanning a displaced first field of view, wherein the first spot is displaced from the regular first focal spot of the centered configuration to a displaced first focal spot and wherein the scanner and deflector are scanned in synchronicity such that the first beamlet passes continually through the acceptable aberrations point or such that the first beamlet oscillates about the acceptable aberrations point. scanning the scanner such that the first beamlet passes through an acceptable aberrations point on the virtual plane, the first beamlet scanning a displaced first field of view, wherein the first spot is displaced from the regular first focal spot of the centered configuration to a displaced first focal spot and wherein the scanner and deflector are scanned in synchronicity such that the first beamlet passes continually through the acceptable aberrations point or such that the first beamlet oscillates about the acceptable aberrations point.