Laser tracker for position determination and in particular continuous tracking of a target embodied as a retroreflector or having at least one retroreflector, wherein the laser tracker at least comprises • a base, • a support, which is fixed on the base rotatably about a first rotation axis, • a beam directing unit, which is fixed to the support rotatably about a second rotation axis, which is substantially orthogonal to the first rotation axis, • means for detecting a rotation angle of the support relative to the base, and • means for detecting a rotation angle of the beam directing unit relative to the support, wherein the beam directing unit comprises • a laser emission and reception optical unit for emitting measurement radiation and for receiving measurement radiation reflections, and • a first optical distance measuring unit having at least one first distance measuring device (12, 13) for measuring the distance to the retroreflector by means of a first measurement radiation, • a second optical distance measuring unit, wherein the second optical distance measuring unit comprises a second beam source for emitting a second measurement radiation, a detector and a control and processing unit for measuring a distance to a diffusely scattering surface of a target object by means of the second measurement radiation, • the second beam source is designed to emit a pulsed light radiation, in particular laser beam, as second measurement radiation, • a portion of the second measurement radiation that is reflected from the surface of the target object is forwardable to the detector, • the detector is designed to detect at least one pulse of the reflected portion of the second measurement radiation, characterized in that • the second optical distance measuring unit is designed to digitize the detected pulse in the context of a waveform digitizing process and to ascertain a distance to the surface of the target object on the basis of the digitized pulse. • a base, • a support, which is fixed on the base rotatably about a first rotation axis, • a beam directing unit, which is fixed to the support rotatably about a second rotation axis, which is substantially orthogonal to the first rotation axis, • means for detecting a rotation angle of the support relative to the base, and • means for detecting a rotation angle of the beam directing unit relative to the support, • a laser emission and reception optical unit for emitting measurement radiation and for receiving measurement radiation reflections, and • a first optical distance measuring unit having at least one first distance measuring device (12, 13) for measuring the distance to the retroreflector by means of a first measurement radiation, • a second optical distance measuring unit, wherein the second optical distance measuring unit comprises a second beam source for emitting a second measurement radiation, a detector and a control and processing unit for measuring a distance to a diffusely scattering surface of a target object by means of the second measurement radiation, • the second beam source is designed to emit a pulsed light radiation, in particular laser beam, as second measurement radiation, • a portion of the second measurement radiation that is reflected from the surface of the target object is forwardable to the detector, • the detector is designed to detect at least one pulse of the reflected portion of the second measurement radiation, • the second optical distance measuring unit is designed to digitize the detected pulse in the context of a waveform digitizing process and to ascertain a distance to the surface of the target object on the basis of the digitized pulse.