A scanning charged particle beam device configured to image a specimen, comprising: a source of charged particles, a condenser lens for influencing the charged particles; an aperture plate having at least two aperture openings configured to generate at least two primary beamlets of charged particles, at least two deflectors (6A-6E) configured to individually deflect the at least two primary beamlets of charged particles so that each primary beamlet appears to come from a different source, wherein the at least two deflectors are first multi-pole deflectors with an order of poles of 8 or higher; a second multi-pole deflector with an order of poles of 8 or higher; an objective lens configured to focus the at least two primary beamlets onto the specimen, wherein the objective lens is a retarding field compound lens; a beam separator (13; 413, 414; 215) configured to separate the at least two primary beamlets from at least two signal beamlets; a beam bender (423; 470), a deflector or mirror configured to deflect the at least two signal beamlets, wherein the beam bender is selected from the group consisting of: a hemispherical beam bender and a beam bender having at least two curved electrodes; and at least two detector elements (9A-9E) configured to individually measure the at least two signal beamlets, wherein the second multi-pole deflector is included in a scanning deflector system for scanning the at least two primary beams of charged particles over the specimen, wherein the scanning deflector system includes at least one scanning deflector, and wherein the at least one scanning deflector is the second multi-pole deflector with an order of poles of 8 or higher. a source of charged particles, a condenser lens for influencing the charged particles; an aperture plate having at least two aperture openings configured to generate at least two primary beamlets of charged particles, at least two deflectors (6A-6E) configured to individually deflect the at least two primary beamlets of charged particles so that each primary beamlet appears to come from a different source, wherein the at least two deflectors are first multi-pole deflectors with an order of poles of 8 or higher; a second multi-pole deflector with an order of poles of 8 or higher; an objective lens configured to focus the at least two primary beamlets onto the specimen, wherein the objective lens is a retarding field compound lens; a beam separator (13; 413, 414; 215) configured to separate the at least two primary beamlets from at least two signal beamlets; a beam bender (423; 470), a deflector or mirror configured to deflect the at least two signal beamlets, wherein the beam bender is selected from the group consisting of: a hemispherical beam bender and a beam bender having at least two curved electrodes; and at least two detector elements (9A-9E) configured to individually measure the at least two signal beamlets, wherein the second multi-pole deflector is included in a scanning deflector system for scanning the at least two primary beams of charged particles over the specimen, wherein the scanning deflector system includes at least one scanning deflector, and wherein the at least one scanning deflector is the second multi-pole deflector with an order of poles of 8 or higher.