Apparatus for ascertaining a velocity component (v x, v y) of an object that moves in a detection region at a measurement distance (g) relative to the apparatus and reflects light originating from a light source, wherein the object generates reflected light that emanates from the detection region, a) comprising a lens, a modulator, a receiving optical unit and a light detector, b) wherein the lens, the modulator, the receiving optical unit and the light detector are arranged on an optical receiver path, c) wherein the lens captures the reflected light generated by the object in the detection region and images it onto the modulator, d) wherein the modulator modulates the reflected light into a sequence of light signals, e) wherein the receiving optical unit images the sequence of light signals generated by the modulator onto the light detector, and f) wherein the light detector converts the sequence of light signals into a sequence of electronic signals, and g) comprising an interface, which forwards the sequence of electronic signals generated by the light detector to an evaluation unit characterized in that a beam splitter is arranged between the lens and the modulator and splits the light reflected from the object into two partial beams (RL1, RL2), wherein the lens images the partial beams (RL1, RL2) generated by the beam splitter into a first region and into a second region of the modulator, wherein the regions (46, 48) do not overlap, and in that the apparatus has a second receiving optical unit and a second light detector, the modulator modulates the partial beams (RL1, RL2) into a first and a second sequence of light signals (LS1, LS2), wherein the receiving optical unit images the sequence of the first light signals generated by the first region of the modulator onto the light detector and the second receiving optical unit images the sequence of the second light signals generated by the second region of the modulator onto the second light detector, and in that the second receiving optical unit and the second light detector are arranged on a second optical receiver path, wherein the receiver path and the second receiver path are arranged parallel to each other. a) comprising a lens, a modulator, a receiving optical unit and a light detector, b) wherein the lens, the modulator, the receiving optical unit and the light detector are arranged on an optical receiver path, c) wherein the lens captures the reflected light generated by the object in the detection region and images it onto the modulator, d) wherein the modulator modulates the reflected light into a sequence of light signals, e) wherein the receiving optical unit images the sequence of light signals generated by the modulator onto the light detector, and f) wherein the light detector converts the sequence of light signals into a sequence of electronic signals, and g) comprising an interface, which forwards the sequence of electronic signals generated by the light detector to an evaluation unit a beam splitter is arranged between the lens and the modulator and splits the light reflected from the object into two partial beams (RL1, RL2), wherein the lens images the partial beams (RL1, RL2) generated by the beam splitter into a first region and into a second region of the modulator, wherein the regions (46, 48) do not overlap, and in that the apparatus has a second receiving optical unit and a second light detector, the modulator modulates the partial beams (RL1, RL2) into a first and a second sequence of light signals (LS1, LS2), wherein the receiving optical unit images the sequence of the first light signals generated by the first region of the modulator onto the light detector and the second receiving optical unit images the sequence of the second light signals generated by the second region of the modulator onto the second light detector, and in that the second receiving optical unit and the second light detector are arranged on a second optical receiver path, wherein the receiver path and the second receiver path are arranged parallel to each other.