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 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 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. <EOS>