Method for optical quality control in laser deposition welding, wherein in the process of laser deposition welding the surface of a workpiece to be coated is melted by means of a high-energy laser beam directed onto a processing spot of the surface and focussed by focussing optics onto a point of impact on the surface , wherein a relative movement takes place between the laser beam and the workpiece , wherein a molten pool is generated in the processing spot by the laser beam , and wherein a powdery coating material is applied to the molten pool in the processing spot , comprising the steps of a) detecting the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the molten pool as light by means of an image detection device , wherein the brightness of the emitted light represents the intensity of the emitted electromagnetic radiation; b) forwarding the captured image information of the molten pool to an image evaluation unit and controlling and/or monitoring at least one parameter of the laser deposition welding process which influences the quality of the coating by means of a process control device on the basis of the captured image information; is characterised by the further steps c) computationally determining the location data of at least one region of the same intensity and/or of at least one region within a specific intensity interval in the captured image information to form a contour of the region; d) assigning at least one symmetrical, elliptical surface body (E) to the at least one region of the same intensity and/or to the at least one region within a specific intensity interval by approximating an ellipse to the contour of the region; e) identifying characteristic features of the geometric shape of the at least one symmetrical, elliptical surface body (E); f) storing the characteristic features of the at least one symmetrical, elliptical surface body as a data set in a data storage device ; and g) detecting, controlling and/or monitoring the at least one parameter of the laser deposition welding process influencing the quality of the coating by means of the process control device on the basis of the data of the characteristic features of the at least one symmetrical, elliptical surface body (E). a) detecting the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the molten pool as light by means of an image detection device , wherein the brightness of the emitted light represents the intensity of the emitted electromagnetic radiation; b) forwarding the captured image information of the molten pool to an image evaluation unit and controlling and/or monitoring at least one parameter of the laser deposition welding process which influences the quality of the coating by means of a process control device on the basis of the captured image information; is characterised by the further steps c) computationally determining the location data of at least one region of the same intensity and/or of at least one region within a specific intensity interval in the captured image information to form a contour of the region; d) assigning at least one symmetrical, elliptical surface body (E) to the at least one region of the same intensity and/or to the at least one region within a specific intensity interval by approximating an ellipse to the contour of the region; e) identifying characteristic features of the geometric shape of the at least one symmetrical, elliptical surface body (E); f) storing the characteristic features of the at least one symmetrical, elliptical surface body as a data set in a data storage device ; and g) detecting, controlling and/or monitoring the at least one parameter of the laser deposition welding process influencing the quality of the coating by means of the process control device on the basis of the data of the characteristic features of the at least one symmetrical, elliptical surface body (E). <EOS>