Distance measuring device , in particular for use in a handheld distance measuring instrument, laser tracker, tachymeter, laser scanner, LIDAR measuring instrument or profiler, for determining a distance to a target comprising • a radiation source for generating a transmission radiation, in particular pulsed laser measurement radiation or superluminescence LED radiation, • a transmission path for emitting at least one part of the transmission radiation to the target , • a reception path comprising a receiver configured for detecting a reception signal on the basis of at least one part of the transmission radiation returning from the target, and • a computing unit configured for deriving the distance to the target on the basis of the reception signal , wherein • the receiver comprises, for detecting the reception signal , an optoelectronic sensor based on a SPAD array , the SPAD array having a multiplicity of microcells each configured for an avalanche mechanism, and the microcells being connected in parallel to one or more output signals, • the computing unit is configured to derive a signature parameter on the basis of the reception signal , wherein information regarding a signature of the signal profile of the reception signal is associated with the signature parameter, in particular wherein information regarding a characteristic-curve-specific triggering of the microcells of the SPAD array is associated with the signature, and wherein • on the computing unit , furthermore, distance correction information, in particular as a function or a lookup table , is stored regarding distance offsets which occur when deriving the distance and are dependent on the signal profile of the reception signal , and • the computing unit , on the basis of the derived signature parameter and the distance correction information, takes account of a distance offset when deriving the distance, characterized in that the reception path has a light mixer for light mixing, configured to distribute returning parts of the transmission radiation uniformly over all microcells of the SPAD array (18, 18A, 18B, 18 '). • a radiation source for generating a transmission radiation, in particular pulsed laser measurement radiation or superluminescence LED radiation, • a transmission path for emitting at least one part of the transmission radiation to the target , • a reception path comprising a receiver configured for detecting a reception signal on the basis of at least one part of the transmission radiation returning from the target, and • a computing unit configured for deriving the distance to the target on the basis of the reception signal , wherein • the receiver comprises, for detecting the reception signal , an optoelectronic sensor based on a SPAD array , the SPAD array having a multiplicity of microcells each configured for an avalanche mechanism, and the microcells being connected in parallel to one or more output signals, • the computing unit is configured to derive a signature parameter on the basis of the reception signal , wherein information regarding a signature of the signal profile of the reception signal is associated with the signature parameter, in particular wherein information regarding a characteristic-curve-specific triggering of the microcells of the SPAD array is associated with the signature, and wherein • on the computing unit , furthermore, distance correction information, in particular as a function or a lookup table , is stored regarding distance offsets which occur when deriving the distance and are dependent on the signal profile of the reception signal , and • the computing unit , on the basis of the derived signature parameter and the distance correction information, takes account of a distance offset when deriving the distance, <EOS>