1. A method for imaging and decoding a plurality of encoded beads comprising the steps of: (a) collecting light from an encoded bead along a collection path; (b) dispersing the light that is traveling along the collection path into a plurality of light beams, as a function of a plurality of different discriminable characteristics of the light; (c) focussing each of the plurality of light beams to produce a respective image corresponding to that light beam, thereby generating a plurality of images, each image being indicative of an identity of said encoded bead; (d) detecting the plurality of images; (e) analyzing the plurality of images to determine the identity of said encoded bead; and (f) repeating steps (a)-(e) for successive encoded beads from the plurality of encoded beads.