1. A light modulating device, comprising a spatial light modulator and a pixelated optical element, in which a group of at least two adjacent pixels of the spatial light modulator in combination with a corresponding group of pixels in the pixelated optical element form a macropixel, the pixelated optical element being of a type such that its pixels comprise a fixed content, the spatial light modulator being of a type such that its pixels comprise a variable content, each macropixel being used to represent a numerical value which is manifested physically by the states of the pixels of the spatial light modulator and the content of the pixels of the pixelated optical element which form the macropixel.