1. A method for determining 3D coordinates of an object by a handheld laser-based distance measuring device, the method being performed by the handheld laser-based distance measuring device comprising: determining an object point at the object with the handheld laser-based distance measuring device; measuring a distance from the handheld laser based distance measuring device to the determined object point by means of an electronic distance meter (EDM) of the handheld laser-based distance measuring device; capturing a 3D image of the object, the 3D image including the determined object point with a time-of-flight (TOF) camera of the handheld laser-based distance measuring device; holding the handheld laser-based distance measuring device over ground supported only with a hand of the user during the measuring and capturing; identifying the determined object point in the captured 3D image with the handheld laser-based distance measuring device; and linking the measured distance measured by the electronic distance meter with the identified object point in the 3D image with the handheld laser-based distance measuring device.