1. An apparatus for the spatially resolved detection of objects ( 13 ) located in a monitored zone ( 11 ), having a transmission device ( 43 ) for the transmission of electromagnetic radiation ( 17 ) in a transmission region ( 19 ); having a reception device ( 41 ) for the reception of radiation ( 25 ) reflected from a reception region ( 23 ), wherein the transmission region ( 19 ) and the reception region ( 23 ) overlap or intersect in a detection region ( 27 ) which is disposed within the monitored zone ( 11 ), which covers a detection angle and in which the transmitted radiation ( 17 ) is reflected by objects ( 13 ), having an imaging arrangement ( 29 ) having a radiation reflection surface ( 61 ) and disposed in the propagation path of the transmitted radiation ( 17 ) and/or of the reflected radiation ( 25 ) and which covers the total detection region ( 27 ) at the transmission side and/or at the reception side at all times; and having spatial resolution means ( 31 ) that is arranged in the propagation path of the radiation ( 17 ) between a transmitter of the transmission device ( 43 ) and the imaging arrangement ( 29 ), for the influencing of the propagation direction of the radiation ( 17 , 25 ) and/or for the operation of the reception device ( 41 ), in particular in a time varying manner, such that the position, in particular the spacing, of the detection region ( 27 ) relative to the imaging arrangement ( 29 ) and/or the size of the detection region ( 27 ) determined by the degree to which the transmission region ( 19 ) and the reception region ( 23 ) overlap or intersect can be changed, wherein the detection apparatus provides distance measurement in accordance with the time-of-flight principle and/or in accordance with the phase measurement principle, thereby functioning as a distance measurement unit.