Various improved imager-based optical code readers (500,800) and associated methods (3200,3300) are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, an imager-based method reads an optical code (which may be, for example, a linear optical code such as a bar code) on an object in a viewing volume. The method comprises dividing (3310) an image plane (400) into a plurality of strip-shaped sections, viewing (3320) the object in the viewing volume from a plurality of perspectives, forming (3340) a plurality of strip-shaped images corresponding to the plurality of perspectives, respectively, thereby creating a composite image containing data from a plurality of perspectives, and processing at least a portion of the composite image so as to ascertain the information encoded in the optical code on the object in the viewing volume. Certain embodiments can mimic the performance of a laser-based scanner (100) without a laser or moving parts but instead utilizing an electronic imaging device such as an imager (508,808).