A hand-held bar code reader includes one or more photosensor arrays which provide a plurality of image sensor portions arranged for receiving images of a bar code through a plurality of selectively usable paths of 5 different focal lengths which are defined by a passive optical system. A distance measuring system controls the sensor portion which is used to control the focal length. In one embodiment, the bar code image is projected to a plurality of receiving mirror surfaces, thence to a plurality of additional mirror surfaces and thence through lens barrels to mirrors which project the 10 images to photosensor arrays. In another, the bar code image is projected to a plurality of receiving mirror surfaces, thence to an additional mirror surface, and thence through a single lens barrel to a mirror which projects the images to a photosensor array.