The invention relates to a device for sorting any desired pieces of products in dependence on criteria, and a method for operating the same. It is the object of the invention to provide a solution which permits a very fast at least three-channel fractionating of a product flow with a simultaneous mild treatment of products, at low expenditures for energy, and at a high wear resistance. The object is realized in that the products pass a first approaching zone, arrive in a second zone in which a separating element set into rotations by operation of a stepper-motor, including on its circumference with equidistantly spaced fingers, and which, in dependence on a respective control, transfers the products to be sorted into at least three further zones. A real-time image tracking system is provided which is adapted to capture the entire path of the products through the zones. The real-time image tracking system inputs individual product information of each single product such as at least one parameter as volume, speed, profile of parts, center of mass, defective spots, deflection characteristic, angular momentum, or the like into microprocessors and address arrays, respectively, and feeds said information into a main coordinate processor. The individual product information is adapted to be associated and addressable to each individual product. The output signals from said main coordinate processor control the stepper-motor and, thus, the separating element with single product related different senses of rotation and accelerations.