An encoder, comprising a first element, a second element, and a plurality of components, in which the first element is movable among a plurality of positions relative to the second element, each position is adjacent to at least one other position, each component generates a signal at each of said positions, and movement of the first element from any position to any adjacent position results in a change in a signal from only one of said components. Also, an encoder that comprises a multi-detector element which comprises two or more sub-detectors that generate sub-signals, the sub-detectors spaced from each other a distance (rotational and/or translational) that is smaller than a distance between two positions of a first element. Also, a method of detecting a position of a first element relative to a second element, comprising moving a first element relative to a second element from a first position to a second position.