A light detector for use in a line scanning microscope and a microscope comprising such a light detector are described. The light detector comprises a line array of avalanche semiconductor detectors; and an electronic trigger circuit that is adapted to operate the avalanche semiconductor detectors in at least one of a Geiger mode with internal charge amplification and in a linear mode. The trigger circuit further comprises a parallel counter that is designed to read out in parallel light pulses detected by the avalanche semiconductor detectors. The parallel counter is adapted to accumulate the light pulses detected by the avalanche semiconductor detectors over a preset counting time.