A 4D electron tomography system includes a stage having one or more degrees of freedom, an electron source, and electron optics operable to direct electron pulses to impinge on a sample supported on the stage. A pulse of the electron pulses impinges on the sample at a first time. The system also includes a laser system and optics operable to direct optical pulses to impinge on the sample. A pulse of the optical pulses impinges on the sample at a second time. The system further includes a detector operable to receive the electron pulses passing through the sample, a controller operable to independently modify an orientation of the stage and at least one of the first time or the second time, a memory operable to store sets of images, and a processor operable to form a 4D tomographic image set from the sets of images.