Techniques are disclosed for providing an optical sensor that can be used for wind sensing and an optical scope. The optical sensor can include a photodiode, an electrical switch, a trans-impedance amplifier (TIA), and a capacitive trans-impedance amplifier (CTIA), enabling the optical sensor to perform both wind-sensing and range-finding functions. Some embodiments may include some or all of these components in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), depending on desired functionality.