The depth resolution of state-of-the-art Time-of-Flight cameras is often restricted by technical limitations in electronics manufacturing and does not satisfy the requirements in industrial inspection in many cases. High precision Time-of-Flight principles like single-wavelength interferometry are limited to smooth surfaces and have problems at parts with larger height variation, which renders them impractical for many applications in industrial inspection. We close the gap and solve this problem by applying teachings known from signal processing and multiwavelength interferometry to measure the object at a so-called “synthetic wavelength” whose size can be freely tuned over multiple orders. Paired with focal plane array sensors, our techniques acquire sub-mm resolution full field 3D data of any surface type within milliseconds or even in single-shot. The formation and computational shaping of “synthetic pulses” enables advanced inspection possibilities, e.g., to detect small defects. The synthetic wave principle is of interest for many applications in industrial inspection, because it combines the benefits of ToF imaging (compact, no occlusions) with the high resolution of triangulation (‘structured light’) methods.