Compact imaging engine for imaging reader

A compact, low-cost, high-performance, imaging engine for an imaging reader for, and a method of, imaging targets, include a single printed circuit board (PCB), an illumination light assembly supported by the PCB for illuminating a target, a single chassis mounted on the PCB, an imaging lens assembly supported by the chassis for capturing return light from the illuminated target, and a solid-state imager supported by the PCB for detecting the captured return light over a field of view, and for generating an electrical signal indicative of the captured light. A controller is mounted on or off the imaging engine, and is operatively connected to, and controls the operation of, the imager and the illumination light assembly, for processing the electrical signal into data indicative of the target being imaged.