Distance sensor

The EDM measuring device (99) has a conditioning unit (2) including an amplifier stage (23) and for conditioning an electrical reception signal from a receiving unit (1). The amplifier stage is designed such that it has a non-linear input-output characteristic, in particular with a gain factor dependent on an amplitude value of the reception signal, and specifically with a first gain factor for a first amplitude value of the input signal and at least one second gain factor, different from the first, for a second amplitude value of the input signal. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a distance measuring method; (2) a method for extending the detectable amplitude dynamic range of a receiving unit of an electro-optical distance measuring device; and (3) a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program code for carrying out a distance measuring method.