Multimode light detectors are provided, which combine a plurality of measurements of light to detect information, using a mode transformation device. The light may be light from one or more objects, and the mode transformation device may be configured to transform the light into many single mode light beams. Each measurement of the light may be a measurement of a corresponding single mode light beam. The multimode detectors may include one or more optical receivers, configured to mix one or more single mode light beams with one or more local oscillators, respectively. Methods are provided for detecting information of objects, including obtaining light from the objects, transforming the light into multiple single mode light beams, and collecting (and/or combining) measurements of the single mode light beams.