An apparatus for imaging a fingerprint operates in a selected mode to provide a finger recognition and/or a finger navigation application. Multiple light sources are capable of being sequentially selected for illumination of corresponding partitions of a finger interface upon which a user places a finger (or thumb). The selection of light sources is based on the selected mode of operation. A single sensor captures light reflected from the digit in all illuminated partitions as sequential partition images. The sensor further outputs image data corresponding to the captured partition images for processing in the selected mode.