1. An optical reader in communication with a spaced apart host processor, said optical reader comprising: (a) an imaging assembly including a two dimensional solid state image sensor and an optical assembly focusing an image of a target onto said solid state two dimensional image sensor; (b) a memory; (c) an analog to digital converter coupled to said two dimensional solid state image sensor and converting signals from said solid state two dimensional image sensor into a plurality of gray scale values for storage into said memory; (d) a controller coupled to said imaging assembly, said memory, and said analog to digital converter, where said controller is configured to capture frames of image data into said memory; and (e) a hand held housing encapsulating said imaging assembly, said memory, said analog to digital converted, and said controller, said hand held housing being adapted to be held in human hand so that said hand held housing is freely movable between a variety of positions relative to said spaced apart host processor; (f) wherein said optical reader is configured to operate in a first mode in which said optical reader receives from said spaced apart host processor a trigger instruction, wherein said controller substantially on receipt of said trigger instruction stores a frame of image data into said memory, and automatically attempts to decode a decodable bar code symbol represented in said frame of image data; (g) wherein said optical reader is further configured to operate in a second mode in which said optical reader receives from said spaced apart processor a frame upload instruction, wherein said controller substantially on receipt of said frame upload instruction uploads a lasts captured image data of said reader to said space apart host processor.