High resolution, energy dispersive patterns are obtained with parallel beam x‐ray optics, synchrotron radiation, a step scanning incident beam channel monochromator, and independently selectable specimen and detector angles, which are fixed during the scan. This permits decoupling of the specimen and detector geometry (which would cause defocusing in conventional methods) and makes it possible to measure the intensities at several incidence angles to determine the preferred orientation of the crystallites in a thin film. The method is illustrated by patterns of a Pd/Xe thin film.