A diagnostic system is described with which we obtain a sequence of six pictures (interferograms or shadowgrams) of the plasma produced by the iodine laser on solid targets. The system consists of a synchronously pumped dye laser amplified in dye cells pumped by an excimer laser. It delivers a pulse with an energy of 500  &mgr;J and a length of 3 ps at a wavelength of 580 nm that is highly synchronous with the iodine pulse.