Confocal Reflection Microscopy (CRM) was applied to investigate external fibrillation of different types of fibers such as Kajaani reference fiber, Whatman filter fiber, thermomechanical pulp (TMP), and recycled TMP fiber. It was confirmed that the CRM images are created from surface structures of the fiber cell wall. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) captured overall shape of the fiber, but minute details of the surface of the fiber were missed. CRM captured the minute details of the fiber surface. From the CRM and CLSM images, it was observed that the CRM images mainly appeared on the fiber surfaces. External fibrillation of the fiber occurs at the fiber surface, not inside the cell wall. Thus, it was concluded that investigation on the external fibrillation of the fiber was possible by utilizing CRM images. A direct qualtitative and quantitative method for analysis of external fibrillation of fiber was demonstrated by utilizing surface area to volume ratio, volume fraction, and roughness calculated from 3-dimensional images reconstructed from stacks of CRM images from the different fibers.