Types of Lens Aberrations

There are Various types of aberrations exist, each affecting image quality in specific ways. Here are the types of lens aberrations:

  1. Chromatic Aberration
  2. Spherical Aberration
  3. Coma
  4. Astigmatism
  5. Curvature of Field and Distortion
AberrationDescriptionExampleFormula
Spherical AberrationLight rays passing through different parts of the lens are focused at different points, causing blurring or distortion of the image.Blurred image of a point light source

Chromatic AberrationDifferent wavelengths of light are focused at different distances by the lens, resulting in color fringes or halos around objects in the image.Color fringes around high-contrast edges

ComaOff-axis points of light appear comet-shaped rather than point-like.Star-shaped distortion away from the center of the image

AstigmatismLight rays passing through different meridians of the lens focus at different distances, resulting in distorted or elongated images.Elliptical blur of a point light source

DistortionStraight lines in the object appear curved in the image.Barrel or pincushion distortion

Where:

  • K is Constant related to the lens shape
  • r is Aperture radius
  • F is Focal length of the lens
  • Δn is Difference in refractive index for two colors
  • λ is Wavelength of light
  • h is Distance from the optical axis
  • L is Distance from the lens to the image plane
  • α is Angle of incidence of the chief ray
  • β is Angle between the chief ray and the optical axis
  • k1​, k2​, k3​ is Distortion coefficients

Also, Check Power of a Lens

Aberration of Lens

Aberration of the lens refers to the failure of a lens to produce a perfect image. It occurs due to the lens’s geometry and light’s physical properties. There are several lens aberrations, each affecting the image in different ways.

In this article, we will discuss lens aberration, its types, corrections methods, and many more in detail.

Table of Content

  • Lens Aberration
  • Types of Lens Aberrations
  • Curvature of Field and Distortion
  • Combination of 2 Lenses to Reduce Chromatic Aberration

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