Tagged Questions

3
votes
1answer
41 views

Optics, lenses and our eyes

When we view an image, is the focal point of our eye on our retina? Shouldn't that hurt? Also, if that is how our eye works, then why don't lenses put the focal point their equivalent retina? I was ...
2
votes
1answer
84 views

Why do focal lengths affect magnification?

For compound lenses, the image formed by first lens acts as the imaginaryobject for the second lens. In telescopes, the objective lens projects an image on its focal point which works as the object ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views

How to calculate beam spread of a non-point light source via an aspheric lens

I need to determine the angle, or rate of divergence of light from a single aspheric lens when I place a non-point light source (e.g. LED array) at a given distance from the lens which is less than ...
0
votes
0answers
163 views

Why a person with a further near point experience a larger magnification with a magnifier

Two people, Micah and Lyra, with different near points are equally close to an object. Both inspect the object through the same magnifier by holding the lens close to the eye. Micah's near ...
1
vote
1answer
69 views

What determines the sign of an image distance?

A lens placed at the origin with its axis pointing along the x axis produces a real inverted image at $x = - 24 cm$ that is twice as tall as the object. What is the image distance? Why ...
1
vote
0answers
33 views

Smaller Airy disk with another lens?

Is it possible to reduce the airy disk size produced by one lens with another lens placed after the previous one? For example, parallel ray incident on first lens L1 (without aberration), then there ...
0
votes
0answers
41 views

EigenMode expansion for beam propagation

I want to understand how to apply EigenMode expansion method (http://www.photond.com/files/docs/PW03_eme_paper.pdf) for beam propagation on a system of lenses. The interface between two mediums of ...
0
votes
1answer
163 views

calculating focal length of meniscus lens

As I read about telescope, distance between objective lens and eyepiece must be equal to addition of their focal lengths. D = F1 + F2 I used one of the eyepiece ...
4
votes
1answer
127 views

On the optics of high-resolution surveillance drones

In this youtube video (which is an except from a documentation I believe) a DARPA development for a high-resolution surveillance camera is presented. This question is regarding the optics that are ...
7
votes
3answers
122 views

Put a sensor at the focal length, behind, or in front?

My intuition tell me that at the focal length a convex lens all the light converges to a point. Following that logic, it would make sense to me that a camera chip would either need to go slightly in ...
0
votes
2answers
104 views

Ideal distance of eye from a lens

I observed that when I keep constant distance between object and lens but I move my eye, I get different magnification. When I am closer to lens I can see large image of the object. But if I go away ...
3
votes
2answers
148 views

Effect of gas or liquid within a compound lens system

Hi my question is if a compound lens system if filled with gas or a liquid how does it affect the system when compared to the lens system being separated by air alone. Does this affect the focal power ...
0
votes
0answers
40 views

How does a lens affect the field of view in a mirror?

If one looks into a mirror, he can see a certain field of view. If he places a convex lens that magnifies (or a concave lens that does the opposite) in front of the mirror, but so that he can still ...
1
vote
1answer
127 views

Optics Paradox?

Imagine we have two lens, one convex and one concave, spaced in such a way that the convex lens is before the concave lens. Now each lens has its own focus length and both are spaced such that the ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views

How to find focal length of a single convex lens?

I need help finding the focal length of a single convex lens. The radius of curvature is 200mm. left side is air and the glass has a index of 1.5. I search on google but there was only formulas for ...
3
votes
2answers
290 views

How to make the projected image smaller by adding one ore more lenses in front of the built in projector lense?

I have a projector that creates a large image, even if the distance to the screen is short. The device is very small, approximateley 10x10 cm if you look from above. The height is only 3 cm. I ...
14
votes
3answers
365 views

What are these rays that appear in photograph of sun?

In many images of light emitting objects we see such rays. Why do they appear ? What is the math behind their number and direction?
-4
votes
1answer
70 views

Photonics: Slab As a Lens [closed]

The question can be found here: http://gyazo.com/fc4d26cd35e6ce368ad2a8ed504f1dcc The refractive index it references can be found here: http://gyazo.com/94fd2f3b5ea7da9226c3acd56b0024c1 I'm not ...
2
votes
1answer
191 views

How does a flat wedge lens work?

I've been seeing this lens in a lot of places especially microsoft: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rJ1p5SD3sOM#t=45s ...
0
votes
1answer
118 views

How to define the required aspherical coefficients for a lens?

I would like to purchase my own aspherical lens for testing purpose. Then I need to define the required coefficients. But how? My known requirements are f=25mm F/# 2.0 and MTF 0.5 @ 120lp/mm with a wl ...
2
votes
1answer
146 views

Curved lines in a picture (Photography)

My problem is when I take a picture (a close one) the straight edge looks a little curved. In a standard camera, like a CyberShot. I would like to know if there is some relationship between the ...
3
votes
1answer
308 views

Compound lenses and virtual images

Ok so I have this problem where I have a system of two lenses. All I know is that the distance between the object and the first lens is 30cm, the distance between the object and the final image is ...
13
votes
1answer
2k views

Why can you see virtual images?

In optics it is widely mentioned real images are projectable onto screens whereas virtual ones can only be seen by a person. Isn't that contradictory? I mean in order to see the virtual image it has ...
1
vote
3answers
515 views

What does the optical zoom in telescopes do?

How does the optical zoom works.. Does it brings the light closer to the object... Or Does it just enlarges the picture of the object. In other words... Suppose I have telescope with 1 light-year ...