← All apps Lens Aberration Viewer
Education
See exactly what the idealized "thin lens" equation leaves out: trace rays through a real curved lens surface and watch spherical aberration appear as a spread of focus points instead of one sharp spot, worsening as you widen the aperture and vanishing as you stop it down. Switch on chromatic aberration and watch red, green, and blue light focus at visibly different points along the axis, exactly the effect that makes cheap lenses show color fringing. A side-by-side comparison against the ideal thin-lens result shows precisely how much — and why — a real lens falls short.
Open Lens Aberration Viewer (lensaberration.apps.vtc.com)
About Lens Aberration Viewer
Lens Aberration Viewer is an interactive learning tool on VTC. See exactly what the idealized "thin lens" equation leaves out: trace rays through a real curved lens surface and watch spherical aberration appear as a spread of focus points instead of one sharp spot, worsening as you widen the aperture and vanishing as you stop it down. Switch on chromatic aberration and watch red, green, and blue light focus at visibly different points along the axis, exactly the effect that makes cheap lenses show color fringing. A side-by-side comparison against the ideal thin-lens result shows precisely how much — and why — a real lens falls short. It runs in your web browser and is free to use, and suits students, teachers and self-learners.
Who it's for: Students, teachers and self-learners
Features
- Switch on chromatic aberration and watch red, green
- Blue light focus at visibly different points along the axis, exactly the effect that makes cheap lenses show color fringing
- A side-by-side comparison against the ideal thin-lens result shows precisely how much — and why — a real lens falls short
- Free to use in your browser
Frequently asked questions
What is Lens Aberration Viewer on VTC?
Lens Aberration Viewer is an interactive learning tool on VTC. See exactly what the idealized "thin lens" equation leaves out: trace rays through a real curved lens surface and watch spherical aberration appear as a spread of focus points instead of one sharp spot, worsening as you widen the aperture and vanishing as you stop it down. Switch on chromatic aberration and watch red, green, and blue light focus at visibly different points along the axis, exactly the effect that makes cheap lenses show color fringing.
Is Lens Aberration Viewer free to use?
Yes. The VTC app catalog lists Lens Aberration Viewer at no cost, and it runs in your web browser with nothing to install.
Who is Lens Aberration Viewer for and how do I start?
It is aimed at students, teachers and self-learners. To start, open https://lensaberration.apps.vtc.com in your browser.