Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/02/04

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Distortion
From: "Henning J. Wulff" <henningw@archiphoto.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 1998 19:43:20 -0800

Danny,

In the interest of brevity, I'll keep this to the main points:

1) In an ideal (fully corrected) lens, used on flat film, perspective
rendition is the same for all lenses, no matter the construction type and
focal length. As the field of view increases, the corners of the image
relate less and less to our usual visual interpretation, and we call that
perspective distortion.

2) Linear distortion is a direct function of a variation in magnification
across the image field. A true rectilinear lens has zero variation in
magnification, and using the usual definitions, a fisheye has 100 percent
distortion, orthographic or equidistant projection only providing
variations in midfield.

3) Optical geometry allows for nothing else.


   *            Henning J. Wulff
  /|\      Wulff Photography & Design
 /###\   mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com
 |[ ]|     http://www.archiphoto.com

original message:

>As you know, the principal difference between a retrofocus and a symmet,
>is that the
>symmet images at (or close to) its focal length and the retrofocus
>provides some room
>at the rear by placing a divergent group in front of a convergent one,
>effectively
>shifting nodal planes back, behind the lens.
>
>Considering that the angle of oblique ...etc <snip>