Optical Terminology

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What is light to photography?

What is light? Light is a physical phenomenon which involves creating vision by stimulating the optic nerves, and can be broadly defined as a type of electromagnetic wave. Types of electromagnetic radiation vary according to wavelength. Starting from the shortest wavelengths, electromagnetic radiation can be classified into gamma rays, X rays, ultraviolet light rays, visible light rays, infrared light rays, far-infrared light rays, microwave radiation, ultra short wave radiation (VHF), short wave radiation, medium wave radiation (MF) and long wave radiation. In photography, the most utilised wavelengths are in the visible light region (400nm~700nm). Since light is a type of electromagnetic radiation, light can be thought of as a type of wave in the category of light waves. A light wave can be regarded as
Figure-1 Approaching the human eye
Wavelength Frequencies
103 (1kHz) VLF (Ultra-long wave) LF (Long wave) MF (Medium wave) HF (Short wave) VHF (Ultra-short wave)

an electromagnetic wave in which an electric field and magnetic field vibrate at right angles to each other in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation. The two elements of a light wave which can actually be detected by the human eye are the wavelength and amplitude. Differences in wavelength are sensed as differences in colour (within the visible light range) and differences in amplitude are sensed as differences in brightness (light intensity). The third element which cannot be detected by the human eye is the direction of vibration within the plane perpendicular to the light waves direction of propagation (polarized light).

characteristics of the lens or prism cause the index of refraction to vary depending on the wavelength, thus dispersing the light. This is also sometimes referred to as colour dispersion. Extraordinary partial dispersion The human eye can sense monochromatic light wavelengths within the range of 400nm (purple) to 700nm (red). Within this range, the difference in index of refraction between two different wavelengths is called partial dispersion. Most ordinary optical materials have similar partial dispersion characteristics. However, partial dispersion characteristics differ for some glass materials, such as glass, which has larger partial dispersion at short wavelengths, FK glass which features a small index of refraction and low dispersion characteristics, fluorite, and glass which has larger partial dispersion at long wavelengths. These types of glass are classified as having extraordinary partial dispersion characteristics. Glass with this property is used in apochromatic lenses to compensate chromatic aberration.
Figure-4 Light Dispersion by A Prism
Ordinary optical glass Special optical glass Extraordinary partial dipersion
R Y B R Y R B Y B

Basic light-related phenomena

Refraction A phenomenon whereby the propagation direction of a ray of light changes when the light passes from one medium such as a vacuum or air into a different medium such as glass or water, or vice versa.
Figure-3 Light Refraction
Incident angle i

VLF LF km MF HF VHF UHF Micro SHF EHF mm

Sub millimeter wave

104

105

Radio waves

106 (1MHz) 107

108 UHF (Extremely ultra-short wave) SHF (Centimeter wave) EHF (Millimeter wave)

109 (1GHz) 1010

Refraction angle

1011
12

10 (1THz) 1013 1014

Far infrared
1eV

Infrared
Near infrared

1m Ultraviolet Vacuum ultraviolet 1nm

1keV 1018 1015 1016 1017

Visible light rays m Red 0.64 Orange 0.59 Yellow 0.55 Green 0.49 Blue 0.43 Violet 0.38
0.77

X rays

1019 1020

1MeV 1021

rays 10 Figure-2 Approaching the human eye

22

Index of refraction A numerical value indicating the degree of refraction of a medium, expressed by the formula n = sin i/sin r. n is a constant which is unrelated to the light rays angle of incidence and indicates the refractive index of the refracting medium with respect to the medium from which the light impinges. For general optical glass, n usually indicates the index of refraction of the glass with respect to air. Dispersion A phenomenon whereby the optical properties of a medium vary according to the wavelength of light passing through the medium. When light enters a lens or prism, the dispersion

Reflection Reflection differs from refraction in that it is a phenomenon which causes a portion of the light striking the surface of glass or other medium to break off and propagate in an entirely new direction. The direction of propagation is the same regardless of wavelength. When light enters and leaves a lens which does not have an antireflection coating, approximately 5% of the light is reflected at the glass-air boundary. The amount of light reflected depends on the glass materials index of refraction.Coating (P.174)
Figure-5 Light Reflection
Normal reflection Center line Abnormal reflection

1023

Amplitude

1GeV

Electric field Wavelength Magnetic field

Flat surface, flat smooth surface

Rough surface

Direction of propagation

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Diffraction A phenomenon in which light waves pass around the edges of an object and enter the shadowed area of that object, caused because of the wavelike nature of light. Diffraction in a photographic lens is known for causing flare (diffraction flare) which occurs when light rays bend around the edges of the diaphragm. Although diffraction flare tends to appear when the diaphragm diameter is smaller than a certain size, it actually depends not only on the diameter of the diaphragm but also on various factors such as the wavelength of the light, the lenss focal length and the aperture ratio. Diffraction flare causes reductions in image contrast and resolution, resulting in a soft image. The laminated diffraction optical elements developed by Canon control the direction of the light by intentionally creating diffraction.
Figure-6 Light Diffraction
Straight advancing light Center maximum

with the optical axes of all other lens elements. Particularly in zoom lenses, which are constructed of several lens groups that move in a complex manner, extremely precise lens barrel construction is necessary to maintain proper optical axis alignment. Paraxial ray A light ray which passes close to the optical axis and is inclined at a very small angle with respect to the optical axis. The point at which paraxial rays converge is called the paraxial focal point. Since the image formed by a monochromatic paraxial ray is in principle free of aberrations, the paraxial ray is an important factor in understanding the basic operation of lens systems. Principal ray A light ray which enters the lens at an angle at a point other than the optical axis point and passes through the center of the diaphragm opening. Principal light rays are the fundamental light rays used for image exposure at all diaphragm openings from maximum aperture to minimum aperture. Parallel pencil of rays A group of light rays traveling parallel to the optical axis from an infinitely far point. When these rays pass through a lens, they converge in the shape of a cone to form a point image within the focal plane. Ray tracing Use of geometrical optics to calculate the condition of various light rays passing through a lens. Calculations are performed using powerful computers. Aperture/effective aperture The aperture of a lens is related to the diameter of the group of light rays passing through the lens and determines the brightness of the subject image formed on the focal plane. The optical aperture (also called the effective aperture) differs from the real aperture of the lens in that it depends on the diameter of the group of light rays passing through the lens rather than the actual lens diameter. When a parallel pencil of rays enters a lens and a group of these rays passes through the diaphragm opening, the diameter of this group of light rays when it enters the front lens surface is the effective aperture of the lens.

Stop/diaphragm/aperture The opening which adjusts the diameter of the group of light rays passing through the lens. In interchangeable lenses used with single lens reflex cameras, this mechanism is usually constructed as an iris diaphragm consisting of several blades which can be moved to continuously vary the opening diameter. With conventional SLR camera lenses, the aperture is adjusted by turning an aperture ring on the lens barrel. With modern camera lenses, however, aperture adjustment is commonly controlled by operating an electronic dial on the camera body. Circular aperture diaphragm With normal aperture diaphragms, closing the aperture causes its shape to become polygonal. A circular aperture diaphragm, on the other hand, optimises the shape of the blades to achieve a nearly perfect circle even when considerably stopped down from the maximum aperture. Photography with a lens that is equipped with a circular aperture diaphragm achieves a beautiful blur effect for the background, because the point source is circular. Automatic diaphragm The general diaphragm operation system used in SLR cameras, referring to a type of diaphragm mechanism which remains fully open during focusing and composition to provide a bright viewfinder image, but automatically closes down to the aperture setting necessary for correct exposure when the shutter button is pressed and automatically opens up again when the exposure is completed. Although conventional lenses use mechanical linkages for controlling this automatic diaphragm operation, EF lenses use electronic signals for more precise control. You can observe this instantaneous aperture stop-down operation by looking into the front of the lens when the shutter is released. Distance of incidence Distance from the optical axis of a parallel ray entering a lens. Entrance pupil/exit pupil The lens image on the object side of the diaphragm, i.e. the apparent aperture seen when looking from the front of the lens, is called the entrance pupil and is equivalent in meaning to the lens effective aperture. The apparent aperture seen when looking

Diffracted light

Diffraction phenomenon seen on waters surface

Optical terminology related to light passing through a lens

Figure-7 Optical Terminology Related To Light Passing Through A Lens
Parallel pencil of rays Effective aperture Optical axis Focal point

Aperture diameter

Aperture
Incident light First light ring First shadow ring Light intensity distribution

Aperture Distance of incidence Paraxial ray Paraxial focal point Principal ray

Optical axis A straight line connecting the center points of the spherical surfaces on each side of a lens. In other words, the optical axis is a hypothetical center line connecting the center of curvature of each lens surface. In photographic lenses comprised of several lens elements, it is of utmost importance for the optical axis of each lens element to be perfectly aligned

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Figure-8 Pupils and Angular Aperture

Entrance pupil Exit pupil Angular aperture Angular aperture

is set at 44.00 mm on all cameras. Flange back is also referred to as flange-focal distance. Back focus With a lens focused to infinity, the distance along the optical axis from the apex of the rearmost glass surface to the focal plane is called back focus. Wide-angle lenses with a short back focus cannot be used on SLR cameras that use a mirror that swings up before exposure because the lens will obstruct the mirror movement. Wide-angle lenses for SLR cameras generally employ a retrofocus design which allows a long back focus. The compact size of the quick-return mirror on the EF-S lens compatible digital SLR cameras makes it possible to design lenses like the dedicated EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM, EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM, EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM and EF-S 1855mm f/3.5-5.6 II USM lenses with a shorter back focus than in other EF lenses.

Object point

Image point

object-side focal point if it is the point at which light rays entering the lens parallel to the optical axis from the focal plane side converge on the object side of the lens. Focal length When parallel light rays enter the lens parallel to the optical axis, the distance along the optical axis from the lens second principal point (rear nodal point) to the focal point is called the focal length. In simpler terms, the focal length of a lens is the distance along the optical axis from the lens second principal point to the focal plane when the lens is focused at infinity.
Figure-11 Focal Length of Actual Photographic Lens

from the rear of the lens (the lens image on the image side of the diaphragm), is called the exit pupil. Of the light rays from a certain subject point, the effective light rays which actually form the image create a cone of light rays with the subject point being the point of the cone and the entrance pupil being the base of the cone. At the other end of the lens, the light rays emerge in a cone shape with the exit pupil forming the base of the cone and the point of the cone falling within the image plane. The entrance and exit pupils have the same shape as the actual diaphragm and their size is directly proportional to that of the diaphragm, so even if the construction of the lens system is not known, it is possible to graphically illustrate the effective light rays which actually form the image as long as the positions and sizes of the entrance and exit pupils are known. Thus, knowledge of the entrance and exit pupils is indispensable when considering performance factors such as the total amount of light entering the lens, the manner in which the image blurs and aberrations. Angular aperture The angle between the subject point on the optical axis and the diameter of the entrance pupil, or the angle between the image point on the optical axis and the diameter of the exit pupil.

Focal length h'

Focal point and focal length

Focal point, focus When light rays enter a convex lens parallel to the optical axis, an ideal lens will converge all the light rays to a single point from which the rays again fan out in a cone shape. This point at which all rays converge is called the focal point. A familiar example of this is when a magnifying glass is used to focus the rays of the sun to a small circle on a piece of paper or other surface; the point at which the circle is smallest is the focal point. In optical terminology, a focal point is further classified as being the rear or image-side focal point if it is the point at which light rays from the subject converge on the film plane side of the lens. It is the front or
Figure-10 Focal Point (single lens element)
Parallel light rays

Flange back and back focus

Flange back Distance from the cameras lens mount reference surface to the focal plane (film plane). In the EOS system, flange back
Figure-9 Flange Back and Back Focus

Principal point The focal length of a thin, double-convex, single-element lens is the distance along the optical axis from the center of the lens to its focal point. This center point of the lens is called the principal point. However, since actual photographic lenses consist of combinations of several convex and concave lens elements, it is not visually apparent where the center of the lens might be. The principal point of a multi-element lens is therefore defined as the point on the optical axis at a distance equal to the focal length measured back toward the lens from the focal point. The principal point measured from the front focal point is called the front principal point, and the principal point measured from the rear focal point is called the rear principal
Figure-12 Principal point
Rear principal point
a n'

Focal point

n h h' b

Image focal point

Front principal point Rear principal point Focal length (First principal point) (Second principal point)

Convex lens Object space Image space

Fig.12-A Telephoto type Rear principal point

Fig.12-B

Focal Point

Object focal point (Front focal point)

Image focal point (Rear focal point)

Focal length

Concave lens
Retrofocus (Inverted telephoto type)

Fig.12-C

Back focus Flange back Mount reference surface Focal plane

Rear principal point

Focal point

Image focal point

Object focal point

Focal length Fig.12-D

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point. The distance between these two principal points is called the principal point interval.
Front principal point/rear principal point

diagonal of the APS-C sized image sensor of EF-S compatible digital SLR cameras. Angle of view The area of a scene, expressed as an angle, which can be reproduced by the lens as a sharp image. The nominal diagonal angle of view is defined as the angle formed by imaginary lines connecting the lens second principal point with both ends of the image diagonal (43.2mm). Lens data for EF lenses generally includes the horizontal (36mm) angle of view and vertical (24mm) angle of view in addition to the diagonal angle of view.

Light entering a lens from point a in Figure-12-A refracts, passes through n and n and arrives at b. When this occurs, similar angles are generated between a-n and n-b with respect to the optical axis, and points h and h can be defined as where these angles intersect the optical axis. These points, h and h, are principal points indicating the lens reference positions with respect to the subject and image. h is called the front principal point (or first principal point) and h is called the rear principal point (or second principal point). In general photographic lenses, the distance from h to the focal point (focal plane) is the focal length. Depending on the lens type, the front-rear relationship of the principal points may be reversed, or h may fall outside of the lens assembly altogether, but in any case the distance from the rear principal point h to the focal point is equal to the focal length. *With telephoto type lenses, the rear principal point h is actually positioned in front of the frontmost lens element, and with retrofocus type lenses h is positioned to the rear of the rearmost lens element. Image circle The portion of the circular image formed by a lens that is sharp. Interchangeable lenses for 35mm format cameras must have an image circle at least as large as the diagonal of the 24 x 36mm image area. EF lenses therefore generally have an image circle of about 43.2mm diameter. TS-E lenses, however, are designed with a larger image circle of 58.6mm to cover the lenss tilt and shift movements. EF-S lenses feature a smaller image circle than other EF lenses, to match the
Figure-13 Angle of view and image circle
Horizontal 36mm Image circle Image circle Vertical 24mm

Terms related to lens brightness

Aperture ratio A value used to express image brightness, calculated by dividing the lens effective aperture (D) by its focal length (f). Since the value calculated from D/f is almost always a small decimal value less than I and therefore difficult to use practically, it is common to express the aperture ratio on the lens barrel as the ratio of the effective aperture to the focal length, with the effective aperture set equal to 1. (For example, the EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM lens barrel is imprinted with 1 : 1.2, indicating that the focal length is 1.2 times the effective aperture when the effective aperture is equal to 1.) The brightness of an image produced by a lens is proportional to the square of the aperture ratio. In general, lens brightness is expressed as an F number, which is the inverse of the aperture ratio (f/D). F number
Figure-14 Lens Brightness
f D D f Aperture ratio

brightness is inversely proportional to the square of the F number, meaning that the image becomes darker as the F number increases. F number values are expressed as a geometrical series starting at 1 with a common ratio of 2, as follows: 1.0, 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 16, 22, 32, etc. (However, there are many cases where only the maximum aperture value deviates from this series.) The numbers in this series, which may at first seem difficult to become familiar with, merely indicate values which are close to the actual FD values based on the diameter (D) of each successive diaphragm setting which decreases the amount of light passing through the lens by half. Thus, changing the F number from 1.4 to 2 halves the image brightness, while going the other direction from 2 to 1.4 doubles the image brightness. (A change of this magnitude is generally referred to as 1 stop.) With recent cameras employing electronic displays, smaller divisions of 1/2 stop or even 1/3 stop are used. Numerical aperture (NA) A value used to express the brightness or resolution of a lens optical system. The numerical aperture, usually indicated as NA, is a numerical value calculated from the formula nsin, where 2 is the angle (angular aperture) at which an object point on the optical axis enters the entrance pupil and n is the index of refraction of the medium in which the object exists. Although not often used with photographic lenses, the NA value is commonly imprinted on the objective lenses of microscopes, where it is used more as an indication of resolution than of brightness. A useful relationship to know is that the NA value is equal to half the inverse of the F number. For example, F 1.0 = NA 0.5, F 1.4 = NA 0.357, F2 = NA 0.25, and so on.

F number

Focus and depth of field

D

Diagonal 43.2mm

Image circle Angle of view

Angle of view

h'

Angle of view

Image plane

F number Since the aperture ratio (D/f) is almost always a small decimal value less than one and therefore difficult to use practically, lens brightness is often expressed for convenience sake as the inverse of the aperture ratio (f/D), which is called the F number. Accordingly, image

Focus, focal point The focal point is the point where parallel light rays from an infinitely far subject converge after passing through a lens. The plane perpendicular to the optical axis which contains this point is called the focal plane. In this plane, which is where the film or the image sensor is positioned in a camera, the subject is sharp and said to be in focus. With general photographic lenses consisting of several lens elements, the focus can be adjusted so that light rays

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from subjects closer than infinity converge at a point in the focal plane.
Figure-15 Relationship Between the Ideal Focal Point and the Permissible Circle of Confusion and Depth of Field

Lens
Fro n of t de fie pth ld

Ideal focal point

De pth

of

foc

Re a of r de fie pth ld

us

Permissible circle of confusion

Circle of confusion Since all lenses contain a certain amount of spherical aberration and astigmatism, they cannot perfectly converge rays from a subject point to form a true image point (i.e., an infinitely small dot with zero area). In other words, images are formed from a composite of dots (not points) having a certain area, or size. Since the image becomes less sharp as the size of these dots increases, the dots are called circles of confusion. Thus, one way of indicating the quality of a lens is by the smallest dot it can form, or its minimum circle of confusion. The maximum allowable dot size in an image is called the permissible circle of confusion. Permissible circle of confusion The largest circle of confusion which still appears as a point in the image. Image sharpness as sensed by the human eye is closely related to the sharpness of the actual image and the resolution of human eyesight. In photography, image sharpness is also dependent on the degree of image enlargement or projection distance and the distance from which the image is viewed. In other words, in practical work it is possible to determine certain allowances for producing images which, although actually blurred to a certain degree, still appear sharp to the observer. For 35mm single lens reflex cameras, the permissible circle of confusion is about 1/1000~1/1500 the length of the film diagonal, assuming the image is enlarged to a 57 (12 cm 16.5 cm) print and viewed from a distance of 25~30 cm/0.8~1 ft. EF lenses are designed to produce a minimum circle of confusion of 0.035 mm, a value on which calculations for items such as depth of field are based.

Depth of field The area in front of and behind a focused subject in which the photographed image appears sharp. In other words, the depth of sharpness to the front and rear of the subject where image blur in the focal plane falls within the limits of the permissible circle of confusion. Depth of field varies according to the lens focal length, aperture value and shooting distance, so if these values are known, a rough estimate of the depth of field can be calculated using the following formulas: Front depth of field = dFa2/(f2 + dFa) Rear depth of field = dFa2/(f2 dFa) f: focal length F: F number d: minimum circle of confusion diameter a: subject distance (distance from the first principal point to subject)
hyperfocal distance shooting distance Near point limiting = distance hyperfocal distance + shooting distance Far point limiting distance = hyperfocal distance shooting distance hyperfocal distance shooting distance

circle of confusion by the F number, regardless of the lens focal length. With modern autofocus SLR cameras, focusing is performed by detecting the state of focus in the image plane (focal plane) using a sensor which is both optically equivalent (1:1 magnification) and positioned out of the focal plane, and automatically controlling the lens to bring the subject image within the depth of focus area.
Figure-17 Relationship Between Depth of Focus and Aperture
50mm f/1.8 Aperture f/1.8 Permissible circle of confusion

Depth of focus at maximum aperture Aperture Permissible circle of confusion f/5.6 Depth of focus at f/5.6

(Shooting distance: Distance from focal plane to subject)

If the hyperfocal distance is known, the following formulas can also be used: In general photography, depth of field is characterised by the following attributes: Depth of field is deep at short focal lengths, shallow at long focal lengths. Depth of field is deep at small apertures, shallow at large apertures. Depth of field is deep at far shooting distances, shallow at close shooting distances. Front depth of field is shallower than rear depth of field.
Figure-16 Depth of Field and Depth of Focus
Minimum circle of confusion

Hyperfocal distance Using the depth of field principle, as a lens is gradually focused to farther subject distances, a point will eventually be reached where the far limit of the rear depth of field will be equivalent to infinity. The shooting distance at this point, i,e., the closest shooting distance at which infinity falls within the depth of field, is called the hyperfocal distance. The hyperfocal distance can be determined as follows:
Hyperfocal distance = f2 dF number f: focal length F: F number d: minimum circle of confusion diameter

Depth of field Far point Near point

Depth of focus

Rear depth of field

Front depth of field Near point distance Subject distance Far point distance Shooting distance

Front depth of focus

Image distance

Rear depth of focus

Focal plane

Depth of focus The area in front of and behind the focal plane in which the image can be photographed as a sharp image. Depth of focus is the same on both sides of the image plane (focal plane) and can be determined by multiplying the minimum

Thus, by presetting the lens to the hyperfocal distance, the depth of field will extend from a distance equal to half the hyperfocal distance to infinity. This method is useful for presetting a large depth of field and taking snapshots without having to worry about adjusting the lens focus, especially when using a w i d e - a n g l e Photo-1 Hyperfocal Length Set Condtion lens. (For example, when the EF 20mm f/2.8 USM is set to f/16 and the shooting distance is set to the hyperfocal distance of approximately 0.7m/2.3ft, all subjects within a range of approximately 0.4m/1.3ft from the camera to infinity will be in focus.)

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Lens aberration
Aberration The image formed by an ideal photographic lens would have the following characteristics: A point would be formed as a point. A plane (such as a wall) perpendicular to the optical axis would be formed as a plane. The image formed by the lens would have the same shape as the subject. Also, from the standpoint of image expression, a lens should exhibit true colour reproduction. If only light rays entering the lens close to the optical axis are used and the light is monochromatic (one specific wavelength), it is possible to realise virtually ideal lens performance. With real photographic lenses, however, where a large aperture is used to obtain sufficient brightness and the lens must converge light not only from near the optical axis but from all areas of the image, it is extremely difficult to satisfy the above-mentioned ideal conditions due to the existence of the following obstructive factors: Since most lenses are constructed solely of lens elements with spherical surfaces, light rays from a single subject point are not formed in the image as a perfect point. (A problem unavoidable with spherical surfaces.) The focal point position differs for different types (i.e., different wavelengths) of light. There are many requirements related to changes in angle of view (especially with wide-angle, zoom and telephoto lenses). The general term used to describe the difference between an ideal image and the actual image affected by the above factors is aberration. Thus, to design a highperformance lens, aberration must be extremely small, with the ultimate objective being to obtain an image as close as possible to the ideal image. Aberration can be broadly divided into chromatic aberrations, and monochromatic aberrations Chromatic aberration Five aberrations of Seidel
Table-1 Lens Aberrations
Aberrations seen in the continuous spectrum a Chromatic aberrations Axial chromatic aberration (longitudinal chromatic aberration) Transverse chromatic aberration (lateral chromatic aberration) Spherical aberration Chromatic aberration Astigmatism Curvature of field Distortion

Chromatic aberration When white light (light containing many colours uniformly mixed so that the eye does not sense any particular colour and thus perceives the light as white) such as sunlight is passed through a prism, a rainbow spectrum can be observed. This phenomenon occurs because the prisms index of refraction (and rate of dispersion) varies depending on the wavelength (short wavelengths are more strongly refracted than long wavelengths). While most visible in a prism, this phenomenon also occurs in photographic lenses, and since it occurs at different wavelengths is called chromatic aberration. There are two types of chromatic aberration: axial chromatic aberration, where the focal point position on the optical axis varies according to the wavelength, and chromatic difference of magnification, where the image magnification in peripheral areas varies according to the wavelength. In actual photographs, axial chromatic aberration appears as colour blur or flare, and chromatic difference of magnification appears as colour fringing (where edges show colour along their borders). Chromatic aberration in a photographic lens is corrected by combining different types of optical glass having different refraction and dispersion characteristics. Since the effect of chromatic aberration increases at longer focal lengths, precise chromatic aberration correction is particularly important in super-telephoto lenses for good image sharpness. Although there is a limit to the degree of correction possible with optical glass, significant performance improvements can be achieved using man-made crystal such as fluorite or UD glass. Axial chromatic aberration is also sometimes referred to as longitudinal chromatic aberration (since it occurs longitudinally with respect to the optical axis), and chromatic difference of magnification

can be referred to as lateral chromatic aberration (since it occurs laterally with respect to the optical axis). Note: While chromatic aberration is most noticeable when using colour film, it affects black-and-white images as well, appearing as a reduction in sharpness. Achromat A lens which corrects chromatic aberration for two wavelengths of light. When referring to a photographic lens, the two corrected wavelengths are in the blueviolet range and yellow range. Apochromat A lens which corrects chromatic aberration for three wavelengths of light, with aberration reduced to a large degree particularly in the secondary spectrum. EF super-telephoto lenses are examples of apochromatic lenses. Five aberrations of Seidel In 1856, a German named Seidel determined through analysis the existence of five lens aberrations which occur with monochromatic (single wavelength) light. These aberrations, described below, are called the five aberrations of Seidel.

Figure-18 Chromatic Aberration

\\Bydproj1\DTP Spherical aberration This aberration exists to some degree in all lenses constructed entirely of spherical elements. Spherical aberration causes parallel light rays passing through the edge of a lens to converge at a focal point closer to the lens than light rays passing through the center of the lens. (The amount of focal point shift along the optical axis is called longitudinal spherical aberration.) The degree of spherical aberration tends to be larger in largeaperture lenses. A point image affected by spherical aberration is sharply formed by light rays near the optical axis but is affected by flare from the peripheral light rays (this flare is also called halo, and its radius is called lateral spherical aberration). As a result, spherical
Figure-19 Spherical Aberration
This is the phenomenon where the focus is not concentrated on one point on the light ray but rather is offset to the front or back. Occurrence of a haloThe image becomes flare.

This phenomenon occurs because the prisms index of refraction varies depending on the wavelength (colour). Transverse chromatic aberration (lateral chromatic aberration) B Y Parallel light rays R

Optical axis

Aberrations seen at specific wavelengths a Five aberrations of Seidel

Off-axis object point

B Y R Axial chromatic aberration (longitudinal chromatic aberration)

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Photo-2 The photographs are magnifications of the subject and surrounding area from part of a test chart photographed with a 24mm x 36mm film frame and printed on quarter size paper. Almost ideal image formation

Photo-3 Axial chromatic aberration

Photo-4 Transverse chromatic aberration Peripheral Example of spherical aberration part magnified

-1 Example of inward coma

Example of astigmatism

-2 Example of outward coma

the same point passing through the lens center. Coma increases as the angle of the principal ray increases, and causes a decrease in contrast near the edges of the image. A certain degree of improvement is possible by stopping down the lens. Coma can also cause blurred areas of an image to flare, resulting in an unpleasing effect. The elimination of both spherical aberration and coma for a subject at a certain shooting distance is called aplanatism, and a lens corrected as such is called an aplanat. Astigmatism With a lens corrected for spherical and comatic aberration, a subject point on the optical axis will be correctly reproduced as a point in the image, but an off-axis subject point will not appear as a point in the image, but rather as an ellipse or line. This type of aberration is called astigmatism, It is possible to observe this phenomenon near the edges of the image by slightly shifting the lens focus to a position
Figure-21 Astigmatism
This is the phenomenon where there is no point image P2

aberration affects the entire image area from the center to the edges, and produces a soft, low-contrast image which looks as if covered with a thin veil. Correction of spherical aberration in spherical lenses is very difficult. Although commonly carried out by combining two lenses one convex and one concave based on light rays with a certain height of incidence (distance from the optical axis), there is a limit to the degree of correction possible using spherical lenses, so some aberration always remains. This remaining aberration can be largely eliminated by stopping down the diaphragm to cut the amount of peripheral light. With large aperture lenses at full aperture, the only effective way to thoroughly compensate spherical aberration is to use an aspherical lens element. Aspherical lens Coma, comatic aberration Coma, or comatic aberration, is a phenomenon visible in the periphery of an image produced by a lens which has been corrected for spherical aberration, and

causes light rays entering the edge of the lens at an angle to converge in the form of a comet instead of the desired point, hence the name. The comet shape is oriented radially with the tail pointing either toward or away from the center of the image. The resulting blur near the edges of the image is called comatic flare. Coma, which can occur even in lenses which correctly reproduce a point as a point on the optical axis, is caused by a difference in refraction between light rays from an off-axis point passing through the edge of the lens and the principal light ray from
Figure-20 Comatic Aberration
This is the phenomenon where the diagonal light rays do not focus on one point on the image surface. Inward coma This is the phenomenon where there is a tail like that of a comet. Outward coma l alle par s axis ay Off- cil of r pen Optical axis

Principle ray

P1

Lens Optical axis Po

Sagittal image

Meridional image

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where the subject point is sharply imaged as a line oriented in a direction radiating from the image center, and again to another position. Curvature of Field This is the phenomenon where, when focusing on a flat surface, the image does not become flat, but where the image is formed in a bowed shape to the inside of the bowl. Therefore, when focusing on the center of the frame, the circumference is blurred, and conversely, when focusing on the circumference, the center is blurred. This image bending is mainly changed using the astigmatism correction method, which creates an image between a sagittal image and a meridional image, so the more the astigmatism is corrected, the smaller the image becomes. Because there is almost no corrective effect from stopping down the lens, various efforts are made during designing, such as changing the shape of the single lenses of the lens configuration and selecting the aperture position, but one of the requirements for
Figure-22 Curvature of field
This is the phenomenon where a good image focus surface is bent. This is an ideal lens with no image bending.

correcting astigmatism and image bending at the same time is Petzvals condition (1843). This condition is that the inverse of the product of the index of refraction for each of the single lenses of the lens configuration and the focal distance added with the number of single lenses used in the lens configuration must produce a sum of 0. This sum is called Petzvals sum. Distortion One of the conditions for an ideal lens is that the image of the subject and the image formed by the lens are similar, and the deviation from this ideal where the straight lines are bent is called distortion. The extended shape in the diagonal view angle direction (+) is called pincushion distortion, and, conversely, the contracted shape () is called barrel distortion. With an ultra wide-angle lens, rarely do both of these distortions exist together. Although this seldom occurs in lenses where the lens combination configuration is at the aperture boundary, it occurs easily in configuration lenses. Typical zoom lenses
Figure-23 Distortion
Barrel distortion (-) Pincushion distortion (+) Lens

tend to exhibit barrel distortion at the shortest focal lengths and pincushion distortion at the longest focal lengths (the distortion characteristics change slightly during zooming), but in zoom lenses that use an aspherical lens, the aspherical lens is effective at removing distortion, so the correction is good. This difference is caused by the difference in refraction of the principal rays passing through the center of the lens, so it cannot be improved no matter how much the aperture is stopped down. Meridional A plane that includes a principal ray that tries to capture a point outside the optical axis and the optical axis is called a meridional plane. The position linked to the focal point by the light ray entering through a lens of this shape is called the meridional image plane. This is the image plane where the image of concentric circles in the frame are at the best. If the spherical surface of the lens is compared to a portion of the earths curvature and if the optical axis is compared to the earths axis, the meridional plane would be where the earths meridian is, which is why this name is used. The curve that expresses the characteristics of this image plane using a MTF characteristics graph, etc., is often abbreviated as M. Sagittal The plane that is perpendicular to the meridional plane is called the sagittal plane, and this is the image plane where the radial image is at its best. The word comes from the Greek word for arrow. The name comes from the shape of the focal point, which spreads radially. The position linked to the focal point of a light ray that passes through a sagittal plane shape and into a lens is called the sagittal image plane, and when the characteristics of this image plane are expressed using a MTF characteristics graph, etc., it is often abbreviated using the initial S. How to Read Distortion Graphs A simple way of reading the aberration graphs that accompany test report articles in camera magazines. Spherical Distortion Characteristics Graph (Graph1) The vertical axis of the graph shows the height of entry above the axis entering the lens system (distance above the diagonal

Subject surface Subject

Focus surface Occurrence of image bending

Lens

Subject

Photo-5 Example of curvature of field

Photo-7 Example of distortion

Focusing on center of screen causes corners to go out of focus.

+Pincushion distortion

Photo-6 Example of curvature of field

Photo-8 Example of distortion

Focusing on corners of screen causes center to go out of focus.

-Barrel distortion

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from the center of the frame), and the horizontal axis shows the image point offset captured by the film surface shape. The unit is mm. The horizontal axis symbols are (minus), which shows the subjects side direction, and + (plus), which shows the films side direction. The ideal lens characteristic is for the horizontal axis zero point to form a straight line with the entry height. The difference between this ideal and the actual lens is shown as a curve. Spherical distortion correction is generally said to be good if there is a core in the image and the focal point moves little when the lens is stopped down, in other words, there is slightly insufficient correction in the middle area while at the maximum entry height there is perfect correction where it returns nearly to zero.
Figure-24 Spherical Distortion Characteristics Graph (Graph 1)
[mm] 20

lens system, and the horizontal axis is percent (%) distortion. The curve indicates the difference between the ideal image and the actual image formed at the focal plane. A minus sign indicates negative, or barrel, distortion where the length of the diagonal of the actual image is shorter than the diagonal of the ideal image. A plus sign indicates positive, or pincushion, distortion. An ideal lens would exhibit 0% distortion at any image height. Distortion curves for zoom lenses generally show barrel distortion at wideangle positions and pincushion distortion at telephoto positions.
Figure-25 Astigmatism Distortion Curve Curve (Graph2) (Graph3)
[mm] 20 S M [mm] 20

modern lenses are often designed with consideration given to achieving a pleasing blur effect (image characteristics outside the image formation plane) by using computer simulation techniques to analyze lens performance at the design stage. As mentioned in the various aberration descriptions, the effects of some aberrations can be minimised by stopping down the lens, while others cannot. The relationships between aperture and aberrations are shown in Table 2.

Lens performance evaluation

Resolving power/resolution The resolution of a lens indicates the capacity of reproduction of a subject point of the lens. The resolution of the final photograph depends on three factors: the resolution of the lens, the resolution of the film or image sensor, and the resolution of the printer or printing paper. Resolution is evaluated by photographing, at a specified
Figure-26 Resolution Measurement Charts
Resolution chart (koana)

10

10

-0.6

+0.6 [mm]

-5

+5 [%]

10

0 -0.2

+0.2 [mm]

Projection-use resolution chart

Table-2 Relationship between aperture and aberration

Cause of drop in image quality Axial colour aberration Magnification colour aberration Spherical aberration Comatic aberration Astigmatism Curvature of field Distortion Ghosting/flaring Drop in peripheral illumination Areas affected on the screen Center and edges Edges Center and edges Edges Edges Edges Edges Center and edges Edges Improvement by smaller aperture Slight effect No effect Effect present Effect present Slight effect Slight effect No effect No effect Effect present

Distortion curve (Graph 3) The graphs vertical axis is the axial height of incidence (distance from the image center; unit: mm) of the ray entering the

201

Astigmatism curve (Graph 2) The graphs vertical axis is the axial height of incidence (distance from the image center) of the ray entering the lens system, and the horizontal axis is the amount of shift of the image point formed in the focal plane. Units and signs are the same as in the spherical aberration curve. The curve for an ideal lens would be a straight line at the horizontal axis zero point with respect to the height of incidence. The difference between the ideal lens and actual lens is indicated by two curved lines in the S direction (sagittal/radial direction) and M direction (meridional/concentric circle direction). If the difference between S and M (astigmatic difference) is large, a point will not be formed as a point and the image will smear. Moreover, the blur image in front of and behind the image formation plane will be unnatural.

How to minimise the effects of aberrations Modern lenses are designed using largescale computers to perform mind-boggling calculations and high-level simulations to minimise all types of aberration and achieve superior image formation performance. Even with this technology, however, it is impossible to completely remove all aberrations, meaning that all lenses on the market still have at least a small amount of aberration remaining. This aberration is called residual aberration. The type of residual aberration in a lens generally determines the lens imaging characteristics such as its sharpness and blur effect. Because of this,

Resolution chart (JIS)

B D C

Siemens star

Howllet chart

magnification, a chart containing groups of black and white stripes that gradually decrease in narrowness, then using a microscope to observe the negative image at a magnification of 50x. It is common to hear resolution expressed as a numerical value such as 50 lines or 100 lines. This value indicates the number of lines per millimeter of the smallest black and white line pattern which can be clearly recorded on the film. To test the resolution of a lens alone, a method is used in which a fine resolution chart is positioned in the location corresponding to the focal plane and projected through the test lens onto a screen. The numerical value used for expressing resolving power is only an indication of the degree of resolution possible, and does not indicate resolution clarity or contrast. Contrast The degree of distinction between areas of different brightness levels in a photograph, i.e., the difference in brightness between light and dark areas. For example, when the reproduction ratio between white and black is clear, contrast is said to be high,
Figure-27 Contrast Concept Diagram
Light from subject (incoming) Image forming lights (exiting) Light from subject (incoming) Image forming lights (exiting)

and when unclear, contrast is said to be low. In general, lenses producing high quality images have both high resolution and high contrast. MTF (modulation transfer function) Modulation transfer function is a lens performance evaluation method used to determine the contrast reproduction ratio, or sharpness, of a lens. When evaluating the electrical characteristics of audio equipment, one important measure of performance is frequency response. In this case, where the source sound is recorded through a microphone and then played back through speakers, frequency response indicates the fidelity of the reproduced sound with respect to the source sound. If the reproduced sound is very close to the source sound, the equipment is classified as hi-fi, or high fidelity. By thinking of the optical system of a lens as a system for transmitting optical signals in the same way as an audio system transmits electrical signals, it is possible to find out how accurately optical signals are transmitted as long as the frequency response of the optical system can be measured. In an optical system, the equivalent of frequency is spatial frequency, which indicates how many patterns, or cycles, of a certain sine density are present in a 1 mm width. Accordingly, the unit of spatial frequency is lines per mm. Figure-27-A shows the MTF characteristics of an ideal hi-fi lens for a certain spatial frequency, with the output equal to the input. A lens of this type is said to provide a contrast of 1:1. However, since actual lenses contain residual aberration, actual contrast ratios are always less than 1:1. As the spatial frequency increases (i.e., as the black-andwhite sine wave pattern becomes finer, or more dense), the contrast decreases as shown in Figure-27-D until finally becoming gray with no distinction between black and white (no contrast, 1:0) at the spatial frequency limit. Illustrating this phenomenon in graph form with spatial frequency as the horizontal axis and contrast as the vertical axis results in the curve shown in Graph-4. In other words, the graph makes it possible to check resolution and contrast reproducibility (i,e., the degree of modulation) in a continuous manner. However, since it only shows the characteristics for one point in the image area, it is necessary to use data for several points in order to

determine the MTF characteristics of the overall image. Because of this, for the EF lens MTF characteristics presented in this book, two typical spatial frequencies (10 lines/mm and 30 lines/mm) are selected and sophisticated computer simulation techniques are used to determine the MTF characteristics of the entire image area, graphed with the horizontal axis corresponding to the distance from the center of the image along the diagonal line, and the vertical axis corresponding to contrast. How to read the MTF graphs The MTF graphs shown for the lenses in this book place image height (with the image center having an image height of 0) on the horizontal axis and contrast on the vertical axis. MTF characteristics are provided for spatial frequencies of 10 lines/mm and 30 lines/mm. The test charts spatial frequency, lens aperture value and direction in the image area are as shown in the following table. Basic information on the performance of a lens can be extracted from the MTF chart as follows: The closer the 10-line/mm curve is to 1, the better the contrast and separation ability of the lens, and the closer the 30-line/mm curve is to 1, the better the resolving power and sharpness of the lens. Additionally, the closer the characteristics of M and S are, the more natural the background blur becomes. Although a good balance between these characteristics is important, it can generally be assumed that a lens will provide excellent image quality if the 10line/mm curve is greater than 0.8, and that satisfactory image quality can be obtained if the l0-line/mm curve is greater than 0.6. Looking at the MTF characteristics of EF super-telephoto L-series lenses with this frame of reference, it is obvious from just the data that these lenses possess extremely high-performance imaging characteristics.
Graph-4 MTF Characteristics for A Single Image Point
1

Figure-27-A

Figure-27-C

Figure-27-B

Figure-27-D

Contrast Reproduction Image Chart

Image formed by Image formed by large-aperture aspherical lens large-aperture spherical lens

Density difference

Contrast

High contrast

Low contrast

A C B

Figure-27-E MTF Measurement-Use Slit Chart

0.5

0 0 10 30 50 Spatial frequency(line/mm)

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A:Resolving power and contrast are both good

B:Contrast is good and resolving power is bad

CCI (colour contribution index) Colour reproduction in a colour photograph depends on three factors: the colour characteristics of the film or digital imaging system, the colour temperature of the light source illuminating the subject, and the light transmission characteristics of the lens. The colour contribution index, or CCI, is an index indicating the amount of colour variation caused by filtering effect differences between lenses when using a standard film and light source, and is expressed by three numbers in the form 0/5/4. These three numbers are relative values expressed as logarithms of lens transmittance at the blue-violet/green/red wavelengths corresponding to the three light sensitive emulsion layers of colour film, with larger numbers representing higher transmittance. However, since photographic lenses absorb most ultraviolet wavelengths, the blue-violet transmittance value is usually zero, so colour balance is judged by comparing the green and red values to ISO-specified reference lens values. The ISO reference lens light transmission characteristics were set according to a method proposed by Japan which involved taking the average transmittance values of 57 standard lenses
Graph-6 ISO Tolerance Range Graphed on CCI Coordinates
Yellow

indicates the brightness at the optical axis position, i.e., at the center of the image. The brightness (image surface illuminance) at the edge of the image is called peripheral illumination and is expressed as a percent (%) of the amount of illumination at the image center. Peripheral illumination is affected by lens vignetting and the cos4 (cosine 4) law and is inevitably lower than the center of the image. Vignetting, Cos4 law
Graph-7 Image Plane Illuminance Ratio Showing the Peripheral Illumination Characteristics
100 [%] f/8

f/2.8 50

10

20 Image height [mm]

C:Resolving power is good and contrast is bad

Table-3
Spatial frequency
Maximum aperture

F8 S M

10 lines/mm 30 lines/mm
S

Graph-5 MTF Characteristics

1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

Green

Optical vignetting Light rays entering the lens from the edges of the picture area are partially blocked by the lens frames in front of and behind the diaphragm, preventing all the rays from passing through the effective aperture (diaphragm diameter) and causing light fall-off in the peripheral areas of the image. This type of vignetting can be eliminated by stopping down the lens.
Figure-28 Vignetting
l lig Front frame Rear frame hera Diaphragm Perip ht ra y

1.0
G

Cyan

Blue Magenta Origin

Colour balance The colour reproduction fidelity of a photo taken through a lens compared to the original subject. Colour balance in all EF lenses is based on ISO recommended reference values and maintained within a strict tolerance range narrower than ISOs CCI allowable value range. CCI

comprising five models from representative lens manufacturers including Canon. The resulting recommended reference value of 0/5/4 is used by film manufacturers as a reference when designing the colour production characteristics of colour films. In other words, if the light transmission characteristics of a lens do not match the ISO reference values, the colour reproduction characteristics of a colour film cannot be obtained as intended by the manufacturer. Peripheral illumination The brightness of a lens is determined by the F number, but this value only

0/0/0

Red

1.0

1.0

Central light ray

Cosine law The cosine law, also called the cosine law, states that light fall-off in peripheral areas of the image increases as the angle of view increases, even if the lens is completely free of vignetting. The peripheral image is formed by groups of light rays entering the lens at a certain angle with respect to the optical axis, and the amount of light fall-off is proportional to the cosine of that angle raised to the

203

Graph-8 Peripheral Light Reduction According to Cosine Law

(%) Lens P w a Uniform brightness 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Incident angle Illumination ratio 100

a'

desirable to use an appropriate lens hood whenever possible. The term flare is also used when referring to the effects of blurring and halo caused by spherical and comatic aberration. Ghost image A type of flare occurring when the sun or other strong light source is included in the scene and a complex series of reflections among the lens surfaces causes a clearly defined reflection to appear in the image in a position symmetrically opposite the light source. This phenomenon is differentiated from flare by the term ghost due to its ghost-like appearance. Ghost images caused by surface reflections in front of the aperture have the same shape as the aperture, while a ghost image caused by reflections behind the aperture appears as an out-of-focus area of light fogging. Since ghost images can also be caused by strong light sources outside the picture area, use of a hood or other shading device is recommended for blocking undesired light. Whether or not ghosting will actually occur when the picture is taken can be verified beforehand by looking through the viewfinder and using the cameras depth-of-field check function to close down the lens to the actual aperture to be used during exposure. Coating When light enters and exits an uncoated lens, approximately 5% of the light is reflected back at each lens-air boundary due to the difference in index of refraction. This not only reduces the amount of light passing through the lens but can also lead to repeating reflections which can cause unwanted flare or ghost images. To prevent this reflection, lenses are processed with a special coating. Basically this is carried out using vacuum vapor deposition to coat the lens with a thin film having a thickness 1/4 the wavelength of the light to be affected, with the film made of a substance (such as magnesium fluoride) which has an index of refraction of n, where n is the index of refraction of the lens glass. Instead of a single coating affecting only a single wavelength, however, EF lenses feature a superior multi-layer coating (multiple layers of vapor deposited film reducing the reflection rate to 0.2~0.3%) which effectively prevents reflections of all wavelengths in the visible light range.

p'

50

Lens coating is carried out not only to prevent reflections, however. By coating the various lens elements with appropriate substances having different properties, coating plays an important role in providing the overall lens system with optimum colour balance characteristics.

Optical Glass
Optical Glass Optical glass is specially made for use in precision optical products such as photographic lenses, video lenses, telescopes and microscopes. In contrast to general-purpose glass, optical glass is provided with fixed, precise refraction and dispersion characteristics (precision to six decimal points) and subjected to strict requirements regarding transparency and lack of defects such as striae, warps and bubbles. Types of optical glass are classified according to their composition and optical constant (Abbe number), and more than 250 types are in existence today. For high-performance lenses, different types of optical glass are optimally combined. Glass with an Abbe number of 50 or less is called flint glass (F), and glass with an Abbe number of 55 or more is called crown glass (K). Each type of glass is further classified in other ways such as specific gravity, and a corresponding serial name is assigned to each type. Abbe number A numerical value indicating the dispersion of optical glass, using the Greek symbol . Also called the optical constant. The Abbe number is determined by the following formula using the index of refraction for three Fraunhofers lines: F (blue), d (yellow) and c (red). Abbe number = d = nd 1/nF nc Fraunhofers lines Absorption lines discovered in 1814 by a German physicist named Fraunhofer (1787~1826), comprising the absorption spectrum present in the continuous spectrum of light emitted from the sun created by the effect of gases in the suns and earths atmospheres. Since each line is located at a fixed wavelength, the lines are used for reference in regard to the colour (wavelength) characteristics of optical glass. The index of refraction of optical glass is measured based on nine

fourth power. As this is a law of physics, it cannot be avoided. However, with wideangle lenses having a large angle of view, decreases in peripheral illumination can be prevented by increasing the lens aperture efficiency (ratio of the area of the on-axis entrance pupil to the area of the off-axis entrance pupil). Hard vignetting A phenomenon where light entering the lens is partially blocked by an obstruction such as the end of a lens hood or the frame of a filter, causing the corners of the image to darken or the overall image to lighten. Shading is the general term used for the case where the image is degraded by some type of obstacle that blocks light rays which should actually reach the image. Flare Light reflected from lens surfaces, the inside of the lens barrel and the inner walls of the cameras mirror box can reach the film or image sensor and fog part or all of the image area, degrading image sharpness. These harmful reflections are called flare. Although flare can be reduced to a large extent by coating the lens surfaces and using anti-reflection measures in the lens barrel and camera, flare cannot be completely eliminated for all subject conditions. It is therefore
Figure-29 Flare and Ghosting
Correct Image

Lens

Correct Image

Ghost

Lens

Flare

204

wavelengths selected from among Fraunhofers lines (see Table 4). In lens design, calculations for correcting chromatic aberrations are also based on these wavelengths.
Table-4 Light Wavelengths and Spectrum Lines
Spectrum line code
Wavelength (mm)

i 365,0 Ultra-violet

h 404,7 Violet

g 435,8 Blue-violet

F 486,1 Blue

manufacturer to develop lead free glass, and is in the process of phasing out glass which contains lead from its lens lineup. Lead free glass uses titanium, which, unlike lead, poses no problems for the environment or humans, but still delivers optical characteristics equal to conventional leaded glass.

Colour

Lens shapes and lens construction fundamentals

Lens shapes
Figure-30 Lens Shapes
Plane-convex lens Biconvex lenses Convex meniscus lens

Spectrum line code

Wavelength (mm)

e 546,1 Green

d 587,6 Yellow

c 656,3 Red

r 706,5 Red

t 1014 Infrared
-6

Colour

Note: 1 nm = 10 mm

Fluorite Fluorite has extremely low indexes of refraction and dispersion compared to optical glass and features special partial dispersion characteristics (extraordinary partial dispersion), enabling virtually ideal correction of chromatic aberrations when combined with optical glass. This fact has long been known, and in 1880 natural fluorite was already in practical use in the apochromatic objective lenses of microscopes. However, since natural fluorite exists only in small pieces, it cannot be used practically in photographic lenses. In answer to this problem, Canon in 1968 succeeded in establishing production technology for manufacturing large artificial crystals, thus opening the door for fluorite use in photographic lenses. UD lens A lens made of special optical glass possessing optical characteristics similar to fluorite. UD lens elements are especially effective in correcting chromatic aberrations in super-telephoto lenses. Two UD lens elements are characteristically equivalent to one fluorite element. UD stands for ultra-low dispersion. Lead-Free Glass This is a type of optical glass which contains no lead, to relieve the burden on the environment. Lead is used in many types of optical glass because it raises the refractive power of glass. While the lead cannot leak out of the glass it is contained in, it does nevertheless pose a threat to the environment when it escapes in the form of waste produced when grinding and polishing the glass. With the goal of eliminating lead from the manufacturing process, Canon worked with a glass

Plane-concave lenses Biconcave lens

Concave meniscus lens

special lens element with a surface curved with the ideal shape to correct these aberrations, i.e., a lens having a free-curved surface which is not spherical, is called an aspherical lens. The theory and usefulness of aspherical lenses. have been known since the early days of lens making, but due to the extreme difficulty of actually processing and accurately measuring aspherical surfaces, practical aspherical lens manufacturing methods were not realised until fairly recently. The first SLR photographic lens to incorporate a large diameter aspherical lens was Canons FD 55mm f/1.2AL released in March 1971. Due to revolutionary advances in production technology since that time, Canons current EF lens group makes abundant use of various aspherical lens types such as ground and polished glass aspherical lens elements, ultra-precision glass molded (GMo) aspherical lens elements, composite aspherical lens elements and replica aspherical lens elements. Air lens The air spaces between the glass lens elements making up a photographic lens can be thought of as lenses made of glass having the same index of refraction as air (1.0). An air space designed from the beginning with this concept in mind is called an air lens. Since the refraction of an air lens is opposite that of a glass lens, a convex shape acts as a concave lens and a concave shape acts as a convex lens. This principle was first propounded in 1898 by a man named Emil von Hoegh working for the German company Goerz.
Figure-32 Air Lens Concept Diagram
ML H M H

Fresnel lens A type of converging lens, formed by finely dividing the convex surface of a flat convex lens into many concentric circleshaped ring lenses and combining them to extremely reduce the thickness of the lens while retaining its function as convex lens. In an SLR, to efficiently direct peripheral diffused light to the eyepiece, the side opposite the matte surface of the focusing screen is formed as a fresnel lens with a 0.05 mm pitch Fresnel lenses are also commonly used in flash units, indicated by the concentric circular lines visible on the white diffusion screen covering the flash tube. The projection lens used to project light from a lighthouse is an example of a giant fresnel lens.
Figure-31 Fresnel Lens

L (air space)

Aspherical lens Photographic lenses are generally constructed of several single lens elements, all of which, unless otherwise specified, have spherical surfaces. Because all surfaces are spherical, it becomes especially difficult to correct spherical aberration in large-aperture lenses and distortion in super-wide-angle lenses. A

Actual photographic lenses When looking at the enlarged image of an object through a magnifying glass, it is common for the edges of the image to be distorted or discoloured even if the center is clear. As this indicates, a single-element lens suffers from many types of aberrations and cannot reproduce an image which is clearly defined from corner to corner. Because of this, photographic lenses are constructed of several lens elements having different shapes and characteristics in order to obtain a sharp

205

image over the entire picture area. The basic construction of a lens is listed in the specifications section of brochures and instruction manual in terms of elements and groups. Figure 33 shows an example of the EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM, constructed of 8 elements in 7 groups.
Figure-33 EF 85mm f/1.2L@USM Lens Construction
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (Elements)

1 2

6 7 (Groups)

Fundamentals of lens construction There are five basic constructions used for general-purpose single focal length lenses. The single type is the simplest comprised of a single element or a doublet and made of two conjoined elements. are of the double type, comprised of is a triplet two independent elements. type, comprised of three independent lens elements in a convex-concave-convex is a symmetrical type, sequence. consisting of two groups of one or more lenses of the same shape and configuration symmetrically oriented around the diaphragm.
Figure-34 Fundamental Lens Groupings

types such as the Gauss type, triplet type, Tessar type, Topcon type and orthometer type. Of these, the Gauss type and its derivations is the most typical configuration used today because its symmetrical design allows well balanced correction of all type of aberrations, and a comparatively long back focus can be achieved. The Canon 50mm f/1.8 released back in 1951 succeeded in eliminating the comatic aberration which was the sole weak point of Gauss type lenses of that day, and thus became famous as a historical landmark lens due to the remarkable improvement in performance it afforded. Canon still uses a Gauss type construction in current lenses such as the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, EF 50mm f/1.8 II and EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM. The Tessar and triplet type symmetrical configurations are commonly used today in compact cameras equipped with single focal length lenses.
Figure-35 Typical Photographic Lens Types

the value of the distance from the apex of the frontmost lens element to the focal plane divided by the focal length. For telephoto lenses, this value is less than one. For reference, the telephoto ratio of the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM is 0.94, and that of the EF 600mm f/4L IS USM is 0.81.
Figure-36 Telephoto Type

Triplet type

Tessar type

Retrofocus type Conventionally designed wide-angle lenses have such a short back focus that they cannot be used in SLR cameras because they would obstruct the up/down swinging movement of the main mirror. Because of this, wide-angle lenses for SLRs have a construction opposite that of telephoto lenses, with a negative lens assembly placed in front of the main lens assembly. This moves the second principal point behind the lens (between the rearmost lens element and the film plane) and creates a lens having a back focus which is longer than the focal length. This type of lens is generally called a retrofocus lens from the name of a product marketed by Angenieux Co. of France. In optical terms, this type of lens is classified as an inverted telephoto type lens.
Figure-37 Inverted Telephoto Types (Retrofocus)

Gauss type

Topogon type

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

Typical photographic lens types

Single focal length lenses Symmetrical type In this type of lens, the lens group behind the diaphragm has nearly the same configuration and shape as the lens group in front of the diaphragm. Symmetrical lenses are further classified into various

Telephoto type (teletype) With general photographic lenses, the overall length of a lens (the distance from the apex of the frontmost lens element to the focal plane) is longer than its focal length. This is not usually the case with lenses of particularly long focal length, however, since using a normal lens construction would result in a very large, unwieldy lens. To keep the size of such a lens manageable while still providing a long focal length, a concave (negative) lens assembly is placed behind the main convex (positive) lens assembly, resulting in a lens which is shorter than its focal length. Lenses of this type are called telephoto lenses. In a telephoto lens, the second principal point is located in front of the frontmost lens element. Telephoto ratio The ratio between the overall length of a telephoto lens and its focal length is called the telephoto ratio. Put another way, it is

Zoom lenses
4-group zoom type An orthodox zoom lens configuration which clearly divides the functions of the lens into four groups (focusing group, magnification variation group, correction group and image formation group). Two groups the magnification variation group and correction group move during zooming. Since a high-magnification zoom ratio can be easily obtained with this type of construction, it is commonly used for movie camera lenses and SLR telephoto zoom lenses. However, due to problems incurred when designing compact zoom lenses, its use is becoming less common in modern nontelephoto zoom lenses. Short zoom type Explanation P.175
206

Multi-group zoom type Explanation P.175

Figure-38 Shooting Distance, Subject Distance and Image Distance

Subject Front principal point Rear principal point h h'

Focusing and lens movement

Focal plane

Focusing and lens movement techniques Methods of lens movement for focusing can be broadly classified into the five types described below. Overall linear extension The entire lens optical system moves straight backward and forward when focusing is carried out. This is the simplest type of focusing used in mainly in wideangle through standard single focal length lenses, Such as the EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye, lense, the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, the TS-E 90mm f/2.8, and other EF lenses. Front group linear extension The rear group remains fixed and only the front group moves straight backward and forward during focusing. Examples of front group linear extension lenses are the EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro, MP-E 65mm f/2.8 Macro Photo and EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM. Front group rotational extension The lens barrel section holding the front lens group rotates to move the front group backward and forward during focusing. This type of focusing is used only in zoom lenses and is not found in single focal length lenses. Representative examples of lenses using this method are the EF 2890mm f/4-5.6 III, EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM and EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM and other EF lenses. Inner focusing Focusing is performed by moving one or more lens groups positioned between the front lens group and the diaphragm. P.176 Rear focusing Focusing is performed by moving one or more lens groups positioned behind the diaphragm. P.177 Floating system This system varies the interval between certain lens elements in accordance with the extension amount in order to compensate for aberration fluctuation caused by camera distance. This method is also referred to as a close-distance aberration compensation mechanism. P.177
207

Focal length Subject distance

Principal point interval

Focal length

Extension amount

Image distance

Working distance

Machanical distance Shooting distance

Shooting distance/subject distance/image distance

Camera distance The distance from the focal plane to the subject. The position of the focal plane is indicated on the top of most cameras by a symbol. Subject distance The distance from the lens front principal point to the subject. Image distance The distance from the lens rear principal point to the focal plane when the lens is focused on a subject at a certain distance. Extension amount With a lens which moves the entire optical system backward and forward during focusing, the amount of lens movement necessary to focus a subject at a limited distance from the infinity focus position. Mechanical distance The distance from the front edge of the lens barrel to the focal plane. Working distance The distance from the front edge of the lens barrel to the subject. An important factor especially when shooting closeups and enlargements. Image magnification The ratio (length ratio) between the actual subject size and the size of the image reproduced on film. A macro lens with a magnification indication of 1:1 can reproduce an image on film the same size as the original subject (actual size). Magnification is generally expressed as a

proportional value indicating the size of the image compared to the actual subject. (For example, a magnification of 1:4 is expressed as 0.25x.)
Figure-39 Relationship Between the Focal Length, Extension Amount (Overall Extension) and Magnification
y y' f e R f r

(r f)2 e r f(M 1)2 e M y' r' y f

f r e R y y' M

Focal length Extension amount Principal point interval Shooting distance Subject size Subject size on the film plane Magnification

Polarized light and polarizing filters

Polarized light Since light is a type of electromagnetic wave, it can be thought of as uniformly vibrating in all directions in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation. This type of light is called natural light (or natural polarized light). If the direction of vibration of natural light becomes polarized for some reason, that light is called polarized light. When
Figure-40 Naturally Polarized Electromagnetic Wave

Partially polarized light Naturally polarized light (natural light)

Light propagation direction

natural light is reflected from the surface of glass or water, for example, the reflected light vibrates in one direction only and is completely polarized. Also, on a sunny day the light from the area of the sky at a 90 angle from the sun becomes polarized due to the effect of air molecules and particles in the atmosphere. The halfmirrors used in autofocus SLR cameras also cause light polarization. Linear polarizing filter A filter which only passes light vibrating in a certain direction. Since the vibrational locus of the light allowed to pass through the filter is linear in nature, the filter is called a linear polarizing filter. This type of filter eliminate reflections from glass and water the same way as a circular polarizing filter, but it cannot be used effectively with most auto exposure and autofous cameras as it will cause exposure errors in AE cameras equipped with TTL metering systems using halfmirrors, and will cause focusing errors in AF cameras incorporating AF rangefinding systems using half-mirrors. Circular polarizing filter A circular polarizing filter is functionally the same as a linear polarizing filter as it only passes light vibrating in a certain direction. However, the light passing through a circular polarizing filter differs from light passing through a linear polarizing filter in that the vibrational locus rotates in a spiral pattern as it propagates. Thus, the effect of the filter does not interfere with the effect of halfmirrors, allowing normal operation of TTL-AE and AF functions. When using a polarizing filter with an EOS camera, be sure to always use a circular polarizing filter. The effectiveness of a circular polarizing filter in eliminating reflected light is the same as that of a linear polarizing filter.

(pixels) on a flat surface which convert variations in light into electric signals. The higher the number of receptors, the more accurate the image reproduction is. Since these receptors are only sensitive to brightness and not colour, RGB or CMYG colour filters are placed before them in order to capture both brightness and colour data at the same time. Low-pass filter With general image elements used in digital cameras, RGB or CMYG colour information is collected for each receptor arranged on the surface. This means that when light with a high spatial frequency hits a single pixel, false colours, moir, and other colours which do not exist in the subject appear in the image. In order to reduce the occurrence of these types of false colours, the light must made to enter many different receptors, and in order to do that, the receptors used are low-pass filters. Low-pass filters use liquid crystal and other crystal structures which are characterised by double refraction (a phenomenon where two streams of refracted light are created), placed before the image elements. By double-refracting light with a high spatial frequency using low-pass filters, it becomes possible to receive light using multiple elements.

The ability of the eye to vary its refractive power in order to form an image of an object on the retina. The state in which the eye is at its minimum refractive power is called the accommodation rest state. Normal vision, emmetropia The eye condition in which the image of an infinitely distant point is formed on the retina when the eye is in the accommodation rest state. Far-sightedness The eye condition in which the image of an infinitely distant point is formed to the rear of the retina when the eye is in the accommodation rest state. Near-sightedness, myopia The eye condition in which the image of an infinitely distant point is formed in front of the retina when the eye is in the accommodation rest state. Astigmatism The eye condition in which astigmatism exists on the eyes visual axis. Presbyopia The eye condition in which the ability of the eye to focus decreases as a person becomes older. In camera terms, this is similar to having a fixed focal point with a shallow depth of field. Least distance of distinct vision The closest distance at which an eye having normal vision can observe an object without straining. This distance is normally assumed to be 25 cm/0.8 ft. Diopter The degree to which the light ray bundles leaving the viewfinder converge or disperse. The standard diopter of all EOS cameras is set at 1 dpt. This setting is designed to allow the finder image to appear to be seen from a distance of 1 m. Thus, if a person cannot see the viewfinder image clearly, the person should attach to the cameras eyepiece a dioptric adjustment lens having a power which, when added to the viewfinders standard diopter, makes it possible to easily see an object at one meter. The numerical values printed on EOS dioptric adjustment lenses indicate the total diopter obtained when the dioptric adjustment lens is attached to the camera.

The human eye and viewfinder diopter

Eyesight, visual acuity The ability of the eye to distinguish details of an objects shape. Expressed as a numerical value which indicates the inverse of the minimum visual angle at which the eye can clearly distinguish two points or lines, i.e. the resolution of the eye in reference to a resolution of 1. (Ratio with a resolution of 1 assumed as 1.) Eye accommodation
Figure-41 Human Eye Construction
Posterior chamber Limbal zone ry lia Ci ody b
Cornea Iris

Digital Terminology
Image sensor A semiconductor element which converts image data into an electric signal, playing the role of the film in a regular film camera. Also known as an imager. The two most common image elements used in digital cameras are CCD (ChargeCoupled Devices) and CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductors). Both are area sensors containing a large number of receptors

Anterior chamber
Crystal lens

Conjunctiva Canal of Schlemm Ciliary muscle

Ciliary process Retrolental space

Optical axis

Zonule fibers Ciliary epithelium

Eye central axis

Glass Retina Sclera Choroid

Dis

Fovea centralis

Optic nerve

Yellow spot

208

MTF Characteristics
How to read the MTF Characteristics
An MTF characteristic of 0.8 or more at 10 lines/mm indicates a superior lens.

Curve showing contrast at maximum aperture

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5

An MTF characteristic of 0.6 or more at 10 lines/mm indicates a satisfactory image.

0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

Curve showing resolution at maximum aperture

(mm) Distance from the center of the frame

Spatial frequency 10 lines/mm 30 lines/mm

Maximum aperture S M S

f/8 M

The more the S and M curves are in line, the more natural the blurred image becomes.

Resolving power and contrast are both good

Contrast is good and resolving power is bad

Resolving power is good and contrast is bad

209

Single Focal Length Lenses

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 14mm f/2.8L USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 20mm f/2.8 USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1

EF 24mm f/1.4L USM

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

0
0 5 10 15 20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 24mm f/2.8

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 28mm f/1.8 USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 28mm f/2.8

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 35mm f/1.4L USM

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 35mm f/2

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 50mm f/1.2L USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 50mm f/1.8@

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 85mm f/1.2L@USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 100mm f/2 USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 135mm f/2L USM

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 135mm f/2.8 (with Softfocus)

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 200mm f/2.8L@USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1
0 5 10 15 20

EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 400mm f/5.6L USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 500mm f/4L IS USM

0 0 5 10 15 20

10

15

20

10

15

20

210

MTF Characteristics
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 600mm f/4L IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5 x Macro Photo

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

TS-E 24mm f/3.5L

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

TS-E 45mm f/2.8

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

TS-E 90mm f/2.8

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 13

Zoom Lenses
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

EF135mf/2LUSM

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

TELE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1

EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

0 0 5 10 15 20

10

15

20

EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 20

EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 24-105mm f /4L IS USM

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1

EF 24-105mm f /4L IS USM

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

0 0 5 10 15 20

211

Zoom Lenses
EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6@USM
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

WIDE

EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6@USM
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15

TELE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 20

EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6#

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6#

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5@USM

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5@USM

TELE

EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM / EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 USM / EF 28-105mm f/4-5.6 TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1

EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 USM / EF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1

EF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 USM / EF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 TELE

0 0 5 10 15 20

10

15

20

10

15

20

0 0 5 10 15 20

EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 @ USM

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 @ USM

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 20

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM

TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/4L USM

WIDE

EF 70-200mm f/4L USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

212

MTF Characteristics
EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM WIDE EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM TELE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 5 10 15 20 0 0 5 10 15 20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM WIDE

EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

10

15

20

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6#USM / EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6# WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6#USM / EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6# TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6@

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6@

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM / EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM / EF 90-300mm f/4.5-5.6 TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

TELE

10

15

20

10

13

10

13

EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 13 0

EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1

EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1

EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

TELE

10

13

0 0 5 10

0 0 5 10

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6@ USM / EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6@ WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6@ USM / EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6@ TELE

10

13

10

13

213

Extenders
EF 1.4x@
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

TELE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF 70-200mm f/4 IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 15 20

EF 70-200mm f/4 IS USM

TELE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/4L USM

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/4L USM

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM (:f/16) TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 135mm f/2L USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF 200mm f/2.8L@USM
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 400mm f/5.6L USM

(:f/16)
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 500mm f/4L IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 600mm f/4L IS USM

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

214

MTF Characteristics

EF 2x@
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

TELE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF 70-200mm f/4 IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10

WIDE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 15 20

EF 70-200mm f/4 IS USM

TELE
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 70-200mm f/4L USM (:f/16) WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

EF 70-200mm f/4L USM (:f/16)

TELE

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM (:f/22) WIDE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM (:f/22) TELE

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

EF 135mm f/2L USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20

EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM

(:f/16)

10

15

20

EF 200mm f/2.8L@USM
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15 20 1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

(:f/16)
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM

0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 5 10 15

(:f/16)
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 20

EF 400mm f/5.6L USM

(:f/22)
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 500mm f/4L IS USM

(:f/16)
1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0

EF 600mm f/4L IS USM

(:f/16)

10

15

20

10

15

20

10

15

20

215

EF LENS WORK III

September 2006, Eighth edition

The Eyes of EOS

Publisher and Planning Canon Inc. Lens Products Group Production and Editorial Canon Inc. Lens Products Group Printer Nikko Graphic Arts Co., Ltd. Thanks for the Cooperation of : Brasserie Le Solfrino/Restaurant de la Maison Fouraise,
Canon Inc. 2003

Chatou/ Hippodrome de Marseille Borly/Cyrille Varet Crations, Paris/Jean Pavie, artisan luthier, Paris/Participation de la Mairie de Paris/JeanMichel OTHONIEL, sculpteur

Products and specifications are subject to change without notice. The photographs in this book are the property of Canon Inc., or used with the permission of the photographer.

CANON INC.

30-2, Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ohta-ku, Tokyo 146-8501, Japan