Determine lens design

By: photocdn 4792 days ago
Hi Everyone,

Can a lens design (such as Sonnar, Planar, etc.) be determined by the formula used in a lens, i.e. number of elements and grouping ?

Cheers
By: johnriley 4792 days ago
Up to a point. The clasic designs have a basic outline and it can be seen even where modern lens designers have moved it along and developed things further. Also, new glass types, aspherical lenses and complex zooms add further complication to the simple basic start.

For example, take three elements and you have a Triotar design, common on inexpensive cameras for many decades. Add a cemented element to the rear one and you have a better corrected Tessar design, capable of good quality.

Add another element and we have a Sonnar or Planar. To see how these things relate you really need a book about lenses. I'd recommend as a start "The Lens Book" by Roger Hicks. Then you can go on from there if you need to.

Best regards

John
By: photocdn 4791 days ago
Thanks John. I'll try to chase down that book.

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