Difference between revisions of "Periscopic lens"

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A '''periscopic lens''' is a symmetrical lens, consisting of two equal convex meniscus elements with the aperture between them. It was first made by [[Steinheil]] in 1865 (the origin of the name is simply that ''Periscop'' was Steinheil's name for their product).<ref>[http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/steinheil_1.html Steinheil catalogue, 1925] (history, on page 2) at [http://www.cameraeccentric.com Camera Eccentric].</ref>
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The symmetrical structure has advantages; in principle, the chromatic aberration, image distortion, and some other faults, of the second element would exactly cancel out those of the first, but only in the unrealistic situation where the subject and image distances were the same; in real situations, however, the aberration is still greatly reduced in comparison to an equivalent single meniscus.<ref>Greenleaf, Allen R. (1950) ''Photographic Optics''. Macmillan, New York. p65.</ref>
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Its simplicity (with no cemented elements) makes it cheap, and such lenses are found quite widely on simple popular cameras (for example cheap folders like the [[Vest Pocket Kodak]] and the [[Kershaw Eight-20 Penguin]], and some box cameras).
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A '''periscopic lens''' is a symmetrical lens, consisting of two equal meniscus convex lens elements with the aperture between the elements. The periscopic lenses have no correction of chromatic aberration, are free from distortion and maybe a little faster than a simple color-corrected [[achromatic lens]]. According to Ludwig David periscopic lenses were the cheap lenses for the poor.
 
  
 
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[[Category:Lens]]

Revision as of 20:04, 16 September 2011

A periscopic lens is a symmetrical lens, consisting of two equal convex meniscus elements with the aperture between them. It was first made by Steinheil in 1865 (the origin of the name is simply that Periscop was Steinheil's name for their product).[1]

The symmetrical structure has advantages; in principle, the chromatic aberration, image distortion, and some other faults, of the second element would exactly cancel out those of the first, but only in the unrealistic situation where the subject and image distances were the same; in real situations, however, the aberration is still greatly reduced in comparison to an equivalent single meniscus.[2]

Its simplicity (with no cemented elements) makes it cheap, and such lenses are found quite widely on simple popular cameras (for example cheap folders like the Vest Pocket Kodak and the Kershaw Eight-20 Penguin, and some box cameras).


  1. Steinheil catalogue, 1925 (history, on page 2) at Camera Eccentric.
  2. Greenleaf, Allen R. (1950) Photographic Optics. Macmillan, New York. p65.


Glossary Terms