Re: diffraction curiosity questions

OK, sorry.

It was a long-winded question. I was kind of looking for an answer
like:

A) I oversimplified a complex subject.
B) Yeah, I nailed it.
C) I misunderstood and made too many assumptions.

It's not for a class, by the way. I couldn't sleep the other day and
that's what I was thinking about. I figured the best kind of Dr. to
talk to about that problem would be here. Born & Wolfe was one of the
books I was reading a year or so ago. I got the big picture but not al
lthe details.

Really all I wanted to know (maybe I can make it fit category A B or
C), were the following, which might better be asked in a photo forum
but for all the old wive's tales, urban legends & krap that gets
passed around there. :O)

1) Am I correct in insisting that pinhole photography works for all
practical purposes solely BECAUSE of diffraction?

2) If Q1 is true, is diffraction fundamental to image formation with a
lens or is it reduced to merely an undesirable side effect to be
controlled like aberrations (I believe diffraction is not an
aberration).

I hope that's more acceptable. If not, I'll keep reading here & there.

and thanks for the beer & optics offer. Unfortunately I only make it
there occasionally for unpleasant things like family medical issues. I
miss living in a house full of grad students at school. It was just
such an environment- if someone didn't know the answer, there was
enough knowledge or interest to pursue it somewhat or lead to other
resources. That's the first thing I noticed about leaving school for
employment. Most people were only interested in the beer and not the
topics :O)

Thank you

Murray
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: diffraction curiosity questions
    ... aberrated), the aberrations and hence the diffraction performance, can ... Almost all lens design ... The pathlength differences from aberrations are usually much greater ...
    (sci.optics)
  • Re: The irony of camera lenses
    ... diffraction blur, reducing resolution. ... there's still a good reason to work at those other apertures. ... But the spot profile of diffraction is very different from the profile of many common geometric aberrations. ...
    (rec.photo.digital)
  • Re: diffraction curiosity questions
    ... aberrated), the aberrations and hence the diffraction performance, can ... limited to using low spatial frequencies -- or more accurately, ...
    (sci.optics)
  • Re: The irony of camera lenses
    ... Stopping down a lens generally ... reduces aberrations, and always increases the effects of diffraction. ... What you're left with determines resolution. ...
    (rec.photo.digital)