What is Chromatic Aberration?

Chromatic aberration refers to the optical phenomenon where a lens fails to focus all colors of light at the same point. This occurs because different wavelengths of light (colors) are refracted by varying amounts when passing through a lens. As a result, each color has a slightly different focal point, which can lead to a blurring or color fringing around the edges of objects in an image.

In photography and optical systems, this phenomenon can manifest as either longitudinal chromatic aberration (where colors are focused at different distances along the optical axis) or lateral chromatic aberration (where colors are displaced at different positions in the image plane). The correct identification of chromatic aberration is significant in optically correcting images to achieve better clarity and color correctness.

Understanding this concept is crucial for professionals working with lenses and imaging systems, as it guides the design and selection of optical components to minimize or correct aberrations for clearer, sharper images.