Principal Planes

المستويات الرئيسية

Principal planes are two hypothetical reference planes in a thick optical system from which object and image distances can be measured for paraxial optical calculations.

Quick Decode

Principal planes are two imaginary reference planes that simplify calculations for thick lenses and optical systems such as the eye. In paraxial optics, where rays stay close to the optical axis and make small angles with it, object distances are measured from the first principal plane and image distances from the second.

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References (1)
  1. Keating, M. P. Geometric, Physical, and Visual Optics (2nd ed., Chapter 11) & Atchison, D. A., & Smith, G. Optics of the Human Eye (Appendix 1 & Chapter 2).