Optics Essentials

7	Imaging Systems

The purpose of an imaging system is to collect and focus light scattered from an object thus forming an image of the object, which is then detected either by the human eye, by a photosensitive film, or by a detector array. Imaging systems often magnify or demagnify an object. An example of an imaging system is a camera (one that uses a lens to focus, or a pinhole camera as shown in Figure 7.1) that images an object onto film or a detector array, a telescope that makes far away objects appear nearby, or a microscope that magnifies small objects. Imaging systems utilize a number of refractive (e.g., lenses), reflective (e.g. mirrors), and diffractive components. Examples of various optical components used in imaging systems ...