Abstract

Recent work [1,2] has been undertaken to develop standards for MTF calculations. The goal of these efforts was to enable easy comparison of lens systems, without regard to the program performing the analysis. While this is an admirable goal, data from three well-known PC-based lens design codes has indicated that more fundamental issues need to be resolved before proceeding to MTF comparisons. This paper will deal with the effects of variations in pupil location on MTF results by modeling an off-axis system and a wide-angle design. This study is more timely in light of a recent discussion [3] of the impending marriage of ray tracing and photonics design codes. If calculations are based on inconsistent methodologies, inclusion of photonic design parameters will merely heighten confusion.

© 1994 Optical Society of America