Residual aberration controller for adjustable aesthetic imaging in imaging optical systems

Abstract

A residual aberration controller arranged in the optical path of an image-forming light beam to create an aesthetic effect in an otherwise sharp image by selectively introducing residual aberrations into the wavefront of the image-forming light beam. The residual aberration controller is adjustable between a first configuration that provides either no substantial change or a relatively small aesthetic change to the otherwise sharp image and a second configuration that provides a substantial change to the sharp image to create the aesthetic effect. Aesthetic effects can include, to varying degrees, flare, bokeh, image softening, anamorphic and related effects that are desirable in certain imaging applications but that are difficult to produce in a quick and reversible manner. The residual aberration controller can be combined with almost any type of objective lens to achieve aesthetic imaging effects quickly, affordably and reversibly by a simple adjustment and without defocus.