Katadioptrilisi

Katadioptrilisi, also known as catadioptric imaging or catadioptric systems, refers to an optical system that uses both reflection and refraction to form an image. These systems combine mirrors and lenses to achieve a particular optical effect, often to capture a very wide field of view or to reduce aberrations. The term itself is derived from the Greek words "kata" (down) and "dioptron" (a looking-through instrument), suggesting a combination of reflection (kata) and refraction (dioptron).

A common example of a katadioptric system is a fisheye lens, which uses a combination of lenses and sometimes mirrors to achieve an extremely wide angle of view, often exceeding 180 degrees. Another application is in telescopes, where catadioptric designs like the Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope utilize mirrors and lenses to correct for optical distortions and achieve high-quality images. The design of these systems requires careful balancing of the refractive and reflective elements to ensure proper focusing and minimize unwanted optical phenomena. The advantages of katadioptric systems can include compactness, reduced chromatic aberration, and the ability to achieve wider fields of view than purely refractive or reflective systems of comparable size.