Wellcorrected

Wellcorrected, often written as well-corrected or hyphenated as well-corrected, is a term used in optics to describe an optical system whose aberrations have been substantially minimized across the intended wavelength range and field of view. It is a qualitative designation that signals high optical quality, but it does not equate to a single, universal specification.

In practice, well-corrected designs address common refractive and geometric aberrations, including spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism, field curvature, and chromatic aberration. Achieving this level of correction typically involves multiple lens elements, the use of aspheric surfaces, special glass types, and, for color correction, achromatic or apochromatic configurations. The goal is to produce sharp, high-contrast images with a flat, well-behaved field.

The term is used across disciplines such as astronomy, photography, and microscopy. In product literature, it signals a high standard of image quality, but exact performance depends on the instrument’s intended use and the designer’s targets. In astronomy and microscopy, well-corrected instruments are expected to maintain good focus and sharpness across the field and spectrum, often quantified in practice by metrics such as the Strehl ratio or modulation transfer function, even though marketing descriptions may remain qualitative.

Common examples in microscopy include well-corrected Plan or plan-apochromat objectives, which aim to provide a flat field and corrected chromatic aberrations over specified wavelengths. In telescopes and camera lenses, the term similarly denotes advanced correction designed to minimize aberrations over typical viewing or imaging conditions.