Definitions for focal length
focal length

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. focal distance, focal lengthnoun

   the distance from a lens to its focus

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. focal lengthnoun

   The distance at which something (e.g. a lens, mirror etc.) is in focus; in air it is the distance along the optical axis from a "principal plane" of the lens to one of the lens's focal points.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Focal length

   The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light; it is the inverse of the system's optical power. A positive focal length indicates that a system converges light, while a negative focal length indicates that the system diverges light. A system with a shorter focal length bends the rays more sharply, bringing them to a focus in a shorter distance or diverging them more quickly. For the special case of a thin lens in air, a positive focal length is the distance over which initially collimated (parallel) rays are brought to a focus, or alternatively a negative focal length indicates how far in front of the lens a point source must be located to form a collimated beam. For more general optical systems, the focal length has no intuitive meaning; it is simply the inverse of the system's optical power. In most photography and all telescopy, where the subject is essentially infinitely far away, longer focal length (lower optical power) leads to higher magnification and a narrower angle of view; conversely, shorter focal length or higher optical power is associated with lower magnification and a wider angle of view. On the other hand, in applications such as microscopy in which magnification is achieved by bringing the object close to the lens, a shorter focal length (higher optical power) leads to higher magnification because the subject can be brought closer to the center of projection.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. focal length

   The focal length of an optical system such as a camera lens, microscope, or telescope is the distance between the lens or mirror and the point where the light rays come together, or converge, to form a focused image. It determines how magnified the image will be and how much of the scene will be captured. In other words, it is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light.

WikidataRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

1. Focal length

   The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus. A system with a shorter focal length has greater optical power than one with a long focal length; that is, it bends the rays more strongly, bringing them to a focus in a shorter distance. In most photography and all telescopy, where the subject is essentially infinitely far away, longer focal length leads to higher magnification and a narrower angle of view; conversely, shorter focal length or higher optical power is associated with a wider angle of view. On the other hand, in applications such as microscopy in which magnification is achieved by bringing the object close to the lens, a shorter focal length leads to higher magnification because the subject can be brought closer to the center of projection.

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. focal length

   The distance between the object-glass and the eye-piece of a telescope.

Matched Categories

1. • Distance

How to pronounce focal length?

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How to say focal length in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of focal length in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of focal length in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=focal length
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Focal_Length
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focal_Length
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=focal length
6. ^ Dictionary of Nautical Terms
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/26000/pg26000-images.html#:~:text=focal length