Surface & Stop
Interactive Camera Lens Cross-Section Visualizer
Explore real camera lens designs built from optical patent data. Trace rays through multi-element systems, adjust focus and aperture in real time, inspect individual elements, and analyze chromatic aberrations.
Patent-derived optical models29 articles & guides on numerous topics
Lens Library
395 interactive diagrams
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23 manufacturers
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CANON RF 16mm f/2.8 STM
Start Here
New to lens design? Begin with the basics
Articles & Guides
Cardinal Points of a Lensguide
May 1, 2026
A gentle introduction to focal, principal, and nodal points — the six reference locations that define how any lens forms an image.
Lens Dimensions and Distancesguide
May 1, 2026
A beginner-friendly tour of the five first-order distances — EFL, BFD, FFD, hiatus, and total track — that summarize a lens as a geometric object.
From Achromat to APO: Chromatic Correction, Optical Glass, and the Evolution of Color-Corrected Lensesarticle
Apr 29, 2026
The evolution of chromatic control in lenses
Pupil Geometry in Photographic Lensesguide
Apr 21, 2026
A series of primers on aperture stops, entrance pupils, exit pupils, and telecentricity — from the f-number definition through sensor compatibility, corner illumination, and the mirrorless design advantage.
Getting Startedguide
Apr 16, 2026
New to Surface & Stop? These primers explain how lenses work, what aberrations are, and how to get the most out of the interactive diagrams.
View all articles →Recently Added
CANON RF 16mm f/2.8 STM
Jul 2, 2026
9 elements / 7 groups · f = 16.49 mm design / 16 mm marketed · F/2.90 design / f/2.8 marketed
CANON RF 20mm f/1.4 L VCM
Jul 2, 2026
Official: 15 elements / 11 groups; BR layer modeled separately · Patent Example 2: 16 optical members / 11 groups · f = 20.598 mm design, 20 mm marketed
CANON RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM
Jul 2, 2026
14 elements / 11 groups (15 material entries incl. resin cap) · f = 48.50 mm patent / 50 mm marketed · F/1.46 design / f/1.4 marketed
CANON NEW FD 150-600mm f/5.6L
Jul 1, 2026
Telephoto zoom, 150–600 mm f/5.6 · 19 elements / 15 groups · All-spherical prescription
CANON NEW FD 100mm f/2
Jul 1, 2026
6 elements / 4 groups · f ≈ 100.00 mm · f/2
CANON NEW FD 14mm f/2.8 L
Jul 1, 2026
14 elements / 10 groups · f ≈ 14.0 mm · F/2.8
KODAK AERO EKTAR 6 in f/3.5
Jun 30, 2026
6 ELEMENTS / 4 GROUPS · f = 152.58 mm · F/3.5
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