gen-briefly-explain-chromatic-aberration-and-one-common-misconce-22ea

Briefly explain chromatic aberration and one common misconception about it.

## Chromatic Aberration **Chromatic aberration** is an optical defect where a lens fails to focus different wavelengths (colors) of light at the same point. This occurs because light refracts at slightly different angles as it passes through glass depending on its wavelength—blue light bends more than red light. The result is visible as colored fringes (typically purple/green or red/cyan) along high-contrast edges in images. ## Common Misconception Many people believe chromatic aberration is caused by **low-quality or cheap lenses only**. In reality, chromatic aberration is a fundamental physics problem that affects all refractive lenses to some degree, including expensive professional glass. While premium lenses use special glass elements (like ED or apochromatic designs) and sophisticated optical formulas to *minimize* the effect, they cannot eliminate it entirely. Even high-end lenses can show chromatic aberration under challenging conditions, such as extreme contrast or when shooting wide open.