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.
Find a lens or inventor
Search by lens name, patent number, or author. Exact matches open directly.
Lens Library
1035 interactive diagrams
Browse by Maker
39 manufacturers
Open Viewer
CARL ZEISS SONNAR 150mm f/4 (Hasselblad)
Lens BuilderNew
Design your own lens and trace it live
Start HereNew to lens design? Begin with the basics →Articles & Guides
Lens Stories from the Manufacturersguide
Jul 27, 2026
A company-by-company index of official lens design and development articles, cross-linked to matching interactive lens diagrams on Surface & Stop.
Spherical Aberration: Start Hereguide
Aug 7, 2026
A brief introduction to spherical aberration and a choice between a concise photographer-focused guide and a full technical treatment.
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
View all articles →Recently Added
CARL ZEISS SONNAR 150mm f/4 (Hasselblad)
Nov 2, 2026
5 ELEMENTS / 3 GROUPS · DESIGN f = 151.2 mm · DESIGN F/4
KONICA HEXANON AR 200mm f/4
Nov 2, 2026
5 ELEMENTS / 5 GROUPS · DESIGN f = 200 mm · DESIGN F/4
MINOLTA MD 50mm f/1.7
Nov 2, 2026
6 ELEMENTS / 5 GROUPS · DESIGN f = 51.50 mm · DESIGN F/1.73
OLYMPUS ZUIKO AUTO-S 50mm f/1.8
Nov 2, 2026
6 ELEMENTS / 4 GROUPS · DESIGN f = 51.84 mm · DESIGN F/1.86
OLYMPUS ZUIKO AUTO-T 400mm f/6.3
Nov 2, 2026
5 ELEMENTS / 5 GROUPS · DESIGN f = 400 mm · DESIGN F/6.3
PENTAX SMC A 200mm f/4
Nov 2, 2026
6 ELEMENTS / 6 GROUPS · DESIGN f = 200 mm · DESIGN F/4.0
PANASONIC LUMIX G X VARIO PZ 45-175mm f/4-5.6 ASPH. POWER O.I.S.
Nov 1, 2026
14 ELEMENTS / 10 GROUPS · DESIGN f = 45.17–167.24 mm · DESIGN F/4.16–5.84
View all updates →Patent-derived optical models44 articles & guides on numerous topics