Originally Posted by
John Layton
Yes indeed...when a previously finely focussed point becomes visibly softer and visibly "enlarged," we see this as "confusion," and this in increasing increments as this "circle" gets larger.
I guess where this terminology fails for me is in the use of the word "circle."
True a circle can be used to define the outer visible "diameter" of an AREA of "visible confusion," but there is no actual visible circle, excepting perhaps for certain optics like mirror-based lenses, or in certain instances where certain types of light sources (in concert with optics) can begin to acquire a circular affect as they become less focussed in an image.
But I cannot right now think of another term which so handily refers to this optical principle. ("area of confusion,?" "zone of unsharpness,?"). Hmmm...maybe when the morning coffee kicks in I'll have an epiphany!
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