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Concept
Circle of confusion
Summary
In optics, a circle of confusion (CoC) is an optical spot caused by a cone of light rays from a lens not coming to a perfect focus when imaging a point source. It is also known as disk of confusion, circle of indistinctness, blur circle, or blur spot.
In photography, the circle of confusion is used to determine the depth of field, the part of an image that is acceptably sharp. A standard value of CoC is often associated with each image format, but the most appropriate value depends on visual acuity, viewing conditions, and the amount of enlargement. Usages in context include maximum permissible circle of confusion, circle of confusion diameter limit, and the circle of confusion criterion.
Real lenses do not focus all rays perfectly, so that even at best focus, a point is imaged as a spot rather than a point. The smallest such spot that a lens can produce is often referred to as the circle of least confusion.
Two important uses of this term and concept need to be distinguished:
ordered list
|1=
For describing the largest blur spot that is indistinguishable from a point. A lens can precisely focus objects at only one distance; objects at other distances are defocused. Defocused object points are imaged as blur spots rather than points; the greater the distance an object is from the plane of focus, the greater the size of the blur spot. Such a blur spot has the same shape as the lens aperture, but for simplicity, is usually treated as if it were circular. In practice, objects at considerably different distances from the camera can still appear sharp; the range of object distances over which objects appear sharp is the depth of field (DoF). The common criterion for "acceptable sharpness" in the final image (e.g., print, projection screen, or electronic display) is that the blur spot be indistinguishable from a point.
|2=
For describing the blur spot achieved by a lens, at its best focus or more generally.
Official source
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