# Flat lens discovered in Harvard



## marekjoz (Sep 4, 2012)

Have you read this: http://www.seas.harvard.edu/news-events/press-releases/flat-lens-offers-perfect-image ? It's not Canon yet, but if patent won't be closed to any manufacturer, what we'll see in some time? Just guess and turn your imagination on


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## aj1575 (Sep 4, 2012)

It will take some time until we see a lens with this technology. As I understand it (from another article, about the same lens) the system so far works only for a certain wavelength, and the light transmission is only about 1%. But who knows, maybe they turn it into something useable.


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## marekjoz (Sep 4, 2012)

It's an interesting concept as far and it will take a long time when (if) this will go to photography. But if it will be followed by another discoveries in this area, then next generations will guess how it was even possible to make photos with glass lenses


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## TAF (Sep 4, 2012)

After reading the article, the new lens sounds very much like a variation on a diffractive optic, only intended for use at IR and beyond (they make no claims for visible light).

We know Canon already uses DO, without much success (judging from the reviews).

I wonder how long a 60nm thick lens would last in an open environment? A fast moving raindrop might not end well.

Sounds like some cool basic physics, but it will be a long time before we see it used for anything in photography. On the other hand, I would expect to see these things show up at the end of fiber optic data cables in short order. Replacing the tiny glass lens with something made of silicon would be excellent.


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## dstppy (Sep 4, 2012)

Here comes the science! Where's Neuro? (I half expected to see him in the picture of the physicists, presumably explaining it to them)

;D


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## marekjoz (Sep 4, 2012)

dstppy said:


> Here comes the science! Where's Neuro? (I half expected to see him in the picture of the physicists, presumably explaining it to them)
> 
> ;D



Neuro must be burning some silicon right now, melting some gold and preparing it for diffusion process. After having him made some initial resolution comparison to 70-200 2.8 II we'll read the final statement


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## bkorcel (Sep 4, 2012)

Too bad it only applies to wavelengths we cant see with our eye. Great for the datacom guys but dont see the usefulness in photography unless maybe it is used for an off lens AF system...but that kind of defeats the point!


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 4, 2012)

Actually, its time for Universities to apply for government research grants, and the big ones like Harvard and Mit have large PR departments that churn out praises of their projects.
Nothinng wrong with that, thats how you are successful in getting research dollars. Just don't confuse it with being something practical or usable. Its research only, the same as the supposedly 1 trillion frame per second video that is written to make you believe there is a camera that can do that. Black silicon has been after $$$ for many years now.


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## RLPhoto (Sep 4, 2012)

This tech will in military and security use before it will ever hit the consumer market.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 4, 2012)

RLPhoto said:


> This tech will in military and security use before it will ever hit the consumer market.


Yes, DARPA gives out quite a few grants for research to both Universities and to companies. In fact, thats how we got the internet.


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## marekjoz (Sep 4, 2012)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> RLPhoto said:
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.... and a few other technologies beyond Internet


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## bkorcel (Sep 4, 2012)

Including 1 megawatt lasers that can bore holes into rock on other worlds.



marekjoz said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 4, 2012)

marekjoz said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
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Yes, I've visited the DARPAheadquarters and bid on some projects as well as briefing them on our research before I retired. 
I first used the internet back in the mid 1980's before it really caught on. Back then, it was unix commands only. We had dumb terminals networked to a VAX.


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## marekjoz (Sep 5, 2012)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> marekjoz said:
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I'curious when They finally will find a way to diffract the light using elecromagnetic field with a reasonable about of power  the other intersting solution would be spherical sensors. Anyone knows about sth like that?


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## bkorcel (Sep 7, 2012)

Yeah they tried that already. It was called the Philadelphia Experiment. ;D



marekjoz said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
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## marekjoz (Sep 7, 2012)

bkorcel said:


> Yeah they tried that already. It was called the Philadelphia Experiment. ;D
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And we don't want them to repeat it, as we'd like to see Canon labs not to dissapear


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