Modern Optical Engineering: The Design of Optical Systems (Optical and Electro-Optical Engineering Series) [Hardcover]

Warren J. Smith (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0070591741 | ISBN-13: 978-0070591745 | Publication Date: August 1990 | Edition: 2 Sub

A revised version of a text which was first published in 1966. The book is designed as a general reference book for engineers and assumes a broad knowledge of current optical systems and their design. Additional topics include fibre optics, thin films and CAD systems.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"The most valuable reference text available today to those working in the field."
--Bruce H. Walker, Walker Associates, Southampton, MA

"An enduring classic standard text because of Smith's style and ability to explain optical concepts."
--R.R. Shannon, Professor Emeritus, Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona; author of The Art and Science of Optical Design Smith's Classic, for Millennium Three

The book that both experts and neophytes turn to first, Warren J. Smith's revered Modern Optical Engineering is now updated with the latest applications, tools, and techniques--plus new insights from the master. It's a resource that anyone interested in optics won't want to miss.

NEW IN THIS EDITION
*Expanded coverage of diffractive and replicated optics
*Lens design in depth
*Testing and fabrication updates
*Updates on IR and illumination systems, detectors, scanners, and image quality
*More on radiometry
*Computer aids*Wave front aberration verses PSF and Strehe ratio
*Smith's own "Rules of Thumb"
*Current developments
*Electronic version of the complete book on CD-ROM

A volume in the McGraw-Hill Series on Optical and Electro-Optical Engineering. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Warren J. Smith, chief scientist at Kaiser Electro-Optics and an independent consultant, is one of the most widely known writers and educators in the field of optical design. He is the author of Modern Optical Engineering, Modern Lens Design, and Practical Optical System Layout. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Mcgraw-Hill (Tx); 2 Sub edition (August 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070591741
• ISBN-13: 978-0070591745
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,615,864 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best survey of optical engineering, January 14, 2001

By 

Keith Forsyth (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Modern Optical Engineering (Hardcover)

Without doubt, this is the best general survey of optical engineering, in or out of print. The book shows both the author's broad experience as well as his ability to apply theory to practice. The book is far superior in its selection of topics and in clarity and accuracy of presentation to the alternatives, particularly Shannon's book. The book is useful for engineers or scientists from other fields who need to learn some optics, and for experienced practitioners who need a reference and refresher on particular topics. For example, try to calculate the spectral radiance of a blackbody at a particular wavelength and temperature using the formula in your college physics text, then see how Smith treats the same topic; if you got within an order of magnitude of Smith's correct answer from the college text, give yourself a gold star. The second edition's only weakness was its sparse references; I haven't seen the third edition so this may have been improved. However, this still puts Smith's book ahead of Shannon's, which has no references whatever. If you only buy one book on optics, this should be it.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Right choice, July 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Modern Optical Engineering: The Design of Optical Systems (Optical and Electro-Optical Engineering Series) (Hardcover)

The book is probably the best general text on optical engineering. It is written simle and clear. "Modern Optical Engineering" covers basic topics quite comprehensive. On the other hand, additional books are needed for good understanding of aberrations and a lens design procedure.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for People New to Optics, July 28, 2003

By 

dargo2001 (us) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Modern Optical Engineering (Hardcover)

This book is an excellent source for technical people (a.k.a. engineers) who do not know much about optics but want to enter the field. Warren Smith discussed in great detail a plethora of subjects: how lenses & prisms affect light; how lenses can vary from ideal (a.k.a. first order optics) conditions and how to compensate their aberrations; how to use lenses, prisms, and mirrors in an optical system.

I gave this book four stars out of five because I was expecting the CD to have free optical software with which I could play around with. The CD is great if you want to read the book off of your computer or share it with a friend, but it has no exercises to reinforce (a.k.a. to "learn by doing") the material the book covers.