Can a lens be apochromatic and achromatic at the same time?
Apparently yes, because there are two types of chromatic aberration, and a lens may be designed to be apochromatic with respect to one type of chromatic aberration, and achromatic with respect to the other.
The Wikipedia article on "apochromatic" seems to discuss axial (=longitudinal) chromatic aberration, and the characteristic three-point correction of this aberration at three different wavelengths: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apochromat.
The data of the Rodenstock Apo Rodagon 75 mm D f/4 include a diagram that clearly shows that axial chromatic aberration is corrected only at two wavelengths (bottom right of page 61): http://www.rodenstock-photo.com/mediaba ... __8230.pdf. This would seem to imply that this lens is apochromatic with respect to transversal (=radial) chromatic aberration (hopefully), but definitely not axial chromatic aberration. The same is true of the Apo Rodagon 50 mm N f/2.8 on page 55.
In my experience, axial chromatic aberration produces especially ugly results in photography at high magnification (the Leica Makro-Zoom objective of the M400/420 photomacroscopes is the "best" example I have a direct experience with - bright specks are rendered as violet blobs with a green core or viceversa, depending on the direction of defocusing). I have not seen diagrams of the Mitutoyo M Plan Apo series of infinity corrected objectives, and I know from practical use that they show nothing similar, but it would be interesting to know in what sense these lenses are apochromatic.
Apochromatic and achromatic at the same time?
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My own reading on the subject suggests that achromatic/apochromatic correction mainly deals with longitudinal CA (focal length variation with wavelength). Lateral CA (magnification difference with wavelength) is a different problem and requires a different process to correct.
Achromatic is corrected at two wavelengths and apo is at 3 wavelengths (there are even higher levels such as superapochromatic, corrected at 4 or more wavelengths).
From my practical experience with lens testing, most microscope objectives that I have tested appear to be corrected for red and green at the focus plane and most photographic lenses seem to be corrected best for green and blue.
I recently tested a printing-nikkor lens and that lens really stood out for its longitudinal CA correction (very little for red, green, and blue) It still has a little lateral CA on the periphery.
Achromatic is corrected at two wavelengths and apo is at 3 wavelengths (there are even higher levels such as superapochromatic, corrected at 4 or more wavelengths).
From my practical experience with lens testing, most microscope objectives that I have tested appear to be corrected for red and green at the focus plane and most photographic lenses seem to be corrected best for green and blue.
I recently tested a printing-nikkor lens and that lens really stood out for its longitudinal CA correction (very little for red, green, and blue) It still has a little lateral CA on the periphery.