Optical System Design: Zemax tutorial

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the challenges faced by users new to Zemax, a software tool for optical system design. Users recommend resources such as "Introduction to Lens Design with Practical Zemax Examples" by Joseph M. Geary, but express difficulty in finding beginner-friendly tutorials. While programming knowledge in C is not mandatory, a fundamental understanding of optical design principles is essential. The Zemax knowledge base and user manuals are mentioned as potential resources, though their effectiveness for beginners is questioned.

PREREQUISITES
  • Basic understanding of optical design principles
  • Familiarity with Zemax software interface
  • Knowledge of programming concepts (C programming is beneficial but not required)
  • Ability to interpret optical design results
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the Zemax knowledge base for additional tutorials and resources
  • Read "Introduction to Lens Design with Practical Zemax Examples" by Joseph M. Geary for foundational concepts
  • Practice using Zemax with simple optical system designs to gain hands-on experience
  • Investigate online forums and communities for shared tips and beginner guides on Zemax
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for optical engineers, optical designers, and students seeking to learn and apply Zemax for optical system design.

makeendsmeet
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Hi,

Can anybody recommend a tutorial on how to use Zemax to perform simple optical system designs? I've been to Zemax's website and looked at its help section, but it doesn't really help at all. I've also checked out "Introduction to Lens Design with Practical Zemax
Examples" by Joseph M. Geary, but I'm still stuck. Thanks!
 
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Have you looked at their knowledge base support page? http://www.zemax.com/kb/"
I don't have any experience with this software but it looks like you need to be able to program with C.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You don't need to be able to program but you do have to understand optical design.
Zemax is reasonably user friendly for an optical design package but you do have to know what design to enter and how to interpret the answers.
It used to come with a reasonable manual and there are a number of books - but I don't know any that really teach optical design for the beginner using Zemax.
 

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