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Petzval field curvature
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<p>Petzval field curvature, named for <a href="/facts/Joseph_Petzval/Tw7IDX2X">Joseph Petzval</a>, describes the <a href="/facts/Optical_aberration/YIqd9cA8">optical aberration</a> in which a flat object normal to the optical axis (or a non-flat object past the <a href="/facts/Hyperfocal_distance/8zma4Ywb">hyperfocal distance</a>) cannot be brought properly into focus on a flat image plane. Field curvature can be corrected with the use of a <i><a href="/facts/Field_flattener_lens/cPwcV4YW">field flattener</a></i>, designs can also incorporate a curved focal plane like in the case of the <a href="/facts/Human_eye/a24ua4fy">human eye</a> in order to improve image quality at the focal surface. </p>