How do I simulate a camera lens?

Open this page and use the live Gaussian Beam tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.

Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.

Can I use my own numbers?

Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a camera lens from your own measurements.

Use case · powered by Gaussian Beam

Gaussian Beam for a camera lens

Simulate a camera lens live in your browser. This runs the real Gaussian Beam solver — adjust the inputs, watch it respond instantly, and export the result. No install, no account.

For:Students Researchers Educators Engineers Hobbyists & Makers K-12 Students First Responders

Gaussian BeamLive

how a laser beam spreads

Controls

Presets

Beam waist w₀ (µm)

Wavelength (nm)

A real laser beam is not a perfect ray — it narrows to a minimum waist then spreads. Within one Rayleigh range of the waist it stays roughly collimated; beyond, it diverges at an angle set by wavelength over waist size. Tighter focus means faster spreading — the fundamental diffraction trade-off behind every laser and telescope.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Rayleigh range0.012 m

Divergence4.03 mrad

Waist50 µm

Governing equation

w (z) = w_{0} 1 + (z / z_{R})^{2}, z_{R} = \frac{π w _{0}^{2}}{λ} = 12.4 mm

Reading this result: Divergence is set by λ/(π·w₀): shrinking the waist or lengthening the wavelength both make the beam spread faster — the core diffraction trade-off.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

or unlock everything with Pro →

About this simulation

The full Gaussian Beam tool models a camera lens with the same numerics engineers and scientists use — running entirely client-side. Change any parameter and the result updates in real time, so you can build intuition, check a design, or teach the concept without spreadsheets or installs.

More you can do with Gaussian Beam

Gaussian Beam for a laser beam Gaussian Beam for a fiber-optic cable Gaussian Beam for a microscope Gaussian Beam for a telescope Gaussian Beam for a prism Gaussian Beam for a rainbow Gaussian Beam for a hologram Gaussian Beam for a solar cell

Other ways to simulate a camera lens

Snell's Law for a camera lens Diffraction Grating for a camera lens Curved Mirrors for a camera lens Prism Dispersion for a camera lens Laser Cavity for a camera lens Fiber Optics for a camera lens

Frequently asked questions

How do I simulate a camera lens?: Open this page and use the live Gaussian Beam tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.
Is it free?: Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.
Can I use my own numbers?: Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a camera lens from your own measurements.