Decentring occurs when a lens or light source shifts away from the exact center line of an optical path. This physical offset introduces aberrations, such as coma or uneven beam distribution, degrading the quality of the projected light. In precision luminaires, decentring is usually a defect caused by thermal expansion or mechanical shock.
Heard on the job
If you drop the barrel, you might decentre the lens assembly and ruin the focus on that ellipsoidal.
Also heard as
- decenter