0
\$\begingroup\$

Video captured using iphone

The rainbow is created with Kikkerland rainbow maker. When zooming with an iPhone the image abruptly changes at 2x zoom to a green light. What is the physics behind this?

Improve this question
\$\endgroup\$
2
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ Does your iPhone have multiple lenses, a.k.a. "Optical Zoom", meaning that it switches between lenses at given zoom factors? \$\endgroup\$
    – Ralf Kleberhoff
    Commented Jul 13, 2022 at 9:08
  • \$\begingroup\$ "Rainbow maker" sends different colors of light in different directions. You'll see "rainbows" when that light is projected onto a white surface, but if you stand at a distance and look toward the thing, then you will only see the particular color of light that it happens to be sending in your direction. Was the rainbow maker turning while you zoomed in? Maybe you were standing in a "blue" sector at the start, but then you were in green (becoming yellow-green) as the colored rays swept past you. Or, maybe you just took a step to one side? \$\endgroup\$
    – Solomon Slow
    Commented Jul 13, 2022 at 18:21

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
3
\$\begingroup\$

The Rainbow Maker is a device that rotates a prismatic 'jewel' to move different colors across a space as it's struck by sunlight. Unless your experience is repeatable over a number of exposures, I'd say the thing spun so you were looking at the green portion of the spectrum instead of the blue...

Improve this answer
\$\endgroup\$
0
\$\begingroup\$

I suppose you have a mobile camera with different physical lenses at the backside.

What’s happening here is that while zooming, your camera switches from one lens to another. Since the physical location of the zoom lens is different compared to the standard lens, effectively the position from which you observe the rainbow light source changes.

Now the prism that is used to create a rainbow shows a different band of light on different positions.

Apparently most of the spectrum is visible at the location of your main lens. Shifted towards the zoom lens you pickup a shifted part of the spectrum.

If you want to see the entire spectrum again with your zoom lens, shift the position of your camera to get the entire rainbow on the zoom lens.

Improve this answer
\$\endgroup\$
2
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ Errr… Why the downvotes without comment?! \$\endgroup\$
    – agtoever
    Commented Jul 13, 2022 at 20:54
  • \$\begingroup\$ Sounds plausable (although at that distance the angular shift would have been extremely small)... You have my upvote. \$\endgroup\$
    – BobT
    Commented Jul 14, 2022 at 16:02

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.