What Are Fisheye Mirrors?

Fisheye mirrors have a surface that bulges outward, called a convex mirror. They are useful for compressing a wide field of view into a narrower one, often seen on parking garages where an exiting vehicle needs to "see around the corner" for oncoming cars and pedestrians. Drivers sometimes affix fisheye mirrors to their side view mirrors to compensate for a vehicle's "blind spot."

Mechanics

Fisheye mirrors' convex surface distorts incoming light and reflects it back to the viewer. The viewer typically sees a compressed, distorted version of the reality reflected in the mirror, useful for compressing wide angles into narrower ones.

Uses

Parking garages, side view mirrors on cars and other areas with blind spots often feature fisheye mirrors to give users a better idea of what is inside the blind spot.

Safety

The safety of using fisheye mirrors on cars has been called into question, because the distortion effects of the convex mirror may cause some drivers to incorrectly perceive the location of nearby vehicles.

Cost

Fisheye mirrors can cost under $10 at an auto parts store, while large fisheye mirrors can run $20 or more. Other fisheye mirrors used in art pieces fetch hundreds of dollars.

Other uses

The convex shape of a fisheye mirror is also useful to photographers, who buy fisheye lenses for their camera. Operating a camera with a fisheye lens produces a characteristic, rounded distortion often seen in landscape photography and skateboarding videos.

References

• Intelligent Transportation Systems