ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Image distortion

Hello little one, image distortion is like when you look through a wavy glass or a funhouse mirror and the things you see look different and weird.

When you take a picture or look at an image on a screen, sometimes it may look distorted if there is a problem with the way the image was taken or displayed. Distortion can make things appear stretched out or compressed, curved or twisted.

There are many reasons why an image can become distorted. One reason is lens distortion. When a camera takes a picture, it uses a lens to focus the light from the scene. If the lens is not very good or not positioned correctly, it can create distortion, making the image seem stretched or curved.

Another reason for distortion is related to the display type. When an image is shown on a screen or monitor, the way it's displayed can cause distortions. For example, on older screens, things at the edge of the display may appear stretched or bent.

Overall, there are many ways that an image can become distorted. It can be caused by how the image is taken or displayed, and it can make things look different from how they really are. However, it can also be corrected using software tools, which can make the images look much better.