PlayStation VR 2: VR headset will feature Fresnel lenses (and what that entails)

Upon its release, the PlayStation VR first of the name was indeed the only VR helmet not to have lenses of fresnel, which was rather a good point for the Sony headphones (in addition to the choice of an OLED panel) knowing that the Fresnels are subject to optical artefacts (light halo) and are a little less practical for the user to adjust ; indeed if the eyes are not exactly opposite the center of the lenses, it is possible to distinguish concentric streaks. On the other hand, Fresnel lenses have the advantage of being thinner than conventional lenses and of being able to easily ensure a FoV (field of vision) beyond 100°.

This is a concept

It is undoubtedly this last point, more than compactness, which prompted Sony to favor Fresnel optical technology on its PlayStation VR 2. The PSVR 2 page just been updated and Sony confirms the choice of this type of lens. As a reminder, the PSVR2 will offer a FoV of 110°, a definition of 2K per eye, foveal rendering and interpupillary adjustment (IPD). Until now we did not know which lens technology had been chosen for the PSVR2, some rumors banking on Pancake lenses, even thinner than the Fresnels but which rise more difficultly in FoV.

Fresnel lenses for a VR headset. Note the characteristic concentric streaks of these lenses

A new generation of Pancake lenses has certainly been recently unveiled with a definition of 2.5 K per eye (2500×2500) and a FoV of 100-110° (in PSVR waters therefore), but Sony had probably already calibrated the supply chain for his helmet. The last-minute choice of a new component would certainly have delayed the launch of PSVR 2 by several months. The PlayStation VR 2 does not yet have a release date, and besides, we do not know its general design either.