Magnification
![The stamp appears larger with the use of a magnifying glass](/Images/godic/202501/08/Magnifying_glass24946.jpg")
![Stepwise magnification by 6% per frame into a 39 megapixel image. In the final frame, at about 170x, an image of a bystander is seen reflected in the man's cornea.](/Images/godic/202501/08/-Identifiable-Images-of-Bystanders-Extracted-from-Corneal-Reflections-pone.0083325.s001.ogv4947.jpg")
![A Thin lens where black dimensions are real, grey are virtual. The direction of the arrows can be used to describe cartesian +/- signage : from the centre of the lens, left or down = negative, right or up = positive.](/Images/godic/202501/08/Basic_optic_geometry4947.png")
Magnification is the process of enlarging something only in appearance, not in physical size. This enlargement is quantified by a calculated number also called "magnification". When this number is less than one, it refers to a reduction in size, sometimes called "minification" or "de-magnification".