I have a Masters in Optics and I used to do lens design. Aspheric lenses were out of the question for us, because our planned quantities were way too small. But occasionally after a frustrating day of trying to make 10 pounds of glass fit in a 5 pound cavity, I’d let the optic design software run optimization with just one surface aspheric. I’d watch the aberrations quickly shrink to “simply amazing” performance in seconds and then go beg my boss, “Can’t I have just one aspheric?”. “No you can’t”.

Now kit lenses come with multiple aspheric surfaces. When I tested the kit lens, I remember my optical design frustrations from over 2 decades ago.