An approximate calculation is given for the optical transfer function of grating spec-troscopes with large aberrations by the ap-plication of the method of stationary phase. Defocus, astigmatic curvature, and coma are taken into consideration as being the princi-pal cause of aberration in the usual grating mountings. The asymptotic expressions are de-rived for the optical transfer function in the presence of coma and in its absence.