With so many options available from optical lens manufacturers, choosing machine vision lenses can feel a little more complicated than you’d expect. This guide simplifies the decision-making by highlighting the key design considerations that matter most when selecting a lens for your machine vision system.
Lens mount types
Since the lens must match both the camera and sensor, the mount type is one of the first details to confirm in a high-resolution imaging setup. Most optical lens manufacturer scarry industrial machine vision lenses that support these common mounts:
- C-Mount
The industry standard for machine vision, with a flange focal distance of 17.526 mm and a thread size of 1" diameter at 32 threads per inch. Compatible with many cameras, it works well with sensors up to 1". - CS-Mount
Similar to C-mount but with a 12.526 mm flange focal distance, making it 5 mm shorter and ideal for smaller sensors (1/2" or less). - M12 Mount (S-Mount)
Often called board lenses, these compact and lightweight mounts are suited for applications with limited space and small cameras.
- F-Mount
A Nikon-developed bayonet mount designed for larger format sensors. It’s widely used in applications requiring high-resolution imaging.
Here are 3 considerations when choosing a lens mount for your system:
- Check the camera’s datasheet to verify the supported mount.
- Adapters can add flexibility but may introduce unwanted variables—use them only when necessary.
- You can simplify lens selection and reduce inventory challenges by standardizing mount types on all systems.
Constant magnification
Telecentric machine vision lenses provide consistent magnification, solving errors that occur with conventional lenses. The magnification depth of field defines how much an object can move closer or farther while still appearing at the same size. This is different from the depth of field related to image sharpness.
With their large magnification depth of field, telecentric lenses are widely used in dimensional gauging. They are ideal for applications like inspecting threaded fasteners and PCB placements — any scenario where measurements must be precise and free of perspective error.
Should you choose a hypercentric lens?
Optical lens manufacturers like Light Works, LLC offer hypercentric lenses that provide a converging field of view. Also called pericentric lenses, they allow you to see the top of an object and also its sides in a single image. This unique perspective makes them highly valuable for inspection tasks where capturing the full geometry of an object is essential.
Find the right machine vision lenses.
Light Works, LLC makes lens selection easier by offering high-resolution optical solutions designed for industrial imaging. Their Hyper-Eye hypercentric/pericentric lenses address complex inspection needs with precision. To learn more about their machine vision lenses, visit their website or email them at info@LW4U.com.
About the company
At Light Works, LLC, we specialize in designing and building high-precision specialty optics for the machine vision industry. Our expertise includes hypercentric (pericentric) and telecentric lenses, optical view splitters, and comprehensive optomechanical engineering services. We focus on delivering tailored solutions for complex imaging applications ensuring accurate and reliable performance. With a strong commitment to innovation, precision, and quality, we provide optical solutions that meet the most demanding industrial and research requirements.
