Lenses Archives - Page 4 of 10 - 1stVision Inc.

August 31, 2021September 29, 2021

Computar ViSWIR Visible + SWIR lenses

1stVision is pleased to make available two new lens series from Computar: both the ViSWIR HYPER / APO Lens Series, and the VISWIR Lite Series. Traditionally, applications landed in either the visible or the SWIR range, so components tended to be optimized for one or the other. The new lens series are designed to perform well with for both visible and SWIR, enabling cost-effective and performant imaging systems for a range of applications.

ViSWIR Hyper / Multi-Spectral Lens Series were created for the latest Vis-SWIR imaging sensors, the IMX990/IMX991 SenSWIR, currently found in the new Allied Vision Goldeye G-130. The series was recognized as a Gold Honoree by Vision Systems Design in 2021:

With fully corrected focus shift in visible and SWIR range (400nm-1,700nm), spectral imaging is achievable with a single sensor camera by simply syncing the lighting. Per Sony, “the IMX990/IMX991 top indium-phosphorus (InP*2) layer inevitably absorbs some visible light, but applying Sony SWIR sensor technology makes this layer thinner, so that more light reaches the underlying InGaAs layer. The sensors have high quantum efficiency even in visible wavelengths. This enables broad imaging of wavelengths from 0.4 μm to 1.7 μm. A single camera equipped with the sensor can now cover both visible light and the SWIR spectrum, which previously required separate cameras. This results in lower system costs. Image processing is also less intensive, which accelerates inspection.”

With ViSWIR HYPER-APO, it is unnecessary to adjust focus for different wavelengths or to keep the high resolution from short to long working distances. The focus shift is reduced at any wavelength and any working distance, making the series ideal for multiple applications, including machine vision, UAV, and remote sensing.

Computar ViSWIR HYPER-APO lens series

Since diverse substances respond to differing wavelengths, one can use such characteristics as the basis for machine vision applications for materials identification, sorting, packing, quality control, etc. To understand the value of these lenses, see below for an example of conventional lenses that cannot retain focus across different wavelengths:

*Conventional lenses only focus in specific wavelengths*

Now see images across a wide range of wavelengths, with the award winning Computar lens, that retain focus:

*Diverse materials under diverse lighting – in focus at each wavelength.*

*The same lens may be used effectively in diverse applications.*

Also new from Computar is the VisSWIR Lite series, providing:

— High transmission from Visible to SWIR (400-1700nm) range

— Reasonable cost performance for narrow band imaging

— Compact design

Key features of Computar VisSWIR Lite seriesComputer

Contact 1stVision for support and / or pricing.

Give us some brief idea of your application and we will contact you to discuss.

1st Vision’s sales engineers have an average of 20 years experience to assist in your camera selection. Representing the largest portfolio of industry leading brands in imaging components, we can help you design the optimal vision solution for your application.

January 14, 2020January 14, 2020

Which machine vision lens provide ultra-high resolution?

The image fidelity achievable from a machine vision camera is only as good as the optics you use! Many of the machine vision cameras used today utilize very small pixels, down to 1.25um. The crispness of the images are a result of the resolution of your machine vision lens, so matching the right lens to the camera sensor is extremely important. We classify the lens resolution in terms of line pairs per millimeter (lp/mm). So, what lenses can help resolve these small pixels?

pixel size — Click to download our quick reference chart

First, the relationship of pixel pitch can be put in terms of lp/mm as seen in the chart to the right. Machine vision lens manufacturers today typically provide the resolving power on their data sheets to help in the lens selection and ensure your matching the lens to the image sensor. If not matched properly, image contrast will suffer.

For machine vision cameras with small pixels, the Moritex ML-M-UR “Ultra high” resolution lenses are an excellent choice with the capability of resolving pixel pitches down to 2.2um with good contrast.

Click HERE for specifications on the Moritex ML-M-UR series and request a quote

The comparison images below show the Moritex ML-M-UR series compared to a conventional lens with less resolution. As you can see in the cutout of the corner, the contrast is much higher with lenses with high resolving power.

machine vision lenses - image comparison — Left (High resolution lens) Right (Legacy lower resolution lens)

Lens resolution typically has fall off to the edges of a lens. To maintain high contrast, Moritex has optimized the ML-M-UR series to have good resolving power to the edges of the lens.

The charts below represent the contrast (MTF) corresponding to image height (x-axis ) showing the contrast from lens center to lens edge. The X-axis represents the center starting at zero millimeters and mapping MTF to the edge (furthest right point) The ML-M-UR shown in the left chart demonstrates very good performance across the lens. (A relatively flat line is good!) As a comparison to another lens (right chart), contrast is degraded across the lens from center to edge.

Aside from high resolution, The Moritex ML-M-UR series are a compact, 29mm diameter design and well suited for typical 29mm cube cameras. Additionally the lenses have an anti-vibration design with maximum acceleration to 10G’s.

Click to contact — Give us some brief idea of your application and we will contact you to
discuss camera options.

1st Vision’s sales engineers have over 100 years of combined experience to assist in your camera selection. With a large portfolio of lenses, cables, NIC card and industrial computers, we can provide a full vision solution!

Ph: 978-474-0044 / info@1stvision.com / www.1stvision.com

IDS uEye cameras now focus automatically! Learn how to optimize your application

IDS Imaging has released its new contrast-based autofocus features in the popular LE board level cameras. These additions take advantage of standard liquid lenses from Varioptic with resolutions up to 18 megapixels. The uEye software now comes with an intuitive GUI with adjustable regions of interest and various image sharpness measurement algorithms.

As much as “Auto focus” seems like it would be the flip of a switch, its important to understand the various methods used in the image analysis. In order to focus an image, algorithms are needed to measure image sharpness which is relayed to the liquid lens to make adjustments. These methods as based on principles in measuring edge sharpness to analyzing histogram values of the pixel grey scales.

Measuring image sharpness additionally has various algorithms which which can be run providing more exact methods versus basic analysis. It is important to understand these methods as additional processing power is required, effecting the overall camera frame rate.

IDS Imaging has a “Tech Tip” which covers various auto focus methods, defines the characteristics of search algorithms and how they effect speed and provides application examples. Click the icon below to download.

Ph: 978-474-0044 / info@1stvision.com / www.1stvision.com

Related Blogs & Products
IDS UI-1007XS – AutoFocus, 5MP camera for < $300 Click HERE for details

Low Cost imaging solutions starting @ $120 address remote focus and zoom up to 5MP

September 11, 2019July 14, 2023

Why shouldn’t I buy a $69 webcam for my machine vision application?

This is a question we get asked frequently: “Why should we pay $200 plus for your board level machine vision camera when we can just get a webcam for $69?”

A great question and maybe you can, but what ARE the differences?

Basically, there are just a few questions you need to answer to see if you should use a webcam for you machine vision application which are as follows:

Do you need to program to integrate the video into an application with processing or control?
Do you need consistent image quality?
Are you doing computer vision (the computer is making decisions based on the images) or are you just viewing the images visually?
Do you care if the camera specifications change over your product’s life cycle?
Is the object under inspection moving?
Do you need to control when you take the picture or interface to a trigger or strobe?
Do you need to be able to choose what lens you will need?

If the answer to any of the above are YES, then a webcam will NOT work well or at all for your application. If the answers are NO, then by all means, you might be able to save money and just use a low-cost webcam. (You can stop reading here if you want, or continue for more details below).

Machine Vision Camera Software

Webcams do NOT come with a SDK as they are made to show video only. They normally provide a universal video driver, and also an application for viewing video.

Industrial machine cameras come with a SDK programmable in C/C++/C#/etc. It allows you to programmatically control the camera for both data acquisition and control of the camera’s parameters. (Example HERE to show extensive support of various operating systems and download)

Moving objects

Webcams have rolling shutter sensors which mean they cannot acquire images of moving objects without ‘smearing’ them. Industrial machine vision cameras use sensors with global shutters providing the ability to freeze the image to produce non smeared images of moving objects.

Example: Without adequate shutter speed with a global shutter, image will be blurry with motion

Trigger and Strobe Control

Webcams only have an interface to the USB data, whereas industrial machine vision cameras have hardware and software inputs and outputs. These allow for exact timing for a trigger to take a picture and a strobe to illuminate the object.

Example: External trigger control is tightly timed with IO including light flash. Courtesy of IDS Imaging

Camera Specs Changing over time

Webcams just need to show you video! In turn the manufacturers are not concerned if the sensors inside the camera change every six months. Whether the sensitivity changes by 10% makes no difference when you are just video conferencing with Grandma.

Industrial machine vision cameras are made with image sensors that don’t go obsolete every 6 months, but rather companies hope for 10 year life spans. It makes a huge difference if you are doing a computer vision algorithm that you have 5 man years of software development and the sensor’s sensitivity changes by even 1%.

Furthermore, the form factor of webcams change frequently as well. This doesn’t make a difference when it is just on your desk. It makes a huge difference when your camera and lens is fixtured in a machine that has 500 hours of CAD work to design, much less build. Moving the camera and lens 10cm might not be possible!

Do you need to choose your lens?

Webcams come with an integrated lens that is suitable for general viewing, and this lens is integrated with the camera and not changeable. Industrial machine vision cameras come with no lenses as not only do lenses come in a variety of focal lengths for different magnification, but also lenses coming in a variety of resolutions. Choosing a lens requires you to know the size of the sensor, your working distance, your field of view, and the pixel size. (See related educational blogs on lenses at end of this post)

What are your options for a low cost camera solution?

If you need industrial machine vision camera solutions with a solid SDK, long life cycles, at a low price, there several solutions to consider. Rolling shutter imagers are always lower price which are always a place to start along with USB2 interfaces. Read our previous blog HERE which outlines some specific models which are low cost. There is also a great new platform coming providing 5 Megapixel resolution with a rolling shutter imager, but with great performance for $280! Contact us for more details.

Ph: 978-474-0044 / info@1stvision.com / www.1stvision.com

Imaging Basics – Calculating Lens Focal length

What are the f-numbers on machine vision camera lenses? f-stop explained!

Not All Lenses are Created Equal! Lens MTF Comparisons