Custom Lens Specification

You have a killer idea for a product, and you’re wondering how to turn it into a reality. Lens design projects start with the lens specification for the lens or optical system. These specifications are unique to lens design, so not all of them may be familiar to you. That’s ok! We are happy to discuss your needs so that you get a lens that does what you need it to do.

Here are some of the tasks we commonly perform:

  • Specification of the optical system
  • Recommendation of the optimal type of optical system
  • Design of the optical system
  • Performance and tolerance reporting
  • Creating detailed drawings of the optical system, including element drawings and mechanical parts.
  • Prototyping the entire optical system, including glass and mechanical parts
  • Testing the optical system to make sure it meets your requirements

We prefer to contract for a fixed fee, based on the amount of time it will take to complete the design plus the cost of fabricating and testing the lens. If a project scope cannot be clearly defined up front, then we will consider working on a time and materials basis. 

Here is a list of of lens specifications that will define the design with pictorial explanation below. Not all of the information may be necessary for your lens. If you’re interested in viewing this list in a format that would allow you to record your specifications that are described in each category, download our free templates at the bottom of the page.

  • Lens Type (telecentric? Zoom?)
  • Iris (a) (fixed, manual, or motorized. Shown in figure 1)
  • Focus (fixed, manual, or motorized)
  • Lens Mount (b) (C-mount, Nikon F-mount, Canon EF mount, PL mount, B4 mount, or custom, shown in figure 1)
  • Aperature (image space f/# or object space NA)
  • Magnification (0 for infinite object)
  • Object Size (c) (Diagonal, diameter, or angular subtense)
  • Object Distance (d) (from end of lens)
  • Front Focal Distance (e) (Distance from first lens surface to object if object is at infinite distance)
  • Front Working Distance (describe anything between the object and the first suface of the lens, including cover glasses, filters, immersion oil, etc.)
  • Total Conjugate Lenth (g) (distance from object to image
  • Barrel Length (h) (distance from the front of the lens to image)
  • Back Focal Distance (l) (distance from last lens surface to image sensor if image is at a finite distance)
  • Back Working Distance (j) (describe anything between the last surface of the lens and the image including filters, cover glasses, etc.)
  • Image Sensor (k) (brand and model number)
  • Image Sensor Resolution (number of useable pixels)
  • Image Sensor Pixel Size (in microns)
  • Resolution Performance (MTF [cycles/mm], spot size)
  • Distortion (Maximum, either percent or linear
  • CRA Control (Constraints on chief ray angle; Image/Object Telecentricity)
  • Peak Wavelength (nanometers or microns)
  • Wavelength Range (short and long or FWHM)
  • Relative Illumination (>80% can be difficult; “no vignetting” is a good spec)
  • Weight (any weight parameters that must be met)
lens specification
lens specification

We can work through the above information together, or you may fill out and email a spreadsheet based on these templates: 

We advise saving these files under Users/(username)AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Templates on your device. 

Get Started

If better optics would enhance your product, Eckhardt Optics will work with you to design and manufacture a custom tailored solution. Contact us for a consultation.