iPhone app selects imaging lenses

Only three user-defined inputs − field of view, working distance and sensor size − are required to provide the closest product matches from the company’s line of imaging lenses.

’Typically a customer has a confined space that predefines what type of lens they can use in their setup and, unless that customer is very familiar with imaging lenses, they do not always know what type of lens to select,’ said Gregory Hollows, director of Machine Vision Solutions at Edmund Optics.

’While many parameters go into selecting to the correct lens for an application, three fundamental pieces of information are required to begin a selection process. By using these three inputs, users can properly select the best lens for their application,’ he added

The Edmund Optics lens selector takes the three user-defined inputs and then provides the best match from its own lenses, including fixed focal length and telecentric lenses.

Even if a lens does not match the user’s requirements, the application suggests the closest lens, which is typically within several millimetres of either the field of view or working distance, and most users can adjust their setup to accommodate for this discrepancy.