Lens and Ordering FAQs

Start with the sensor model, active image width and height, required field of view, and working distance. Also note your illumination wavelength, the detail you need to resolve, and the space available for the lens.

Use the field of view calculator to estimate focal length, then compare M12 or C-mount lenses. Before ordering, check image circle, chief ray angle (CRA), mechanical clearance, filter option, and performance at your working distance.

A matching mount or megapixel label does not establish compatibility. Compare the lens image circle with your sensor’s active diagonal, then check CRA, pixel pitch, spectral response, and the sensor cover glass or filter stack. A cropped sensor mode uses a smaller active area and changes field of view.

Use the sensor size guide and CRA guide. If you need a pairing checked, send the exact sensor model, camera or board model, and full lens part number to engineering.

Enter the active sensor dimensions, focal length, and working distance in the field of view calculator. For a target scene width at a known distance, the focal length calculator helps estimate a starting focal length.

These estimates help you shortlist lenses. Distortion changes the mapping between scene angle and image position, especially with fisheye lenses. Use the lens’s sensor-specific field-of-view data or distortion mapping when coverage is critical; confirm the result on your camera.

There is no single minimum working distance for every M12 lens. Reaching focus depends on the lens prescription, holder height, available thread travel, rear clearance, and sensor stack. A sharp center does not guarantee sharp corners at a close distance.

Check the product’s specified working distance and test across the field you need. For a close-focus application, send the working distance, sensor model, required scene size, and resolution requirement to engineering. Use the depth of field calculator to explore focus tolerance once you have a candidate configuration.

The full part number identifies the optical design and its configuration. The CIL number identifies the design; the F-number identifies the aperture variant; the mount and mechanical letters identify the housing; the final filter code identifies the filter option. Mechanical variants can have different dimensions.

In the filter position, NIR means no IR-cut filter. It does not mean the lens is IR-corrected. A numeric filter suffix identifies the IR-cut option. Match the complete part number on the product page, drawing, quote, and order, including the aperture, mount, and filter suffix.

Check the thread specification, holder height, usable thread engagement, and clearance around the lens barrel and rear element. M12 lenses do not share a fixed flange focal distance, so matching the thread alone does not guarantee that the lens will reach focus.

Compare the lens drawing with your board and holder drawing. The lens holders and mounts collection and mount guide are useful starting points. Include both drawings when requesting a fit check.

Set the camera at the intended working distance, set exposure, and use a stable target. Thread the lens in small increments while checking sharpness at the center and across the required image field. Confirm that the lens clears the sensor and filter throughout adjustment.

A lock ring or a qualified adhesive process can hold the setting. Adhesive selection and cure conditions depend on the materials, environment, and rework requirements; recheck focus after locking. Follow the camera focusing guide for the setup and evaluation method.

First confirm the camera’s mount and any installed adapter. C-mount uses a 17.526mm flange focal distance; CS-mount uses 12.526mm. A C-mount lens on a CS-mount camera normally needs a 5mm spacer. A CS-mount lens generally cannot reach its intended focus on a C-mount camera.

Also check the lens focus range, rear-element clearance, and the camera’s filter stack. Do not remove a camera filter as a general fix. Check the exact camera documentation or ask its manufacturer before modifying the camera. See the mount guide.

Confirm that the lens and holder have compatible threads and sufficient engagement. Check for damaged threads and make sure the lens reaches focus before it bottoms out. Do not force the lens farther toward the sensor.

For a repeatable assembly, select a holder with suitable tolerances and qualify the locking method. Send the lens part number, holder drawing, and photos of the assembly to engineering if the lens rocks or changes focus after locking.

An IR-cut filter reduces near-infrared light reaching the sensor, which helps visible-light color imaging. A Commonlands NIR suffix in the filter position means the lens has no IR-cut filter installed.

Removing the IR-cut filter does not establish near-infrared image quality or transmission at a particular wavelength. Check the lens data for your wavelength and account for any filter already installed in the camera. Browse optical filters for filter options.

No. The NIR filter option and IR correction describe different things. IR correction concerns the lens’s focus behavior across a specified wavelength range. A lens without an IR-cut filter can still need refocusing when the illumination wavelength changes.

For day/night imaging, share the visible band, infrared wavelength, sensor model, aperture, and allowable focus shift with engineering. Check performance at both bands before fixing focus.

Check the exact lens and camera assembly before choosing a filter or exchanger. The clear aperture, filter thickness, mounting space, and rear-element clearance all matter. Changing the filter stack can change focus.

See filters and filter exchangers and actuators. For a fit check, send the lens part number, camera or holder drawing, filter dimensions, and operating wavelength. Confirm the assembly process before removing a bonded filter.

Open the exact product page and look for its specifications, mechanical drawing, and download links. Check that the document matches the complete part number and mechanical variant you selected.

If a file is missing or a link does not open, request the document with the full part number, required format (for example, PDF or STEP), and the product-page URL. A file for another housing variant may not describe your part.

Check the product’s published optical data first. For additional data, send the full lens part number, sensor model, working distance, wavelength band, aperture, and the result you need to evaluate. For MTF comparisons, include spatial frequency and field position; a megapixel rating alone is not a performance curve.

Ask engineering which measured data or optical models are available for that design and whether access conditions apply. Do not assume every lens has a public Zemax file.

Send your document request with the full part number, order number if available, destination, and the specific declaration or certificate required. Include the revision or date requirement from your purchasing team.

The About Commonlands page describes the company and quality system. Product declarations and country of origin must be checked for the part being purchased; a company certificate does not replace a product-specific declaration.

Use the rating and test conditions for the exact lens variant. Metal construction, glass elements, or a ruggedized label alone do not establish system performance under your conditions.

Check operating and storage temperature separately, focus drift, shock and vibration profiles, and the sealing boundary. A lens rating does not automatically seal the camera enclosure. Send the environmental requirements and acceptance criteria to engineering before qualifying a production design.

For evaluation quantities, select the exact variant on the product page and check its current price, availability, and ordering options. Confirm any minimum quantity shown for that product or configuration.

Custom configurations, assemblies, and production programs can have different minimums. Request a quote with the part number and sample quantity if the configuration you need is not available to order online.

Send the full part number and configuration, sample quantity, production order quantity, annual forecast, requested delivery date, and shipping destination to sales@commonlands.com. Include your company name and any purchasing or documentation requirements.

If you are still selecting a lens, include the sensor model, working distance, field of view, and wavelength so the quote can identify the correct part. Pricing and lead time depend on the configuration, quantity, and delivery schedule.

Check availability for the selected variant on its product page. Different apertures, mechanical variants, and filter options can have different inventory. Availability of one variant does not establish stock for the whole product family or your full order quantity.

For a production build or a quantity above the stock shown, confirm the full part number, quantity, and required date with sales before committing to a schedule.

In-stock orders placed before 12 PM PST are eligible for same-day dispatch, subject to the selected carrier and order requirements. Check the shipping policy for carrier exceptions, including first-time DHL pickup arrangements.

Dispatch is when the parcel leaves our warehouse. Delivery depends on the carrier service, destination, and customs processing; checkout delivery dates are carrier estimates. Confirm an urgent deadline with sales before ordering.

Lead time depends on the exact variant, quantity, available components, and production schedule. There is no single restock or production lead time that applies to the full catalog.

Send the full part number, quantity, requested delivery date, and forecast to sales for a current estimate. For an ongoing program, also ask about repeat orders, planned changes, and supply continuity before approving the lens for production.

Checkout calculates shipping for the destination and selected service. The shipping policy explains shipment charges and international customs responsibilities.

To use your own carrier account or arrange a shipment that checkout does not support, contact sales before placing the order. Share the destination and preferred service so the shipping arrangement can be confirmed.

Use the tracking link in your shipping confirmation or the order tracking page. A tracking number may appear before the carrier records its first scan.

For an invoice, purchasing question, address correction, or order change, email sales@commonlands.com with your order number and the requested action. Contact us promptly for changes; an order already dispatched may not be changeable.

Read the return policy for eligibility and the return process. Contact sales with your order number, full part number, quantity, and a description of the issue before sending parts back.

For an imaging problem, include the sensor or camera model, working distance, illumination, and example images. These details help distinguish an order issue from a configuration or focus problem.

Review the tariff information page and the charges shown at checkout or on your quote. Destination, origin, and shipping arrangement affect which charges apply.

For a production order or an international shipment, send the destination, full part number, quantity, and requested delivery date to sales so the quotation can address the shipment. Use the shipping policy for customs responsibilities.

Remove loose particles with clean air before touching the optical surface. Use lens tissue or a suitable optical wipe and a cleaning fluid compatible with the coating, barrel, paint, and adhesives. Avoid rubbing dry dust into the coating.

Follow the optics cleaning guide. If contamination is inside a sealed or bonded assembly, ask for guidance before disassembling it.

Check whether the camera and lens together provide the IR-cut filtering required for your color application. Extra infrared reaching a color sensor can alter color balance, and white-balance adjustments cannot replace the required optical filtering.

Confirm the lens filter option, camera filter configuration, illumination, and camera tuning. On a Raspberry Pi camera, the relevant controls depend on the camera module and software version. Use that version’s camera documentation; do not remove a filter as a general color correction step.

Yes. Start with the camera module assembly service or contact engineering to discuss your requirements. Share the sensor, optical targets, mechanical envelope, environment, prototype quantity, production forecast, and schedule.

The team can assess a catalog lens, a modified configuration, or a custom project. Scope, validation, tooling, minimum quantities, and lead time are confirmed for the project.

Send the sensor or camera model, full lens part number if selected, active image area, working distance, required field of view, illumination wavelength, and the detail you need to resolve. Add drawings or photos for a fit issue and example images for a performance issue.

Include prototype quantity, production volume, and your target date. You can submit requirements or book a design review. For company and facility information, see About Commonlands.