I need a video lens for my camera - but where do I start?

Understanding the entire application and the desired end results is an inherent key to a successful system. If a lens needs to be matched with a pre-selected camera, the sensor size and flange mount type specifications are needed. The basic system criteria that need to be defined to select the lens are the field of view, working distance, depth of field, and object resolution. Additional information about the system needs that will help select the actual type of lens are the size/weight, focusing capability, zoom capability, iris control, ability to accept a filter, accessories, and the cost.

For general component integration, these are the basic steps we suggest to follow: define your system parameters, match-up equivalent components, examine the illumination, and make any considerations for future modifications. There are fundamental parameters (such as field of view, working distance, etc.) used to define a system and these can be related to component specifications with a few calculations. The imaging system should create sufficient image quality to allow the desired information about the object to be extracted from the image. There are several factors that contribute to the overall image quality, such as resolution, contrast, depth of field, perspective errors, and geometric (distortion) errors.