High resolution lenses for machine vision — standard and custom lens design

C-Mounts Used For Security Cameras

High Resolution Lenses for machine vision, instrumentation, inspection and vibration-sensitive applications. Standard and custom hi-res lens assemblies.

C-Mounts

C-Mounts

When security cameras were first introduced to the market, they were bulky, box-shaped contraptions; they need to be as the technology that helped them perform their tasks was much larger; the circuit boards alone were bulky. With the advances in camera technology over the years, security cameras have become sleek and streamlined to the point that if you didn’t know there was a security camera (there are rules in place to announce if security cameras are being utilized) you may not be able to spot it.

Even with the advances in camera technologies, C-mounts are still the option of choice for securing these devices. The main advantage of a C-mount is that this allows for the installation of a camera that provides the highest resolution for capturing images and this could be crucial in the event the tape was called into question and you needed to identify someone.

A C-mount camera is able to accommodate a1/2 inch chip set as compared to other mounting apparatus which only allow for a 1/4 or 1/3 chip. “Chip size” is the number of pixels that a camera can handle, the higher the pixels the better the resolution of the image captured. Larger chip set cameras are also better able to pick up ambient light and they pick up light better in low-light situations.

Organizations that use security cameras prefer C-mount cameras for indoor use because of the higher resolution. You will usually see C-mount cameras in government facilities and larger businesses or parking lots or warehouse settings.

When choosing a C-mount camera you will need to look at its “lux rating.” This rating indicates how well the camera can capture images in low light settings. A low lux rating means the camera will operate well in low light settings, be aware though that the lower the lux rating, typically the higher the price of the camera.

When buying a C-mount camera, bear in mind these cameras come lens-free. You need to choose a lens that will suit your particular needs. For many individuals this is a benefit as the cameras are highly customizable. One of the disadvantages to a C-mount camera is that they don’t operate as well in outdoor settings as they do indoors. A C-mount camera being purchased for outdoor use will need to be protected from the environment.

Universe Optics manufactures C-mount and standard and custom CCTV lens assemblies for image capture, barcode scanning, night vision systems, medical systems, hi-speed imaging, machine vision and robotics vision.