Telecentric lenses

for the industry

SYLVINE Telecentric Lens 0.14/1.0x C-Mount

Overview of
telecentric lenses

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Telecentric lenses

High-Precision Bilateral Telecentric Lenses for Industrial Metrology

Achieve unparalleled accuracy in your machine vision systems with the SYLVINE series. Unlike conventional optics, our bilateral telecentric lenses completely eliminate perspective errors (parallax).

By ensuring light rays run parallel to the optical axis on both the object and image sides, these lenses guarantee constant magnification—even if the object position varies within the depth of field. Designed for 2/3” sensors (C-Mount) with magnifications from 0.2x to 1.0x, the SYLVINE series combines optical precision with mechanical stability for the most demanding inspection tasks.

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Our Telecentric Lens Series

SYLVINE Telecentric Lenses

The SYLVINE series delivers a high-precision bilateral telecentric solution for 2/3" image sensors. Optimized for magnifications from 0.2x to 1.0x, these C-Mount lenses ensure constant magnification and sub-pixel accuracy for critical metrology tasks. They are the ideal choice for demanding industrial environments where rugged durability and optical perfection are required.

Lens	Magnification	Num. Aperture	Max. sensor size	Mount	Special feature	Price (€/$)	Datasheet

How Telecentric Lenses Work

To understand the advantage of a telecentric lens, one must look at the ray path. In standard entocentric lenses (like the human eye), light rays converge. This causes closer objects to appear larger than distant ones. In a telecentric optical design, the aperture stop is positioned at the lens's focal plane. This ensures that:

Principal rays run parallel to the optical axis.
The lens only accepts light rays that are perpendicular to the object surface.
The entrance pupil is effectively located at infinity.

Telecentric vs. Conventional Lenses

Feature	Conventional Lens (Entocentric)	Telecentric Lens
Perspective	Objects appear smaller as they move away (Parallax).	Constant magnification regardless of distance.
Viewing Angle	Sees the sides of 3D objects.	Orthographic view (sees only the top profile).
Distortion	Varies (Barrel/Pincushion).	Extremely low (typically < 0.1%).
Best for	General surveillance, photography.	Precision metrology, gauging, inspection.

Two black and white photos of a chessboard. The left image shows perspective distortion, while the right image shows an orthographic view without distortion, typical of a telecentric lens

^{The image shows a comparison between a conventional lens (left) and a telecentric lens (right).}

Why Choose Bilateral Telecentricity?

While standard telecentric lenses eliminate perspective distortion only on the object side, the SYLVINE series features a bilateral (or double) telecentric design. This means the entrance and exit pupils are both located at infinity.

Constant Magnification: The image size does not change, even if the object is slightly displaced or not perfectly flat.
Sensor Tolerance: Bilateral telecentricity compensates for small positioning errors of the camera sensor. Because the rays hit the sensor perpendicularly, you achieve uniform brightness across the entire image (no vignetting) and minimize crosstalk between pixels on modern high-resolution sensors.
Superior Depth of Field: This design provides a sharper contrast and clearer edges for thick objects or components with varying heights.

An optical diagram showing the path of light rays from an object through two lenses and an aperture stop to an image. This represents a bi-telecentric lens

^{The graphic shows the beam path of a bilateral telecentric lens.}

Expert Insight: Mastering Non-Contact Metrology
Why do standard lenses fail when measuring 3D objects? In this technical deep dive, Stuart W. Singer, CEO of Schneider Optics, explains the fundamental physics behind perspective distortion. Using the famous "chessboard comparison," this paper demonstrates exactly how conventional lenses warp depth and why bilateral telecentricity is the only reliable solution for high-precision measurement.

Go to Whitepaper

^{SYLVINE Telecentric Lens 0.14/1.0x with C-Mount}

FAQs on Telecentric Lenses

What are Telecentric lenses?

Telecentric lenses are specialised optical lenses designed to keep magnification consistent regardless of the object’s distance from the lens. They achieve this by ensuring that light rays pass through the lens parallel to the optical axis. This eliminates perspective distortion, making them ideal for precision measurement and metrology applications.

What advantages do Telecentric lenses offer in industrial imaging?

Accurate dimensional measurement without perspective distortion
Consistent magnification across different object depths
High optical precision for reliable inspection results
Robust mechanical design for stable performance in industrial environments

Which applications benefit most from Telecentric lenses?

Telecentric lenses are widely used in:

Dimensional measurement and metrology
Automated optical inspection (AOI)
Semiconductor and electronics inspection
Machine vision systems requiring distortion-free imaging
Scientific and research imaging with high accuracy demands.

Can telecentric lenses improve image quality compared to standard lenses?

Unlike conventional lenses, telecentric lenses eliminate perspective errors by maintaining parallel light rays. This ensures that objects at different heights or depths appear at the same scale, providing precise and repeatable measurement results.

Are Schneider-Kreuznach telecentric lenses compatible with different sensor formats?

Yes, the SYLVINE and THULITE series, for example, are designed to cover sensors up to 2/3” with magnifications ranging from 0.2x to 1x, ensuring optimal performance for various industrial cameras.

Can Schneider-Kreuznach telecentric lenses be customized?

Yes. We can develop custom solutions to meet your specific requirements, including adjustments to the magnification, optical design or ruggedized housing. This ensures that the lens fits seamlessly into your machine vision system.