Custom Camera Lens Optical Design & US Manufacturing

Custom camera lens optical design is the process of engineering application-specific optics optimized for your exact sensor, field of view, and environmental requirements. Commonlands provides complete US-based lens design and manufacturing services—from initial concept through volume production—at our San Diego facility with design-for-manufacturability integrated throughout the process.

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10,000+
Units/Month Capacity
3,500 ft²
Cleanroom Space
ISO 9001
Certified Quality
Custom M12 lenses and S-mount lenses designed and manufactured in the USA
Made in USA
📍 Ships from San Diego, CA
✓ ISO 9001:2015 Certified
🇺🇸 US Citizen Owned
🔧 DFM-Integrated Design

Integrated Design & Manufacturing

Commonlands custom lens design services are exclusively for lenses manufactured at our San Diego facility. We do not provide standalone optical designs for external manufacturing. This integrated approach ensures design-for-manufacturability alignment with our equipment, processes, and quality systems from the earliest design stages.

Non-China Component Sourcing Available

We maintain relationships with optical element suppliers in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and domestically in the United States. Custom lens designs can be manufactured using non-China sourced components for customers with supply chain requirements, tariff considerations, or regional sourcing mandates.

Optical Design & Engineering Services

Full-service optical engineering from concept through production, optimized for our manufacturing capabilities

Optical Design & Analysis

Complete lens design services using industry-standard tools:

  • • Design and optimization in Zemax OpticStudio / CodeV
  • • Tolerance analysis and sensitivity studies
  • • Stray light analysis and ghost reduction
  • • Wide-angle and fisheye lens specialization
  • • Athermalization for temperature stability

Design-for-Manufacturability

Designs optimized for our production capabilities:

  • • Element specifications matched to our sourcing
  • • Barrel designs for our assembly equipment
  • • Tolerance allocation for production yields
  • • Material selection for cost and availability
  • • Ruggedization for environmental requirements

Image Quality & MTF Testing

Comprehensive validation using precision equipment:

  • • Trioptics HR2 MTF measurement
  • • Imatest image quality analysis
  • • Distortion mapping and characterization
  • • Production test equipment configuration
  • • IEEE P2020 automotive IQ experience

NPI & Reliability Validation

End-to-end development support:

Manual vs. Automated Lens Assembly

Choose the right manufacturing approach for your volume requirements and quality specifications

Manual lens assembly process in US cleanroom facility - skilled technician hand-assembling optical elements
Manual Assembly

Precision Manual Lens Assembly

Skilled technicians hand-assemble optical elements using precision fixturing and microscope-aided alignment in our Class 1000 cleanroom environment.

  • Ideal for prototypes and engineering samples
  • Flexible for design iterations and modifications
  • Custom alignment procedures per specification
  • Low NRE for small batch production
  • 100% MTF testing and inspection
1-500
Units/Batch
Prototype
Focus
Automated M12 lens and S-mount lens assembly equipment for high-volume US manufacturing
Automated Assembly

Fully Automated Lens Assembly

Robotic assembly systems provide consistent, high-throughput production with reduced labor variation and faster cycle times for volume manufacturing.

  • Consistent quality across large production runs
  • Reduced per-unit cost at volume
  • Statistical process control and traceability
  • Scalable to 10,000+ units per month
  • Integrated reliability validation
1,000+
Units/Month
Volume
Focus

Custom Optical Design for Machine Vision

Whether you need modifications to existing lens designs or ground-up optical engineering for unique applications, our US-based team delivers custom solutions optimized for your specific requirements and our manufacturing capabilities. We specialize in M12 (S-mount), C-mount, and custom mount configurations for embedded vision, robotics, and industrial automation.

Custom M12 lenses and S-mount lenses - various focal lengths and configurations manufactured in USA

Custom M12 & S-Mount Lens Portfolio

From wide-angle fisheye to telephoto configurations, engineered for your exact application requirements

Customization Services

Our optical engineering team provides comprehensive lens customization services. These modifications are designed and manufactured at our San Diego facility with full quality traceability. All custom lenses undergo Trioptics HR2 MTF testing and can be validated through our environmental reliability testing services.

🔬
필터 통합
IR-cut, bandpass, dual-bandpass filter gluing
📷
F-Number Modifications
Aperture adjustments for depth of field control
⚙️
Mechanical Customization
Barrel adjustments for housing integration
💧
침투 방지
IP67 and IP69K sealing for harsh environments

Additional customization options include anti-reflection coatings optimized for your spectral range, MTF testing to specific field positions, and custom back focal length adjustments for sensor compatibility.

Custom Lens Design Process

From initial specification through volume production, we manage the complete optical development lifecycle with DFM integrated at every stage

1

사양

Define optical requirements: FOV, resolution, sensor format, working distance, environmental conditions

2

Optical Design

Ray tracing optimization in Zemax, tolerance analysis, and DFM review for our production capabilities

3

Prototyping

First article samples with MTF testing and reliability validation

4

Production

Volume manufacturing with 100% inspection, traceability documentation, and ongoing support

Benefits of US Lens Manufacturing

Domestic production provides strategic advantages for your supply chain

🔒

IP Protection

Your optical designs protected under US intellectual property law with NDA coverage and secure documentation handling.

💬

Direct Communication

Work directly with our optical engineers in your timezone. No translation delays or overnight response cycles.

🏭

Supply Chain Resilience

Eliminate international shipping dependencies, tariff exposure, and geopolitical supply chain risks with US manufacturing.

🌏

Non-China Sourcing

Access to optical element suppliers in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and the US for customers with regional sourcing requirements.

📋

Quality Traceability

ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management with unit-level traceability reports available for regulated industries.

🔧

DFM Integration

Designs optimized from day one for our specific equipment and processes, reducing production issues and improving yields.

Manufacturing Capabilities

Our San Diego facility combines optical testing equipment with precision assembly capabilities across 6,000 sq ft, including 3,500 sq ft of Class 10,000 cleanroom space.

Capability 사양
Cleanroom Classification Class 1000 hardwall cleanroom with laminar flow hoods
Optical Testing 100% MTF testing, Trioptics HR2 precision measurement
Reliability Testing Temperature cycling, humidity, vibration, thermal shock
Production Volume Prototype through 10,000+ units per month
Lens Mount Types M12 (S-mount), M8, M7, C-mount, custom configurations
Sensor Compatibility 1/6" through 1" format, Sony IMX, OmniVision, OnSemi
Assembly Methods Manual precision and fully automated assembly lines
Bonding Options UV cure, thermal cure, mechanical retention
필터 통합 IR-cut, bandpass, dual-bandpass filter gluing
Component Sourcing Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, USA (non-China options available)
Quality Certification ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system

자주 묻는 질문

Common questions about custom lens design and US manufacturing

Custom lens design timelines vary by complexity. Simple modifications to existing designs (filter changes, F-number adjustments, barrel modifications) typically take 2-4 weeks. Ground-up optical designs with new prescriptions require 8-12 weeks from specification to prototype. Volume production ramp-up adds an additional 4-8 weeks depending on quantity requirements and tooling needs. We recommend budgeting 12-16 weeks for a complete custom lens development cycle from concept to production-ready.
Manual lens assembly involves skilled technicians hand-assembling optical elements using precision fixturing and microscope-aided alignment. This approach is ideal for prototypes, engineering samples, and low volumes under 500 units where flexibility for design iterations is valuable. Automated lens assembly uses robotic systems for consistent, high-throughput production. It reduces labor variation, provides faster cycle times, and becomes more cost-effective at volumes above 1,000 units per month. We offer both capabilities and can help determine the optimal approach for your production requirements.
Yes. Commonlands maintains relationships with optical element suppliers in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and domestically in the United States. We can design and manufacture lenses using non-China sourced components for customers with supply chain requirements, tariff considerations, or regional sourcing mandates. Contact us to discuss your specific sourcing requirements during the design phase.
No. Commonlands custom lens design services are integrated with our US manufacturing capabilities. We design lenses specifically optimized for production in our San Diego facility, ensuring design-for-manufacturability alignment with our equipment, processes, and quality systems. This integrated approach means designs are validated against our actual production capabilities from the earliest stages, reducing risk and accelerating time-to-production. We do not provide standalone optical designs for external manufacturing.
We provide comprehensive testing throughout the custom lens development process. Our Trioptics HR2 MTF testing service measures optical performance with precision measurement capabilities. For environmental validation, our reliability testing services include temperature cycling, humidity exposure, thermal shock, and vibration testing to industry standards. All production lenses undergo 100% functional testing, with full traceability documentation available for customers in regulated industries.
Commonlands is ISO 9001:2015 certified for quality management systems, achieved in 2024. Our facility includes Class 1000 hardwall cleanroom environments for precision assembly with continuous particle monitoring, ESD protection protocols, and laminar flow hoods. We perform 100% MTF testing on production lenses using both high-volume automated testing and precision Trioptics HR2 equipment. Full traceability documentation is available for customers in regulated industries requiring unit-level quality records.

Start Your Custom Lens Project

Contact our US engineering team to discuss your optical design requirements and manufacturing needs

What to Include

  • Target sensor and format
  • Required field of view
  • Working distance range
  • Environmental conditions
  • Estimated production volume
  • Component sourcing requirements

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