20MP 16mm C-Mount Machine Vision Lens for 1.1-Inch Cameras

Who Is This 16mm Machine Vision Lens Designed For?

This model is suitable for machine vision system integrators, automation equipment manufacturers and factory vision engineers who need a high-resolution C-Mount lens for wide-to-medium field industrial imaging.

It is a practical candidate when the project requires:

• A 16mm focal length for a balanced wide field of view
• Compatibility with 1.1-inch or smaller industrial camera sensors
• Up to 20MP imaging support
• Manual focus and iris settings that can be locked after setup
• Low-distortion imaging for inspection, OCR and positioning
• A compact lens for integration into automated equipment

Why Choose a 16mm Lens for Machine Vision?

Under the same sensor size and working distance, a 16mm lens provides a wider field of view than longer focal lengths such as 25mm, 35mm or 50mm. Compared with a shorter 12mm lens, it gives the target more image magnification and allows small features to occupy more pixels.

This makes 16mm a useful middle option when the system must capture a reasonably large product area while retaining more detail than an ultra-wide lens.

• Whole-part and multi-feature inspection
• PCB and electronic assembly imaging
• Component presence and orientation detection
• Barcode, OCR and printed-mark recognition
• Robot guidance and part positioning
• Packaging, label and surface inspection

The correct focal length still depends on the camera sensor dimensions, required field of view, available working distance and smallest feature that must be detected.

For a wider field, compare the 12.3mm C-Mount FA lens. For a narrower field and greater target magnification, compare the 25mm C-Mount machine vision lens. If the field of view must be adjusted during installation, review the 12-36mm C-Mount machine vision lens.

20MP Support for 1.1-Inch Industrial Cameras

A high-resolution industrial camera requires a lens that can transmit sufficient optical detail. If the lens resolution is too low, adding more camera pixels may not improve the actual inspection result.

The PMS-LFPHM-1628M(B) is specified for 20MP imaging and a maximum sensor format of 1.1 inch, with an effective image size of 17.6mm. This combination is intended for high-resolution systems that require both large sensor coverage and a practical field of view.

Final system performance also depends on camera pixel size, field of view, working distance, object contrast, lighting, exposure time and image-processing settings. Camera-lens compatibility should be verified before production approval.

Reference Field of View at 0.25m Object Distance

The following field-angle and object-field data are specified for a 1-inch sensor at an object distance of 0.25m. The maximum supported sensor format is 1.1 inch, but the values below should not be treated as a direct 1.1-inch field calculation.

The actual field of view changes with the camera's active sensor dimensions, working distance and focus position. Provide the exact camera model and required horizontal and vertical field of view before final lens selection.

Low Distortion for More Reliable Image Processing

Optical distortion changes the apparent shape and position of features near the image edge. This may affect edge detection, component positioning, OCR, shape analysis and software calibration.

The specified distortion of the PMS-LFPHM-1628M(B) is -1.0% at y=8.8mm. This makes the lens suitable for general industrial inspection, recognition and positioning applications that require a relatively wide field of view.

This is a conventional FA lens rather than a telecentric lens. For tight dimensional tolerances or objects with significant height variation, a telecentric lens is usually the safer optical solution.

Lockable Focus and Iris for Stable Equipment Setup

The lens provides manual focus and manual iris adjustment, with separate locking mechanisms for both controls. After the image has been adjusted, the locks help reduce unintended changes during equipment operation, transportation or maintenance.

• Focus range: 0.15m to infinity
• Aperture range: F2.8-F16
• Focus control: Manual with locking mechanism
• Iris control: Manual with locking mechanism
• Mount: C-Mount

A wider aperture allows more light into the camera, while a smaller aperture can increase depth of field. The final setting should be selected according to lighting intensity, exposure time, object movement and required image detail.

Technical Specifications

Typical Machine Vision Applications

• PCB and electronic component inspection
• Connector, terminal and assembly inspection
• Part presence and orientation detection
• Barcode, OCR and printed-mark recognition
• Robot guidance and component positioning
• Packaging and label inspection
• Surface inspection of machined or molded parts
• General industrial image acquisition using 1.1-inch or smaller cameras

When This Lens Is a Good Fit

• Your camera uses a C-Mount interface
• Your sensor format is 1.1 inch or smaller
• Your application requires a wide-to-medium field of view
• Your camera resolution is up to 20MP
• Your working distance is at least approximately 0.15m
• Manual focus and iris adjustment are acceptable
• The system requires locking screws for stable long-term setup

When to Consider Another Lens

• A substantially wider field of view is required
• A narrower field or greater target magnification is required
• The sensor is larger than 1.1 inch
• The object distance is shorter than the specified focus range
• Motorized focus, autofocus or automatic iris control is required
• Object height variation must not change image magnification
• The project requires high-accuracy dimensional measurement with minimal perspective error

Information Required for Lens Selection

To confirm whether this lens is suitable, please provide:

1. Industrial camera model
2. Sensor size and active dimensions
3. Camera resolution and pixel size
4. Required horizontal and vertical field of view
5. Available working distance
6. Smallest feature or defect to detect
7. Required positioning or measurement accuracy
8. Object material, color and surface reflectivity
9. Lighting type and wavelength
10. Available installation space

Manufacturer-Direct Optical and Application Support

POMEAS provides manufacturer-direct communication for optical selection, camera-lens matching, sample evaluation, quality review and repeat-order support. This helps customers evaluate the complete imaging system rather than choosing a lens only by focal length or megapixel rating.

• Direct review of camera, field of view and working distance
• Application-based lens selection before quotation
• Support for camera, lens and lighting coordination
• Sample testing and compatibility verification
• Quality review and batch-consistency communication
• Technical support for repeat-order automation projects

Reduce Selection Risk Before Ordering

Selecting a machine vision lens by focal length alone can result in an incorrect field of view, insufficient sensor coverage or inadequate image sampling. Before ordering, POMEAS can review the camera model, field of view, working distance, smallest feature and inspection accuracy to confirm whether the PMS-LFPHM-1628M(B) is a suitable option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this lens support a 1.1-inch industrial camera?

Yes. The specified maximum sensor format is 1.1 inch, with a 17.6mm effective image size. Final edge image quality should still be confirmed with the exact camera model.

Is the published field-of-view data based on a 1.1-inch sensor?

No. The datasheet's field-angle and object-field values are specified for a 1-inch sensor at an object distance of 0.25m.

How does a 16mm lens compare with a 12mm or 25mm lens?

At the same sensor size and working distance, 16mm provides a narrower field and more target magnification than 12mm, but a wider field than 25mm.

Can the focus and iris settings be locked?

Yes. The lens provides separate manual focus and iris locking mechanisms to help maintain the selected settings after commissioning.

Is this lens suitable for precision dimensional measurement?

It can support general inspection and calibrated measurement tasks, but it is not telecentric. For tight tolerances or objects with height variation, a telecentric lens is usually more appropriate.

Related Machine Vision Lens Resources

• Browse machine vision lenses and imaging components
• Compare a wider 12.3mm C-Mount FA lens
• Compare an adjustable 12-36mm C-Mount lens
• Compare a narrower 25mm C-Mount machine vision lens

Request Lens Selection Support

Send POMEAS your camera model, required field of view, working distance and inspection target. The optical and application team can help verify sensor coverage, image detail and installation suitability before quotation.