Lenses & Mounts
EtherLynx cameras are compatible with a wide rage of lenses and mounts, to the point where novice users may be overwhelmed. C-Mount, half inch format, remote iris... this can certainly be confusing.
How to calculate the required focal length?
The required focal length (zoom value) of a lens is critical to obtaining great photo-finish images. If the focal length is too high, then it will not be possible to zoom out enough to see the entire finish line. If the focal length is too small, then there will be a lot of dead space at the top and bottom of the image, causing a poor resolution for the objects of interest.
The best way to calculate the required focal length is to use the Lens Calculator.
Instructions
- To find the recommended lens:
- Open the Lens Calculator.
- Enter the required parameters in the Lens and Scan Rate Calculator (left). Camera Height Distance from the camera to the finish line Width of the finish line Max height objects of interest
- Look at the Recommended Focal Length.
What are the compatible lens mounts?
The table below describes the mounts compatible with each EtherLynx camera model:
| 2K | PRO | Fusion | Vision | Vision PRO | Vision PRO X | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS-Mount | No | No | No | Standard | Standard | No | |
| C-Mount | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard (with adapter) | Standard (with adapter) | Optional (limited vertical resolution) | |
| F-Mount | Optional | Optional | Optional | No | Optional | Standard |
Which lens mounts offer remote control lenses?
Not all lens mount types offer lenses that are fully remote controlled. See the table below to know available options:
| Iris | Focus | Zoom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS-Mount | Yes | No | No |
| C-Mount | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| F-Mount | Yes | Yes | No |
Which lens formats offer full resolution?
There is a long list of various lens formats available on the market. In many cases, it is preferred to use a lens that will allow using the cameras full resolution. Below is a table with common lens formats and whether they offer full resolution for EtherLynx cameras.
note: When a lens format does not offer full resolution, the FinishLynx image will show shading or black stripes at the top and bottom of the image when the max height is selected in Zoom 100% Pixel Mode. This is referred to as vignetting.
| 2K | PRO | Fusion | Vision | Vision PRO | Vision PRO X | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1" | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2/3" | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1/2" | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| 1/2.7" | No | No | No | Yes | See TIP | No |
| 1/3" | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Nikon FX (35mm Full Frame) | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes |
| Nikon DX | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes |
tip: The Vision PRO allows full resolution with certain 1/2.7" formats such as the 2.8-10mm lens when it is set between 6.5-10mm.
What common lenses are recommended?
| Mount | Format | Remote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computar 2.8-10mm f1.2 | CS | 1/2.7" | P-Iris |
| Computar 12.5-75mm manual lens | C | 2/3" | Manual |
| Computar 12.5-75mm remote lens | C | 2/3" | Iris/Focus/Zoom |
| Computar 8-48mm manual lens | C | 1/2" | Manual |
| Computar 8-48mm remote lens | C | 1/2" | Iris/Focus/Zoom |
| Nikon/Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 | F | APS-C/DX | Iris/Focus (requires MV-RF) |
| Nikon/Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 | F | APS-C/DX | Iris/Focus (requires MV-RF) |
| Nikon/Sigma 50-100mm f1.8 | F | APS-C/DX | Iris/Focus (requires MV-RF) |
| Nikon/Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 | F | APS-C/DX | Iris/Focus (requires MV-RF) |
| Nikon/Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 | F | APS-C/DX | Iris/Focus (requires MV-RF) |
What are the compatible view finders for each camera model?
| 2K | PRO | Fusion | Vision | Vision PRO | Vision PRO X | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TTLV - Through the lens viewer (F-Mount only) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| EVF - Electronic View Finder (all mounts) | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |