C-mount standard
The vast majority of industrial USB cameras, FireWire cameras and GigE cameras do not have an integrated lens. Thus, the user is able to select the optics that exactly meets his requirements. "Optics" does not only mean just lenses, but also endoscopes, microscopes, telescopes and others.
All these kinds of optics are usually attached to an industrial camera based on the so-called "C-mount" thread. "C-mount" is an international standard based on the following parameters:
- Thread: The mechanical connection between camera and optics is a UN-2A thread (1", 32 threads/inch).
- Flange focal distance: The flange focal distance is the distance between the camera's front side and the CMOS sensor or CCD sensor. In the case of the C-mount standard, this distance is 17.5 mm.
- Sensor size: The C-mount standard allows the use of CMOS sensors or CCD sensors of different sizes. These sizes are expressed as their format.
Especially in the case of wide angle lenses, often a variant form of the C-mount standard is used - the CS-mount standard. The differences between the two are small. However, CS-mount lenses cannot be attached to C-mount cameras. Please find more details at: C-mount lens.
