AFZ / Varifocal lens

AFZ / Varifocal lenses for Machine Vision

Your machine vision system can be used for a variety of products and applications by adjusting its focal length with the use of an AFZ / Varifocal lens. There are manual and motorized versions of zoom lenses. Depending on the model, multiple tiny integrated motors that control the focus, focal length, and/or aperture of the lens are present in motorized zoom lenses. It gives the machine vision system more power by allowing it to optimize the lens setup for various product types and sizes or make adjustments when circumstances change without requiring human intervention. We have created a lens control board that will allow us to operate the motorized lens with efficiency. With this board, you can use an RS232 signal or a USB to control up to three motors. Next, you can load one of the ten preset configurations and adjust individual parameters.

Features of a Varifocal lens

Varifocal lenses are manually adjustable zoom lens that lets you adjust the focal. When you zoom in, the opening angle gets smaller, and when you zoom out, it gets larger. As a result, you can focus the lens at different ranges in relation to the object, making it possible for multiple working distances. So doing away with the requirement to change lenses for every particular working distance, you adjust the focal length (zoom settings) during installation, and you maintain the same settings while using the device.
Features of an Auto Focus Zoom lens
Auto Focus Zoom (AFZ) lenses originated from the consumer and security markets. The focus on this zoom lens is done automatically by the camera. Consequently, the picture is consistently sharp. Furthermore, there is an electronic control option for the zoom lens. Even though this lens is referred to as an Auto Focus Zoom lens, the focus and zoom in this instance should be adjusted remotely rather than automatically.
Since manual focus control is frequently preferred for exact focus placement, AFZ lenses are not frequently used in machine vision applications. Fixed-focus lenses are used more frequently. The AFZ lens is a fantastic option for situations where remote control of the zoom and focus is necessary.

Differences between AFZ lenses and Varifocal lenses

Zoom lenses are generally referred to as varifocal lenses. But the varifocal lens is a kind of zoom lens, just like the AFZ lens. These are the primary distinctions between the two zoom lenses:

• Varifocal lenses require manual focus, whereas autofocus is available for AFZ lenses.
• Varifocal lenses need to be manually controlled, but AFZ lenses can be controlled automatically.
• Varifocal lenses provide a more precise and industrial solution for machine vision applications, while AFZ lenses are frequently used for consumer cameras or in security applications.

In summary, when exact control over the focus of the image is needed, varifocal lenses provide the best option. For applications where consistently in focus images are required, AFZ lenses provide an excellent solution.