Millisecond autofocus in a compact, robust lens – no mechanics, highest reliability. Available in clear apertures from 3 to 30 mm, with coating options spanning 400 to 2500 nm.
Inspired by the human eye, Optotune’s focus tunable lenses replace bulky mechanical translation systems with a compact, shape-changing liquid lens. By deforming an elastic polymer membrane filled with optical fluid, the lens radius can be adjusted within milliseconds – achieving the same optical effect as moving traditional lenses by several centimeters.
- Compact designs
- Fast response
- High reliability
- Less tolerance sensitivity
- More flexibility with remote control
Optotune’s focus tunable lenses are shape-changing lenses based on a combination of optical fluids and a polymer membrane. The core element consists of a container, which is filled with an optical liquid and sealed with a thin, elastic polymer membrane. A circular ring that pushes onto the membrane shapes the tunable lens.
The deflection of the membrane and with that the radius of the lens can be changed by axially pushing or pulling that ring. This is usually done with voice-coil motor (VCM) actuation, controlled by current (EL Series), but can also be achieved by mechanical actuation through rotation of a part that slides on a helix (ML Series).
Optotune’s electrically tunable lenses (EL series) replace bulky, slow-moving optical systems with a compact, high-speed, and highly reliable focusing solution—designed for billions of cycles. With response times of just a few milliseconds and no mechanical wear, they significantly increase the throughput and longevity of machine vision systems.
Optotune’s manually tunable lenses (ML Series) offer large clear apertures and wide focal power ranges that require zero holding power. They are a compact and precise solution for refraction correction in ophthalmic instruments, as well as for divergence control in lasers or LED lighting applications.
Millisecond Autofocus
Liquid lenses are distinguished by their ability to change focal length extremely rapidly. Unlike conventional lenses that rely on mechanical translation of solid elements, liquid lenses adjust focus by electrically controlling the curvature of a flexible membrane. Because only a small volume of fluid is displaced and no rigid parts need to be moved, the system exhibits very low mechanical inertia.
As a result, the focal power can be tuned within a few milliseconds. This enables fast autofocus cycles, dynamic depth scanning, and real-time focus adjustments without motion-induced vibration or mechanical wear.
Focus tunable lenses
Electrically tunable lenses
Common applications:
Manually tunable lenses
Common applications:
Requiring no holding power, the sophisticated design of the ML series allows for large clear apertures and particularly large focal power ranges, as-is typically required in ophthalmic applications and illumination. Thanks to zero holding power, the ML Series can be either motorized or actuated manually.
Electrical lens modules
Common applications:
S-mount modules for sensors up to 1/1.7″ offer a compact, cost-effective solution for embedded vision. Their small footprint fits space-limited designs while maintaining high image quality. Integrated liquid lenses enable fast autofocus without mechanical motion, increases speed, and improves reliability.
Electrical lens modules
Common applications:
C-mount modules for sensors up to 4/3″ support high resolution, wide fields of view, and high light throughput. Integrated liquid lenses enable fast, precise focus without mechanical movement, improving reliability and delivering sharp, flexible imaging for industrial and automation systems.
Electrical lens modules
Common applications:
The ELM-T series offers telecentric lenses with integrated Optotune tunable lenses, preserving telecentricity and minimizing magnification shift. It supports 0.133×–4× magnification and 1/2”–35 mm sensors, delivering distortion-free imaging with no vignetting in modules.
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