Tamron's Vari-Focal Lenses Delivers Enhanced Resolution Performance

Tamron Co., Ltd. (headquarters: Saitama City; President: Morio Ono) today announced the development of two 1/3"-format 3.0-8mm F/1.0 Vari-Focal lenses that are fast and IR-Corrected while supporting 650 TV-lines resolution performance (Models 13VM308ASIRII/13VG308ASIRII.)

The Development Concept

Along with the diversification of image sensors in the field of surveillance cameras for VGA and SD applications, new image sensors such as CMOS sensors are now popular in addition to conventional CCD image sensors. At the same time, ICs for processing image data began to offer higher performance. Along with these technological advances, surveillance cameras have been improving at an accelerating pace to deliver higher quality images and higher sensitivity. Following the trend, performance requirements for lenses are now more strict than ever. Not only enhanced resolution performance, but descriptive performance without color smear is now required as well. We at Tamron thought that lenses based on a new concept are essential in order to derive the maximum performance from these latest cameras, and have thus developed two new IR- corrected high resolution Vari-Focal lenses.

Main Features

1. High-resolution optical design realizing over 650 TV lines of horizontal resolution
   By employing the latest optical system using an Aspherical element and an LD (Low Dispersion) glass element, the newly developed Vari-Focal lenses deliver high- quality images with horizontal resolution of over 650 TV lines. In designing the new lenses, Tamron's engineers attached importance to high- quality images over the entire image field. As a result, resolution performance at image corners improved by more than 50% compared to that of conventional models (13VM308ASIR/13VG308ASIR).
2. Clear images without color smear by minimizing chromatic aberration
   The new IR -corrected Vari-Focal lenses use an optical design Tamron engineers have developed by pursuing minimization of chromatic aberration in order to realize clear images without color smear. In addition, the use of advanced countermeasures against light reflection on the lens surface including multi-layer coatings, Tamron engineers have successfully minimized light reflection, realizing clear images without ghosting and flare.
3. Fast F/1.0 maximum aperture
   The new IR- corrected Vari-Focal lenses have increased light sensitivity that allows the camera to stay in color mode longer, thanks to the fast maximum aperture of F/1.0.
4. Near- Infrared corrected lens to match Day/ Night cameras
   The new lenses are optically IR- corrected for the near infrared range to prevent focus shift enabling the lenses to be used with Day/ Night cameras. Tamron engineers have accomplished a design that keeps the high image quality throughout the entire wavelength range from "Visible Light" to "Near Infrared Light".
5. Compact design
   While enhancing optical performance compared with conventional models, the lenses still maintain their overall compactness.