illunis Canon Lens Controllers: Electronic Control for Industrial Imaging
Finding an appropriate industrial lens for larger image sensors can be challenging. Finding one that also provides electronic control over features such as focus and aperture can be even more difficult.
illunis has developed a range of Canon lens controllers designed to provide electronic lens control for its EMC family of cameras as well as common industrial lens interfaces such as M58 and C-Mount.
The product line includes controllers for both Canon EF/EF-S and Canon RF/RF-S lenses, providing electronic control of lens focus and aperture along with additional features such as image stabilization. illunis also offers several OEM options that allow end users to integrate lens-control technology directly into their own imaging systems.
EF Lens Controller (EFLC) Product Line
The EF Lens Controller (EFLC) is illunis’s second-generation Canon EF lens controller, providing electronic control of the focus and aperture of Canon EF and EF-S lenses.
In addition to focus and aperture control, the EFLC provides several additional lens-control capabilities, including:
- Toggle control of a lens’s image stabilizer
- Save and restore lens position states
- Read lens information, including lens name, status, position, and other available information
Rugged, Compact Design
The EFLC features a ruggedized design and a more compact form factor, allowing it to be adapted to a wider range of mounting interfaces.
The controller can operate as either a standalone device powered through USB-C or as an embedded device using UART.
Flexible Mounting Options
The EFLC consists of a puck-like controller attached to an adapter for the desired mounting interface. Stock configurations include industrial mounts for M58 and C-Mount, mounts designed for the illunis EMC family of cameras, and a no-mount version that includes only the controller puck.
When a custom mounting configuration is required, illunis can design and manufacture custom adapters upon request.
For both the M58 and C-Mount versions, the orientation of the controller can be adjusted in 45-degree increments by remounting the adapter to the controller puck. This provides greater flexibility when positioning the controller on screw-on mounting interfaces.
illunis also offers an adapter that allows the M58-mounted version of the lens controller to be used with certain ZWO astrophotography cameras.
RF Lens Controller (RFLC) Product Line
Modern commercial lens designs, including Canon’s RF family, provide significant improvements in optical performance compared with older lens designs. Some RF lenses are capable of accurately resolving pixels down to a 1.5 µm pitch.
Canon RF lenses also provide finer control of aperture and focus, along with an external multifunction control ring. Select Canon RF lenses additionally feature power zoom functionality.
The RF Lens Controller (RFLC) is a rugged industrial controller designed for Canon RF and RF-S lenses. It provides electronic control over a lens’s:
- Aperture
- Focus
- Power zoom, when supported by the lens
- Image stabilization, when present
The RFLC also provides additional lens-management capabilities, including the ability to save and restore lens states and assign either focus or aperture control to a lens’s control ring for manual adjustment.
Lens Identification and Status
The RFLC can detect when a lens is attached or removed and can identify a range of lens information, including:
- Lens name
- Focus information
- Iris information
- Serial number
- Zoom information
Standalone or Embedded Operation
The RFLC can operate as a standalone device powered through USB-C and controlled serially, or it can be integrated into an embedded system using UART.
Both configurations utilize human-readable and machine-compatible command sets, providing flexibility for development, testing, and system integration.
Camera Compatibility
The RFLC is available for both the illunis EMC family of cameras and cameras using a standard M58-mount interface.
For M58-mounted applications, the orientation of the controller cannot be precisely controlled when it is screwed onto a camera body because the location of the M58 thread can vary between the controller and a given industrial camera.
OEM Lens Controller Solutions
For manufacturers and system integrators looking for a more direct approach to lens-control integration, illunis also offers board-level OEM solutions.
The RFLC-OEM and CLC-OEM product lines provide focus, aperture, and image stabilization control for Canon RF/RF-S and EF/EF-S lens families, respectively.
Both pre-designed and custom PCB options are available for the RF and EF controller platforms. illunis also offers lens bayonet hardware for OEM integration.
Flexible Lens Control for Industrial Imaging
illunis Canon lens controllers provide a bridge between high-resolution industrial cameras and commercially available Canon lenses, adding electronic control capabilities that can be important for embedded and automated imaging systems.
From the compact, rugged EFLC and RFLC controllers to board-level OEM solutions, the product family provides multiple approaches to integrating electronic lens control into an imaging system.
With support for Canon EF/EF-S and RF/RF-S lenses, compatibility with illunis EMC cameras and common industrial interfaces, and options for standalone, embedded, and OEM integration, illunis provides flexible lens-control solutions for a wide range of industrial imaging applications.