Custom Lens Design
& Optical Engineering
From consumer optics to medical imaging systems, our engineers design custom lenses for dozens of industries. Full-service: optical design, Zemax modeling, prototyping, and production support.
- Design through production
- Zemax experts
20+ Years Experience
Deep expertise in optical design and lens engineering
800+ Systems Designed
Proven track record across dozens of industries
Design to Production
End-to-end service from concept through manufacturing
Zemax
Expert modeling in all major optical design platforms
Full-Service Custom Lens Design
From initial concept to production-ready designs, we manage every stage of your custom optics project.
Optical Design
Custom lens designs optimized for your specific performance requirements, wavelength range, field of view, and packaging constraints.
Zemax
Detailed optical simulations and ray-tracing analysis using industry-standard tools. Tolerance analysis, stray light modeling, and performance optimization.
Opto-Mechanical Design
Developing assemblies to minimize the impact of manufacturing tolerances on optical performance. Lens barrels, mounts, and adjustment mechanisms.
Prototyping & Testing
Validating that performance matches design expectations. We manage prototyping through trusted manufacturing partners and verify results in-house.
Custom Optics Across Industries
Our lens designs serve a wide array of applications across dozens of industries.
Real Projects, Real Results
Explore detailed case studies from our custom lens design projects.
Custom VIS-NIR Dual-Band Imaging Lens
Imaging lens design for fluorescence-guided surgical system. Full design of 35 mm f/1.65, 7-Element lens, prototyping, testing, and production.
High-NA Fluorescence Collection Lens
Optical design, prototyping, validation, and production of a high-NA collection lens for flow cytometry applications.
Oil & Gas Downhole Sensor
Optical simulation for a downhole fluid discrimination sensor for identification of oil, gas, and water in high pressure, high temperature subsurface environments.
Custom Lens Design FAQs
What custom lens design services does Optics for Hire provide?
Optics for Hire provides full-service custom lens design and optical engineering — from initial concept through Zemax modeling, tolerance analysis, prototyping, and production support. We design custom lenses optimized for your specific performance requirements including wavelength range, field of view, resolution, and packaging constraints.
What types of optical systems can you design?
Our optical engineers design a wide range of custom lens systems including microscope objectives, zoom lenses, endoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, barcode readers, distance measurement optics, night vision systems, IR systems, confocal imaging lenses, MEMS device lenses, motion capture optics, 3D display optics, illumination systems, reflectors, collimators, and laser marking systems. We work with both imaging and non-imaging optical designs.
What is your optical design process?
Our custom lens design process includes four stages: (1) Optical Design — custom lens designs optimized for your performance requirements; (2) Zemax Modeling — detailed optical simulations, ray-tracing analysis, tolerance analysis, and stray light modeling; (3) Opto-Mechanical Design — developing assemblies that minimize the impact of manufacturing tolerances on optical performance; (4) Prototyping and Testing — validating that performance matches design expectations with in-house testing and trusted manufacturing partners.
What size companies do you work with?
We provide custom lens design and optical engineering consulting to companies of every size — from university research labs and early-stage startups to Fortune 500 corporations. Whether you need a single custom lens design, a feasibility study, or a full optical engineering program from design through production, our team scales to your project requirements.
Can you help me make a prototype?
Yes. Prototyping is an integral part of our custom lens design process. We manage prototype fabrication through trusted optical manufacturing partners and verify results with in-house testing. This lets you validate that your custom lens meets its optical performance specifications — including MTF, resolution, and distortion targets — before committing to volume production.
Can you help with volume production?
Yes. Our custom lens design service extends through volume production. Once your optical design is validated through prototyping and testing, we provide full production-ready documentation, manage the transition to manufacturing, and support your production run to ensure consistent quality and optical performance at scale.
How long does a custom lens design project take?
Project timelines vary depending on complexity. A straightforward singlet or doublet lens design can be completed in a few weeks, while complex multi-element zoom lens systems or systems requiring custom Zemax DLLs may take several months. We provide a timeline estimate during our initial consultation after reviewing your optical specifications and performance requirements.
Customer Feedback
Let's Design Your Custom Optics
Tell us about your project and we'll schedule a review. We strive to provide valuable engineering insight before a formal collaboration begins.
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Location
Boston, MA Area
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