MKS Instruments, Inc. has announced the Ophir® SWIR & NIR 25-250mm f/5.5 (NFOV) f/4.0 (WFOV) continuous zoom lens at SPIE Defense and Commercial Sensing 2023. This is the industry’s first compact, rugged, low SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) lens for the newly introduced 5µm and 10µm SXGA, as well as the 15µm VGA SWIR detectors. An innovative opto-mechanical design delivers a lens that is approximately 60% lighter than similar SWIR lenses – with a weight of only 860g and length of 224mm – while enabling a high-quality image with a detection range exceeding 26km. In addition, the lens features a unique coating that is able to withstand harsh environments. This makes the Ophir SWIR & NIR 25-250mm lens a disruptive enabler of advanced drones, coastal search and rescue, tactical UAV IR cameras, and micro / mini tactical payloads in the commercial, homeland security, and defense markets.

The Ophir SWIR & NIR 25-250mm lens is chromatically corrected to support a broader shortwave IR range, from 700nm to 1700nm, covering both NIR and SWIR bands, and to operate with minimal distortion, with an optional configuration for a narrow wavelength from 1100nm to 1700 nm. The lens also provides a 10X zoom ratio; a 25-250mm EFL range; an F/5.5 to support both 5µm and10µm pixel pitch detectors, including SXGA format; a low SWaP athermal design; and high MTF performance over both the zoom range and a wide temperature range.