View source for C mount

{{Short description|Type of camera lens mount}}
{{for|the laser mount|C mount (laser)}}
{{Infobox camera mount
| mount_name        = C-mount
| image        = File:C mount lens Pentax 12mm f1.2.jpg
| caption           = 12&nbsp;mm {{f/|1.2|link=yes}} C-mount lens with a C-mount–to–CS-mount adapter
| type              = Screw
| external_diameter =
| inner_diameter    = 
| tabs              = 
| flange            = {{Convert|17.526|mm|in}}
| connectors        =
}}

A '''C mount''' is a type of [[lens mount]] commonly found on [[16 mm film|16 mm]] [[movie camera]]s, [[closed-circuit television camera]]s, [[machine vision]] cameras and [[microscope]] phototubes.

C-mount lenses provide a male thread, which mates with a female thread on the camera. The thread is nominally {{Convert|1|in|mm|sigfig=3}} in diameter, with 32 threads per inch (0.794&nbsp;mm [[Screw thread#Lead, pitch, and starts|pitch]]), designated as "1-32 UN 2A" in the [[ANSI]] B1.1 standard for [[Unified Thread Standard|unified screw threads]]. The [[flange focal distance]] is {{Convert|17.526|mm|in}} for a C mount.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ISO 10935:2009 "Optics and optical instruments -- Microscopes -- Interfacing connection type C" |url=https://www.iso.org/standard/51305.html |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=ISO |language=en}}</ref>

Merely to say that a lens is "C-mount" says very little about the lens's intended use. C-mount lenses have been made for many different formats. C-mount lenses are built for the [[8 mm film|8 mm]] and [[16 mm film]] formats and the 1/3", 1/2", 2/3", 1", and 4/3" video formats, which corresponds to a range of image circles approximately from 5 to 22&nbsp;mm in diameter.

Depending on the format, the design of the lens and its performance will differ considerably. For example, for the 4/3 format, a 12&nbsp;mm lens is a wide-angle lens and will have a [[retrofocus]] design. For the 2/3-inch format, a 12&nbsp;mm lens is "normal" and can have a simple and fast double Gauss layout. For the 1/3-inch format, a 12&nbsp;mm lens is long and can have a telephoto design.

Some TV lenses lack provision to focus or vary the aperture, so may not operate properly with film cameras. Also, some TV lenses may have bits that protrude behind the mount far enough to interfere with the shutter or reflex finder mechanisms of a film camera.

Although C-mount lenses have a back focal distance far too short to be used with 35&nbsp;mm film SLRs or any existing digital SLR, they can be mounted on interchangeable-lens mirrorless digital cameras such as the [[Micro Four Thirds system|Micro Four Thirds]] used by Olympus and Panasonic. However, the vast majority of C-mount lenses produce an image circle too small to effectively cover the entire sensor which has approximately 22&nbsp;mm diagonal, this produces [[vignetting]].<ref>[http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2009/12/switar-26mm-f1-1-f1-1-review.html Lawrenceripsher.com: Switar 26mm f/1.1 Review] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215044518/http://lawrenceripsher.com/blog/2009/12/switar-26mm-f1-1-f1-1-review.html |date=December 15, 2009 }}.</ref> The [[Nikon 1 series]] and the [[Pentax Q series]] can use C-mount lenses without vignetting.

C mount was created by [[Bell & Howell]] for their Filmo 70 cine cameras.<ref>[https://archive.today/20160110143952/https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/CineCamera/conversations/messages/450] Yahoo Group discussion: Cine Camera Collectors</ref>  The earliest Filmos had slightly different mounts, known as A mount, and B mount.  C mount was found on Filmo 70 cameras with serial numbers 54090 and higher,<ref>[http://mcnygenealogy.com/book/kodak/kodak-movie-news-v02-n3.pdf] Kodak Movie News, Vol. 2, No. 3 (May–June 1954).</ref> probably from about 1926.  Soon after, other camera manufacturers adopted the same mount, and it became a [[de facto standard]] for 16&nbsp;mm cine cameras.

== CS mount ==
'''CS-mount''' has a [[flange focal distance]] of {{Convert|12.526|mm|in}},<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HEy4UBoGF2UC&q=cs-mount+%2212.526%22&pg=PA49|title=Handbook of Machine Vision|last=Hornberg|first=Alexander|date=2007-02-27|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9783527610143|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edmundoptics.com/resources/glossary/c/cs-mount/|title=CS-Mount {{!}} Edmund Optics|website=www.edmundoptics.com|language=en|access-date=2018-07-28}}</ref> compared to {{Convert|17.526|mm|in}} for a C mount, but is otherwise the same as C-mount, including the fact that lenses for many different formats are made for it. CS-mount lenses are built for the smaller formats, 1/2&nbsp;inch and down.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ |'''Combinations:  C, CS and extension adapter'''
! |Camera<br/>body
! |Extension<br/>tube<br/>adapter
! |Lens
! |Net<br/>effect
! |Focus
! |View<br/>angle
! |Zoom
! |Exposure
|- |
| |C
| |
| |C
| |
| |Normal
| |Normal
| |Normal
| |Normal
|- |
| |C
| |
| |CS
| |+5&nbsp;mm
| |Near-sighted
| |Narrower
| |Larger
| |Darker
|- |
| |C
| |{{Convert|5.0|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| |C
| |+5&nbsp;mm
| |Near-sighted
| |Narrower
| |Larger
| |Darker
|- |
| |C
| |{{Convert|5.0|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| |CS
| |+10&nbsp;mm
| |Most near-sighted
| |Narrowest
| |Largest
| |Darkest
|- |
| |CS
| |
| |C
| |−5&nbsp;mm
| |Far-sighted
| |Wider
| |Smaller
| |Brighter
|- |
| |CS
| |
| |CS
| |
| |Normal
| |Normal
| |Normal
| |Normal
|- |
| |CS
| |{{Convert|5.0|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| |C
| |
| |Normal
| |Normal
| |Normal
| |Normal
|- |
| |CS
| |{{Convert|5.0|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| |CS
| |+5&nbsp;mm
| |Near-sighted
| |Narrower
| |Larger
| |Darker
|- |
|} <!-- end of WikiTable -->

==See also==
* [[T-mount]]
* [[Lens mount]]
* [[Pentax K-mount]]
* [[D mount|D-mount]]
* [[Arri PL|PL-mount]]
* [[S-mount (CCTV lens)|S-mount]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.truetex.com/micad.htm Making Digital Camera Microscope Adapters].  The section "Understanding C-Mount and CS-Mount Standard Mechanics, Optics, and Cameras" discusses the standards and custom machining of C-mount apparatus.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101226023005/http://us.c-mount.passion.pro/ List of some C-mount lenses].  Collection of cine optics and photos of them.
*[http://ocularcomponentmv.blogspot.sg/2014/04/machine-vision-lens-and-camera.html Machine Vision Inspection Technology]. Selection of Lens and extension ring/tube for machine vision
*[https://www.kowa-lenses.com/en/c-mount-and-cs-mount C-Mount explained]. Explanation of C-mount and CS-mount

[[Category:Lens mounts]]
[[Category:Film and video technology]]