How camera lenses are made

From the Discovery Channel
How I make a part-time living from photography: shutterstock!
submit.shutters...
I have some sports photos on there if you're a buyer.
(btw, im a canon shooter)

[@wardoc22]

Now I understand why lenses are so dam expensive..

[@smackdounnkol]

i always think lens cost sucks... but i just realized that those were actually coming cheap ... great technology, great inventions hats off ...

[@kombizz05]

6 weeks to make one lens! NO WONDER some of the lenses belong to Canon & Nikon are too expensive. It is a very informative video.

[@wallabing]

I'm addicted to the music in the first portion.

[@SHMULIKVI]

😁

[@ksmgmedia]

Need to know what it is, it's great

[@terrygoyan]

Amazing amount of man hours goes into these lenses. This video is 16 years old as I'm watching it. I wonder how much more automated the process is now in 2023? Thanks for posting this vid!

[@danem2215]

These are custom lenses not made on a wide scale. You think some Japanese dude at Canon spends 4 months making each lens?

[@SAMIMYS]

for me the most magical and wonderful part of this tech is the part where the Lens gives the picture to electronic components, that is a bridge between optic physics and Electronics where the entire picture gets converted to electrical signals. the rest i know what happens, only the bridge part is yet beyond my knowledge.

[@markhou]

Did you figure it out?

[@ultort]

Seems pretty old school. I hope they upgraded their process.

[@DividedLine]

When manufacturers outsource things to low wage countries, it's often cheaper to simply pay low wage laborers to do things in a very low tech way than it is to invest in automating everything with high tech state of the art robotics and shit. The irony is that outsourcing actually has revived low tech manufacturing in a lot of industries.

[@jayjayokocha19]

Divided Line This isn't a case of outsourcing. The facility in the video is in Rochester, New York.

[@CraigToddOfficial]

I just bought a Sony 24-70 2.8 GM II for £2099... I left the store thinking, that was fairly expensive but now it all makes sense. Fantastic lens by the way.

[@BrownDaddy007]

The Sony 24-79 2.8 GM is made in an automated factory in large quantities, which is why it only costs £2k. The lens we just watched being made probably costs at least £25k. Lenses are expensive, I, too, buy glass for a full frame Sony.

[@CraigToddOfficial]

@@BrownDaddy007 Interesting insight thanks for sharing. A lot goes into it for sure and you can tell by the quality of the images produced.

[@DOSfoxx]

now have 1000 times more respect for my lenses

[@cmmmmmmmw]

damn that's a hot beat

[@rayreeves4681]

fr im trying to find it

[@ksmgmedia]

@@rayreeves4681 did you find it in the end?

[@platypus6523]

If you need a microscope (which contains a lens) to makes lenses, how was the first lens made?

[@tiziocaio8657]

😂🤣

[@BOBEFATONE]

Thank you for putting together this short video on LENS CONSTRUCTION methods and systems. - Bob Fatone - Still Photographer in Connecticut

[@atomicpuppet]

Fantastic! This video gives me even more of a great appreciation for my lenses.

[@RahulKumar-nh3wc]

hey after 9 yrs

[@tiziocaio8657]

@@RahulKumar-nh3wc hey after 10 years

[@siddhantvaishnav1894]

hey after 11 yrs

[@atomicpuppet]

@@siddhantvaishnav1894 hey! 👋

[@sevenbeverly2568]

Beat in the beginning go hard🔥

[@photojoenyc]

I'm so curious to know who had the courage, brains and steady hand to devise this invention. Paying the hefty price tag isn't so terrible after all in my humble opinion. Discovery Channel, keep being curious your programs are great! I'd improve this video by discussing some of the jargon that's related to lens components. Example: Why do marketing departments inside lens makers tout just how many elements are used to make the lens. What's it all for.

[@MrProbeRider]

To everyone who keeps weeping about it taking 6 weeks for a lens. Get it. They are producing LARGE VOLUMES/TIME UNIT! ! ! And besides, it is obvious that some areas are open for improvment, but that they don't show it. Like the the time they put into cleaning the lenses. Making the entire operation in a dust-free zone (like the electronics factories) would save many work-hours, just by that alone! But still, one got to give them respect. after all, lenses got to be crystal clear.

[@WillPrice94]

I'm pretty certain this is the time taken for raw materials to be processed into a lens. It's not just one lens at a time; they're doing this in giant batches making thousands of lenses at a time.

[@njrnaim2161]

which company produces or assembles this TV camera?? Also, who can be suppliers of this product for this company?? And, who are wholesaler and retailer?

[@LookLoveShoot]

im glad my lenses have gone through such delicate work:)

[@MewsicalMiqo]

The fluorite element for the Canon 1200mm telephoto lens takes a whole year to grow.

[@LukeKorns]

pitch you better not screw up my lens!

[@antohart8125]

6 week 1 lenses?

[@cavalier777]

btw, this video doesn't include the manufacturing of the autofocus, mount, metering, stabilization, or the crafting of the barrels, so you have to consider that all that costs major money as well, since it's all science-level precision most of the time. I know since I've been using Nikon/Nikkor as well as Canon, Fujinon, Leica, Schneider, Pentax and Zuiko (Olympus' accepted lenses)for a while. I'd have to say I prefer Nikkor, but both Nikkor and Canon are at the top of the pack. =]

[@gabedurussel7309]

oldest video that has randomly popped up, 16 years is WILD

[@FooBar89]

@MustNotRead don't make general assumptions, those are not your usual Nikon or Canon lens, when you need 100 to make the cost of an automated production line is likely not justfied

[@michaelbauers8800]

There's an oversimplification here. Coatings are not just for protection. They serve a purpose in how the light is transmitted through them.

[@CopyrightThis723]

well i do, im doing a project on lenses for conceptual design at college, this video is helping me pass my A levels.

[@tspoon1618]

Why does the theme actually go pretty hard

[@andrewtongue7084]

Considering all the hours invested in the manufacture of each lens (irrespective of marque), the price one pays for each optic is more than justified; I cannot remember a time when I griped about the cost of any of my lenses, tho' it is understood the process for build has been largely automated - the final checks, I imagine, are all now done by computers. Fascinating insight into optical construction.

[@c78932500]

Wow .. very nice .... that's a really hard work by checking every glass etc ...... nice

[@spajdude]

6:24 "Cementing them together means that they'll be less likely to shift around in the lens barrel" What nonsense! They are COMPOUND ELEMENTS, in this case a doublet. Two pieces of glass with different refracting index are cemented together to work as one. (It's also more complicated than that). And she also call the antireflection coating "protective coating". Geez...

[@ballsackmgee]

This show seems, looks, and feels like it would be boring but you find yourself watching it without even knowing it. At least i do

[@deathbybob]

i would say canon but it honestly makes little diffrence just what ever your more comfortable with if it is your first time buying i would sugest going to a camera shop and see which one feels better when you hold it

[@sexualldragon]

the beat is cranking

[@k1ll3rtr0n]

wooow look at all those shiney lenses

[@WoodlandCreation]

The lenses are soooo prettttttyyyyyyyy :)

[@Harrisabd]

i really appreciate lens's and the cost of them now because of this video

[@QTBH]

how beautiful they are

[@alexabadi7458]

Nice video, thank you.

[@njrnaim2161]

Does anybody know,,,,,, which company produces or assembles this TV camera?? Also, who can be suppliers of this product for this company?? Thank you in advance.

[@aleramone23]

on 5.05 the worker left the lens in an inapropiate position. lenses must be placed with the concave side down, in other ways you can scratch it

[@shreyaspandith8626]

Lot of patience and attention is required for this procedure........

[@janekgreen]

oh guys, the technical process hasn't changed dramatically since years, and these are TV lenses, if what.

[@tin2001]

Looking at other more subtle things, I'm guessing early 90s. Music, voice over tone, picture quality, etc... All looks (and sounds) late 80s or early 90s. The only thing that makes me wonder a bit is the display on the coating system. A bit too fancy for 80s era computing (especially in industrial applications).

[@sillyproductions]

WOW! Those people are doing a superb job.

[@YoungBlaze]

i like the part when they was doing the stuff with the things

[@FlippKlipp]

i had no idea it was this much work!

[@toastydeath]

There's no way to make something absolutely dust free. There's only levels of cleanliness - how big are the particles, and how many of each size. So the question is, how much dirt is acceptable, because even in the highest levels of cleanroom, there are still particulates. And this is common practice. Deterministic grinders and diamond turning lathes are incredibly expensive to purchase and maintain, and operate substantially slower than the method you see here.

[@shellikozzie]

makes me realise now why they are so expensive to buy

[@Gundrs]

the reason why there is no autofocus demo in this video is beacause they are rangefinder lenses which are manual focus onley

[@TheMrReynawa]

That's why i love my camera so much :*

[@lazydazyxoxo]

DAMN!!! 6 weeks!!! thats alot !! no wonder why its so expensive!!! but its so worth all that money !! thats brilliant!!

[@blechtic]

Dust checking and optical centering, but no actual quality control on lenses until after assembly?

[@pandabearmonster]

oh darn! It is TOTALLY complicated than i think!

[@SuleimanALAQEL]

wow... just wow...

[@shurhongukire4306]

Wanna see how the modern lens are made

[@tonymckeage1028]

Great Lens making Video, thanks for sharing

[@NethrissirhteN]

and this is a tv fixed foucal length lens, i wounded how adjustible foucal lenses are made!

[@getkat]

Although the market share in SLR/DSLR is the largest for Canon, I personally like Nikon (Yes ! I am biased :) ). Well, just FYI, Nikon is an industrial optics leader. The retail stuff is a very small part of its business. Even the lenses on canon are made by machines employing Nikon lenses !!! Now that's something interesting. Enjoy...

[@emforty2]

Only robots can do most of this efficiently at lower cost thats why 80~90 % of lenses are made in Japan as they are the number 1 maker of industrial robots

[@squishy949]

optical cement? i wonder how they stop dust particles sticking to that

[@pilotsr]

Very informative video, thx for posting :)

[@yoseb92]

who is this jml optical, cos a 27mm 1.4 lens would be awesome. id like to know what changes the f-stop number on a lens

[@JereHakala]

Yeah, I wonder how long they use to make some cheap lens like Canon 50mm F/1.8 II D: They probably just snap some parts together and throw it to the market.

[@polarbear60]

I suspect if the particles were large enough they would affect the image?

[@jaseth1337]

You continue the success.

[@Fogducker19]

Thx for uploading :) Now I know why they can cost so much

[@Ethernet3]

@gwhoosh there is. but they dont sell a big enough number of lenses to make it practical

[@mousepotato64]

That's funny I have a friend that has been a professional photographer for about 30 years, trained in the RAF. Has always used Canons, and I mean $10,000 Canon's, not any freakin REBELs. And the last time I spoke to him he said was switching over to Nikons. I about fell over, but he has 9 photogs working for him now, and he cannot believe the clarity of Nikon. But I am sure that you know what you are talking about.

[@OKMRDX]

i like the song!

[@jimmysgameclips]

No wonder my Tamron was so pricy, worth it though

[@Bwab]

A job like that would be too difficult for me, lol XD If I try to help making a lens, it would be totally crap XD But this, it's almost totally hand-made! Omg, soo cool! 5/5 stars! Thanks for placing this video :D

[@spajdude]

Lens makers use gloves and clean rooms when they need to. A few tiny dust particles don't degrade a camera lens, but a buyer would of course prefer a 100% dust free. With age comes experience in a profession like this. A great deal of the best camera technicians and watch makers are older. My favorite camera repair man was well over 80 until he had to stop because of health reasons.

[@Jianju69]

Fascinating!

[@Snowcr4sh]

So interesting...I like the song they used in the first half. Anyone know what it is?

[@Commando303X]

Awesome. Thanks for posting this.

[@janmauricepogi]

very complex work

[@emforty2]

Japan had perfected semi-automated lensmaking thats why Carl Zeiss lenses[of today] are made in Japan despite Japans high labor cost

[@MisterWealth]

What causes different colored flares?

[@Real_Obi-Wan_Kenobi]

6:55 anyone know what this machine is called? I’ve never seen anything like that before!

[@CraigToddOfficial]

It is an engraving machine

[@k1ll3rtr0n]

i suddenly want a new camera

[@notme1998]

first it says it's a television lens, then it says it's for photographers... lmao 7:15 is that the same thing?

[@KhoaNguyen-rk9dz]

nope

[@ny1fanta]

what about those focus? how does lens autofocus on a subject

[@KRASFA]

that is insane!

[@gordan99]

Virtually all optical glass is made by Hoya. You can't really compare these "brands" as they're all Hoya!

[@Formuling]

SONG= Adagio (Theme from Platoon)

[@KevinStephenson76]

I had no idea!

[@srg13]

I was using the word glass to refer to lenses, not the actual optical glass.

[@liamleahy]

nice beats! I love optical glass...mmmmmmm

[@MichaelVettasVettas]

janhendrikburger if you look at say canons lens making videos its all done via robotics, manufacturers like the above video dont have the capital like canon to have robots doing everything, sometimes hand made is better, maybe not for lenses, but things like cars then you know why some are so highly priced

[@w3tua]

Probably by assembling the pieces in a 'clean room'.

[@katingaman]

thats why its my favourite channel :D

[@cavalier777]

some high-end lenses take up to 6 months! now THAT's long, especially if you're waiting for it on backorder, haha

[@Kaarel314]

Who thought of all that making process. And 6 weeks? Doesent that mean that they are made slower than sold?

[@Friendsshare]

What's the first song? It sounds good.

[@BarneySaysHi]

I never knew it could take 6 weeks to make a lens like that. No wonder why they are so expensive, given the material and the manhours.

[@Markok765]

Wasn't this on "How its made" on the Discovery channel?

[@Marsnet]

After watching this it doesn't seem lenses are that expensive at all. 6 weeks. I'll be damned.

[@Elbereth85]

Great video, thanx for sharing

[@randomviewer896]

but how do they get the lens out of the pitch? D:

[@metallurgico]

finger gloves.. awesome