Bosch 5 Megapixel Varifocal Lens CS Lens Mount Maximum Sensor Format 1/2.5 Inch - LVF-5005C-S0940

Bosch LVF-5005C-S0940 5MP Varifocal CS-Mount Lens

Overview

The Bosch LVF-5005C-S0940 is a 5-megapixel varifocal lens built for CS-mount box cameras where you need genuine optical flexibility across a wide focal range — 9 mm to 40 mm — without compromising resolution or introducing chromatic fringing under IR illumination. It is sized for up to a 1/2.5-inch sensor, which means it covers the most common imager formats used in current commercial surveillance cameras without vignetting or corner softness. If you are specifying a box camera for a scene that requires on-site field-of-view adjustment or multi-purpose coverage, the LVF-5005C-S0940 is worth putting on your short list.

This lens belongs to the Bosch video security product line and is purpose-matched to their CS-mount box camera platform. The varifocal design means the integrator can physically adjust coverage from a moderate wide angle to a genuine telephoto reach at 40 mm — a range that handles everything from a loading dock entrance to a distant license-plate capture zone, all from a single SKU.

Key Features

• 9–40 mm Focal Range: A 4.4x optical zoom range from a single lens gives you wide-to-telephoto flexibility on the job site without swapping glass. At 9 mm you get broad coverage for open areas; at 40 mm you have enough reach for license plate or facial detail at distance. This is meaningful when you are commissioning a camera before the exact subject distance is confirmed.
• 5 Megapixel Optical Resolution: Matched to 5MP imagers, this lens resolves full sensor detail across the entire frame. Using a lower-resolution lens on a 5MP camera wastes the sensor's capabilities — the LVF-5005C-S0940 is rated to keep up with the imager, not bottleneck it.
• CS Lens Mount: The CS mount (back focal distance of 12.526 mm) is the standard for most compact box cameras. With a back focus distance of 8.3 mm, verify this matches your camera body's register distance before ordering — CS and C mounts are not interchangeable without an adapter ring.
• IR-Corrected Optics: Conventional lenses shift focal point between visible and IR wavelengths, causing the image to go soft when the IR illuminator activates at night. IR correction eliminates that focal shift, so the image stays sharp in both day mode and IR night mode — a critical spec for any camera paired with IR illumination.
• SR-Iris (DC Control): The 4-pin DC iris control (SR-iris) gives the camera's electronics direct, continuous control over aperture from F1.5 to F8. Compared to a fixed or manual iris, a DC-controlled iris maintains correct exposure as scene brightness changes — clouds passing, headlights sweeping, or lights switching on/off — without manual intervention in the field.
• F1.5 Maximum Aperture: F1.5 is a fast aperture for a varifocal lens. More light reaches the sensor in low-light conditions, which directly improves image quality at the sensor level before any electronic gain is applied. In marginal lighting — parking structures, dimly lit corridors, dusk transitions — this matters.
• 1/2.5-Inch Maximum Sensor Format: Designed for sensors up to 1/2.5 inch. Pairing this lens with a smaller sensor format (1/3-inch or 1/4-inch) works fine optically; pairing it with a larger sensor format will produce corner darkening. Match sensor size to lens specification.
• Compact Form Factor: At 54 mm diameter and 49.31 mm length, weighing just 63 g, this lens adds minimal bulk and mass to a box camera housing. That matters in ceiling-recessed or pan-tilt-head installations where weight and depth affect hardware selection.
• Wide Operating Temperature Range: Rated -10°C to +50°C operating, with storage down to -40°C, it handles typical indoor commercial environments and moderate outdoor cabinet installations. For extreme cold environments below -10°C, a heated enclosure is required.
• Up to 93% Non-Condensing Humidity: Survives humid environments — kitchen areas, covered loading docks, or transitional spaces — without sealing failure, as long as condensation itself does not form on the optics.

Integration & Compatibility

The LVF-5005C-S0940 installs on any camera with a CS mount and a sensor no larger than 1/2.5 inch. It is designed for use with Bosch IP box cameras in the Flexidome and AUTODOME lines, as well as any third-party CS-mount body. The 4-pin DC iris connector must be wired to the camera's iris control port; confirm your camera body supports DC iris (SR-iris) rather than video iris or manual iris. Back focus adjustment will be required after mounting and zooming to the target focal length — plan for this step during commissioning. For installations using IR illuminators, the IR-corrected optics eliminate the need for a secondary focus adjustment when the camera switches modes.

Integrators pairing this lens with an NVR should review the NVR selection guide to confirm the host camera's resolution output aligns with recorder channel licensing. For multi-camera deployments requiring PoE switch planning, the lens itself draws no power — power budget is determined by the camera body only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What sensor formats is the LVF-5005C-S0940 compatible with?

A: The LVF-5005C-S0940 is rated for sensors up to 1/2.5 inch. It will work with smaller formats (1/3-inch, 1/4-inch) without issue. Do not pair it with sensors larger than 1/2.5 inch — corner darkening will result.

Q: Does the LVF-5005C-S0940 work with C-mount cameras?

A: No — not natively. This lens uses a CS mount (back focal distance 8.3 mm). A C-mount camera has a different register distance. You would need a 5 mm C-to-CS adapter ring, and the additional distance may affect infinity focus. Verify with your camera manufacturer before attempting this configuration.

Q: Why does IR correction matter for this lens?

A: Visible light and infrared light focus at slightly different distances through standard glass. When an IR illuminator activates at night and the camera switches to IR mode, a non-IR-corrected lens will produce a soft, slightly out-of-focus image. The LVF-5005C-S0940 uses IR-corrected glass that keeps the focal plane consistent across both wavelengths — so your night image is as sharp as your day image without refocusing.

Q: What is SR-iris and how does it differ from a video iris lens?

A: SR-iris (Super Range iris) is a DC-controlled iris type where the camera's image processor sends a DC voltage signal directly to the lens actuator to open or close the aperture. Video iris lenses receive a composite video signal to derive the exposure control signal. DC iris (SR-iris) generally provides faster, more precise aperture response. Confirm your camera body supports DC iris control before ordering — using a DC iris lens on a camera configured for video iris will result in incorrect exposure behavior.

Q: What is the minimum focus distance for the LVF-5005C-S0940?

A: The minimum object distance is 0.5 m (approximately 1.6 feet). Subjects closer than 0.5 m will not focus correctly regardless of focal length setting.

Q: Can this lens be used in outdoor installations?

A: The lens itself is not weatherproof — it must be installed inside a suitable weatherproof camera housing rated for the environment. The lens operating temperature range is -10°C to +50°C; outdoor use below -10°C requires a heated enclosure. The 93% non-condensing humidity rating means the housing must prevent condensation from forming directly on the lens elements.

Eden Phillips

The LVF-5005C-S0940 is a lens I recommend specifically when the integrator does not yet have a confirmed subject distance locked down at design time. That 9–40 mm varifocal range — a genuine 4.4x span — gives the on-site technician real room to dial in coverage after rough-in, which on commercial box camera installs is more common than most project specs admit. The IR-corrected glass is not optional on any camera paired with an IR illuminator; I have seen enough soft night images from non-IR-corrected glass on 5MP sensors to make this a hard spec requirement on any bid I write.

Technical Highlights:

• F1.5 Maximum Aperture: At the fast end of varifocal optics for this sensor class — more light through the glass in low-light scenes means less electronic gain, less noise, and better detail before any processing occurs. This directly benefits forensic image quality in parking structures and transitional lighting zones.
• 4-Pin DC Iris (SR-Iris): Continuous electronic aperture control from F1.5 to F8 via the camera body's iris circuit. Faster and more precise than video iris in dynamic scenes — headlights, changing cloud cover, door openings onto bright exteriors. Wire the 4-pin connector correctly or the iris defaults open, blowing out bright scenes.
• 8.3 mm Back Focus Distance: This is a tight spec — CS mount standard is 12.526 mm register, but the actual lens back focus is 8.3 mm. Back focus adjustment is required after setting focal length and before finalizing the mount. Budget 10–15 minutes per camera during commissioning for this step.

Deployment Considerations:

• Operating temperature bottoms out at -10°C — for any cabinet or enclosure installation in cold climates, verify the enclosure provides sufficient thermal mass or active heating to stay above that threshold, or expect degraded performance or damage below it.
• The 63 g weight and 54 mm diameter are manageable in most CS-mount box camera housings, but confirm the housing's lens port diameter before specifying — some compact housings have a 52 mm port that will not accept this lens body without modification.

This lens is a strong fit for indoor corridor and perimeter box camera installations in commercial buildings, transit facilities, or any site where the field-of-view requirement may shift between design and commissioning — the focal range absorbs that variability without a lens swap.