Large 117mm Bi-Convex Dual-Aspheric Lens

Large 117mm Bi-Convex Dual-Aspheric Lens – Lockheed Martin WFOV USPS Camera System (Optimax/Barr Coated, P/N 801064 – 2010 Surplus – precision-corrected for wide-field performance.

Rare High-Performance Aspheric Lens – Ideal for Wide-Field Projects, Astronomy, Photography, or Machine Vision

This exceptional low-distortion, coma-correcting surplus lens is Lens (L2) in Lockheed Martin’s legendary Wide Field of View (WFOV) telescope assembly – the optical heart of the USPS automated mail sorting cameras that revolutionized postal processing across America.

Originally precision-fabricated by Optimax Systems Inc. and coated by Barr Associates (now Materion) in 2010, this lens helped capture full-envelope images at high speed for barcode and OCR reading. Now available as surplus, it’s an incredible opportunity to acquire a high-end custom optic at a fraction of its original value.

Precise Measurements & Key Specifications

Manufacturer: Optimax Systems Inc. (world-class aspheric specialists) with Barr broadband AR coating (code 8M848 – VIS-NIR)

• Part Numbers: Optimax 801064 / Assembly 4X002-801064

• Serial: 003

• Overall Diameter: ~117 mm/ Clear Aperture: ~100 mm – excellent light gathering power

• FL:~265mm roughly – suitable for wide-field objectives

• Center Thickness: ~20 mm / ET: 3 mm

• Optical Design: Bi-convex with both surfaces aspheric and differing profiles – engineered for superior wide-field aberration correction (coma, astigmatism, distortion) while sharing optical power

• Coating: High-quality broadband anti-reflection (AR) on both surfaces – minimizes flare and ghosting, maximizes transmission in visible to near-IR

• Condition: Excellent surplus – carefully stored in original protective packaging.
• Tolerances/Metrology — Defense-grade (wavefront <λ/10, low scatter): Extra for testing/certification
• “Effective system FOV ~60–80° for full-envelope imaging; single lens ~25–30° depending on sensor.”

Applications: Historic industrial machine vision (full-envelope imaging at high speed); reusable for wide-angle photography, surveillance prototypes, astronomers or educators and experimenters.

Why This Lens Is Special

As the second element in a multi-lens WFOV objective, L2 plays a critical role: it provides strong positive power while using dual aspheric surfaces to deliver sharp, low-distortion imaging across a wide field – essential for reading entire envelopes without mechanical scanning. Optimax’s expertise in double-sided aspheres made this compact, high-performance design possible. A new equivalent custom lens today would cost $5,000–$10,000+

Exciting Modern Repurposing Ideas

This isn’t just a collectible – it’s a versatile, high-quality optic ready for new life: Can be used for

• DIY Wide-Field Telescope / Spotting Scope – Build a bright, low-power “rich-field” telescope for stunning views of star clusters, nebulae, or landscapes. Pair ( with a simple eyepiece for 10–20x magnification.
• Custom Wide-Angle Camera Lens – Adapt to DSLR, mirrorless, or Raspberry Pi cameras for unique panoramic photography, surveillance, or drone imaging with minimal distortion.
• Machine Vision / Barcode Scanner Prototype – Recreate its original purpose in robotics or automation projects – perfect for OpenCV(computer vision) -based scanning systems.
• Solar Concentrator / Educational Demonstrator – Focus sunlight for safe science experiments, melting demos, or classroom optics lessons.
• Artistic Light Installations – Use with LEDs or projectors for immersive visual art and creative effects.