5 Best C Mount Lenses Reviewed and Ranked For You

If you’re a bit old school like me, chances are that you know quite a lot about c mount lenses. They used to be a common feature in filming. Today, though, they remain popular in closed-circuit TV camera applications.

Indeed, these lenses are meant to cover small image formats along with short flange distances. But don’t let their small sizes fool you, these miniature lenses can surprise you if you put them to the right use.

So, in the next few paragraphs, we’re going to provide you with a run-down of some of these awesome lenses. And we’ll wrap up by issuing a verdict on which one of them we think is the best.

C Mount Lenses – Comparison

Below is a brief table of some of the best-made c-mount lenses that you can find today. So, you can fully rely on this table if you don’t have the time to read through the in-depth reviews found further below.

1. Lirank 35mm C-Mount Lens 

Compatible with Sony, Nikon, Olympus, and even Canon cameras, this lens is perfectly suited for low light applications. Its alloy casing makes it hardy for use even in hostile environments.

So, whether you want to have it in your parking, shop, bar, warehouse, house or any other place, this CCTV lens seems to have all needs catered for.

At f1.6, this lens has an aperture that’s just wide enough to capture images even in dimly lit corners of your premises.

Pros

• High-quality design
• Awesome low light performance
• High-quality alloy casing
• Usable in different settings

Cons

• Lacks zooming power as it’s a prime lens

2. Pixco 25mm C-Mount F1.4 C Mount Lens 

With an even larger aperture, this prime lens from Pixco is perfectly suited for use in dimly lit place. What’s more? It has a reasonably wide field of view which means you can cover large swathes of the area under surveillance.

Within this lens, further, is an impeccable focusing ability. The manufacturer simply refers to it as “infinity focus.” This means that the lens can provide quality shots even for distant objects.

Pros

• Wide field of view
• Clear vision
• It’s a low-cost lens
• Good value for money

Cons

• Not ideal for use with full-frame cameras
• It’s a prime lens so no zooming power

Check out our another related article: Best Canon Lenses For Video – Our Honest Thoughts and the Dos and Don’ts 

3. Aihome Monocular Max 300X C Mount Lens

Tired of the limitations that come with the two prime lenses reviewed above? The Aihome Monocular C-Mount lens might just be what you’re looking for.

Despite having a limited aperture, meaning it’s less reliable in poorly lit environments, it has fantastic zooming power. And on top of that, its built-in focusing mechanism is worth dying for.

The lens is also reasonably priced and encased in a well-built alloy housing. So, what you get here is a long-lasting piece of equipment that does exactly what it claims to do.

Pros

• Superb zooming power
• Easy to mount
• High-quality focusing mechanism
• Not too expensive

Cons

• Average performance in low light environments

4. Generic Monocular 43-150mm C-Mount Lens

You may not need too much zooming power and, in that case, just a bit of it combined with a wide aperture would be good enough. And that’s what this 100x glass lens provides.

The lens is affordably priced and above all encased in a powerful housing that’s made of high-quality metal alloys.

On the flipside, though, this may not necessarily be your best bet if you’re planning to shoot in dimly lit corners.

Pros

• Reasonable zooming power
• Powerful and durable housing
• Affordably priced

Cons

• Below-par performance in dimly lit areas
• Limited zooming power compared to the competition

5. Pixco Fish-Eye F3.8 8mm C Mount Lens

If you’re looking for a reliable lens with a wide field of view, this fish-eye C Mount lens would be an option worth pondering on. It has a fish-eye effect which enables it to cover, by far large swathes of space in the image, unlike other ordinary lenses.

Moving on, this prime lens incorporates highly advanced optical elements. These are ostensibly meant to help you get all-around sharpness and light conductivity. In our view, though, this lens tends to struggle when pushed to the limits.

It particularly struggles to capture vivid images at a distance. And although the manufacturer claims that it’s meant to attain infinity focus without compromising on the registration distance, it still lags behind the competition.

So, even though it’s a great option when a wide field of view is desired, it struggles on most other tasks.

Pros

• Wide field of view
• Above average performance in low light environments
• Clear vision for nearby objects

Cons

• Below-par focusing power
• Average quality

Also Read: Best Travel Lens for Sony a6000 – Top 10 Options Reviewed

The Buying Guide For C Mount Lenses

Which C Mount lens should I go for? You might be wondering. Well, to help you make an informed decision, we’d recommend keeping the following factors in mind.

Usage

What exactly do you plan to use the lens for? If you’re planning to use it for hobbyist tasks, then you may not need all that zooming power or wide aperture.

Budget

How much are you willing to fork out for a lens? If your budget is well below $50, then you should always be prepared to make a few compromises.

Low Light Performance

You need a wide aperture to capture vivid images in dimly lit conditions. Therefore, if you’re planning to use the lens in such circumstances, then you want to go for anything with f2.0 and below.

Zooming Power

If you’re looking for a lens that can comfortably cover large swathes of space e.g. in your warehouse, it makes sense to prioritize zooming power. When you can zoom in, it’s possible to capture distant objects clearly. A prime lens would limit you in such circumstances.

Which One Is The Best?

If you don’t mind spending a bit more to get a prime lens, we’d suggest settling for the Lirank 35mm C-Mount Lens. On a tight budget but still insisting on quality, we’d recommend the Pixco 25mm C-Mount F1.4 C Mount Lens.

Looking for zooming power? Our top pick would be none other than the Aihome Monocular Max 300X C Mount Lens.

Final Thoughts

So, our general advice on choosing the best c mount lenses would be that you may need more than one lens for the job. But then, your unique needs and expectations should always be the ones to dictate your choice.

So, go ahead, compile a quick list of requirements and proceed to select the perfect glass based on the recommendations given above.