MTF test equipment for control of image quality in the production line of camera lenses

Over the past decades MTF measurements have become an accepted criteria for evaluating the imaging quality of optical systems. Due to increased speed of computers and the development of new detectors like CCD this technique is now also available for quality inspections in production lines. We will introduce the basic principles of MTF-measurements and account for the required sensor characteristics as well as the supplemental optics which can be used to achieve those. In addition a production line instrument which has been developed in close cooperation with the optical industry is going to be presented. With this instrument MTF of an optical system is measurement simultaneously in 9 different field positions within 5 sec. total. Thus assuring a profitable hundred percent quality inspection. On the basis of several examples the achievable precision and reproducibility will be demonstrated.