iQ-Near Focus

iQ-Near Focus helps you evaluate a camera's autofocus performance. It consists of a high-contrast, motorized, translucent checkerboard test chart and a stand-alone frame mounted on wheels for easy placement. The high-contrast test chart is used to reliably activate Autofocus on the camera.

How does it work?

Place the iQ-Near Focus at a suitable distance in front of your test scene and place the DUT (Device Under Test) in front of the iQ-Near Focus. The high contrast checkerboard test chart will help you precisely focus the camera at a near distance. When you press the remote release, a motor quickly lowers the checkerboard test chart out of the optical path, and the camera focuses on the test scene behind it. Then the motor returns the checkerboard test chart to its original position within a programmable interval – up to 99 seconds. iQ-Near Focus also works by focusing on your test scene, then moving the high-contrast test into the optical axis.

The VCX-PhoneCam standard is an international standard for evaluating mobile phone camera performance. The goal of the VCX standard is to provide an objective image quality score for each mobile phone, enabling consumers to make more informed decisions when purchasing a new phone. The standard outlines various metrics, including timing metrics, that developers can use to improve their score. For optimal timing measurements, it is crucial to control the autofocus process to ensure accurate testing. The iQ-Near Focus was developed with the VCX standard in mind. This device uses a translucent checkerboard chart that moves up and down (remotely controlled) directly in front of the camera to reset autofocus, presenting a fresh scene for the camera to focus on and capture.