Lensing, Lighting and Accessories

Zebra Accessory Selection Guide

Selecting the right accessory depends on three things: the Zebra device you're outfitting, the surface or object you're imaging, and the working distance between them. This guide walks through the decisions that most often come up - and the part numbers that solve them.

Compatibility at a glance

Zebra accessories are matched to specific device families. Use this chart to identify which categories of accessory apply to your scanner or camera:

Not every accessory in every cell applies to every part number within a device family. Confirm specific accessory compatibility before ordering or call our team for verification.

Choosing the right external lighting

External lighting is the single most common cause of read failures and inspection inconsistencies. The right light depends on what you're trying to image:

External lighting requires a separate light control cable (CBL-LGT00000-M1200 or CBL-LGT00200-M1200) to connect to the scanner or vision controller. The cable is sold separately because the right choice depends on your host device and the distance from light to camera.

Choosing the right C-mount lens

Zebra's customizable FS70 and VS70 cameras accept standard C-mount lenses. Automation Distribution stocks the Computar 45-megapixel MPT series in the most common focal lengths used with these cameras:

Frame grabbers for PC-based vision systems

Frame grabbers connect high-bandwidth machine vision cameras (CoaXPress or fiber-based) to a PC-based vision controller or industrial computer. Zebra's Rapixo family covers the most demanding acquisition workloads:

• Rapixo CXP Pro Octo (RAP16-8C12-P15F) - 8-channel CoaXPress 2.0 (CXP-12), PCIe Gen3 x16. For applications running multiple high-resolution area-scan cameras or a single high-speed line-scan camera at full bandwidth.
• Rapixo CoF Quad 10G - 4-channel fiber acquisition at up to 40Gbps aggregate bandwidth. For applications requiring long cable runs (beyond CoaXPress distance limits) or full electrical isolation from the camera head.

Frame grabbers are not required for Zebra's smart cameras (FS and VS series) - those have built-in processing. Frame grabbers are specifically for PC-based vision deployments using Zebra's Aurora Vision software or third-party machine vision libraries.

Cables, mounting hardware, and protection

Most Zebra fixed scanner and machine vision installations need at least three cables: power, host communication, and an external light control cable if external lighting is used. Mounting brackets, mirrors, and protective covers complete the installation:

• USB cables (CBL-USB series) - host communication to a PC, laptop, or industrial computer. Multiple lengths and connector orientations available.
• External light control cables (CBL-LGT series) - required for all external LGHT-T and LGHT-B bar lights. Connects the light to the scanner or vision controller for strobe and continuous control.
• GPIO breakout blocks (BLOKPNP-KIT / BLOKNPN-KIT) - terminate scanner trigger and result lines into screw terminals for PLC wiring. Choose PNP or NPN to match your control system's I/O convention.
• L-Mount brackets (BRKT-LMNT series) - adjustable-angle and fixed brackets specifically designed for FS10 and FS20. Compact form factor for tight installations.
• Deflective mirrors (MIRR-DFLA series) - first-surface mirrors for FS10 and FS20 that redirect the optical path around mechanical obstructions or change the viewing angle without repositioning the scanner.
• IP67 lens covers (LENS-XIP series) - protective covers that maintain IP67 sealing on FS80 and Iris GTX cameras for washdown environments. Required for food, pharma, and high-pressure cleaning applications.
• Polarizing lens covers - reduce specular glare from highly reflective surfaces by polarizing the light before it reaches the imager. Not compatible with IR imaging applications.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need external lighting if my Zebra scanner has built-in illumination?

Sometimes. Zebra's built-in scanner lighting works for most short-distance, single-target applications. External LED bar lights become necessary when the field of view is wider than the scanner's internal LEDs can illuminate evenly, when the working distance exceeds what built-in lighting reaches, when reading reflective or curved surfaces that need diffused or angled illumination, or when scanning fast-moving products that need strobed lighting synchronized to a trigger.

Which Zebra fixed scanners accept C-mount lenses?

The Zebra FS70 fixed industrial scanner and VS70 machine vision smart camera are the primary C-mount-capable models in the current portfolio. They accept standard C-mount lenses including the Computar MPT series stocked here. The FS10, FS20, FS40, and FS80 have integrated optics and do not accept removable C-mount lenses.

What focal length should I choose for my application?

Focal length is determined by your working distance and required field of view. 12mm is wide-field and short-distance. 25mm is the most common choice for general conveyor and inspection work at typical industrial working distances. 35mm and 50mm are for tighter fields of view, longer working distances, or detail inspection on small features. Field of view scales inversely with focal length - call our team to run the exact numbers for your conveyor width and working distance.

When should I use a frame grabber instead of a Zebra smart camera?

Use a frame grabber when your application needs more performance, resolution, or speed than a Zebra smart camera (FS or VS series) can provide. Typical scenarios: line-scan imaging on continuous web inspection, multi-camera coordinated capture at high frame rates, applications using CoaXPress or fiber acquisition for long cable runs, or applications using third-party machine vision libraries that require direct PC-based image access. For most standard inspection and barcode applications, a Zebra smart camera with built-in processing is more cost-effective than a PC plus frame grabber plus camera.

Do external bar lights come with everything I need to connect them?

No. Zebra LGHT-T and LGHT-B bar lights require a separate external light control cable (typically CBL-LGT00000-M1200 or CBL-LGT00200-M1200) to connect to the scanner or vision controller. The cable is sold separately because the right choice depends on the host device and the distance between the light and camera. Confirm cable selection at order time.

What's the difference between PNP and NPN GPIO breakout blocks?

PNP and NPN describe how the I/O logic switches: PNP (sourcing) supplies positive voltage when active and is the dominant convention in European, Asian, and most modern North American PLC systems. NPN (sinking) connects to ground when active and remains common in legacy and some Japanese-origin equipment. Choose the breakout that matches your PLC's input convention. BLOKPNP-KIT for PNP systems, BLOKNPN-KIT for NPN systems.

Can I use third-party lenses, lights, or cables with Zebra scanners?

Standard C-mount lenses from any manufacturer work mechanically with the FS70 and VS70 - Computar is one well-tested option but others are compatible. External lighting from third parties can be connected through the GPIO breakout block but will not benefit from Zebra's native strobe and continuous control through the device web interface or Aurora software. For trouble-free integration and full software control, Zebra-branded LGHT, CBL, and BRKT accessories are recommended.

Zebra and Aurora are trademarks of Zebra Technologies Corporation. Computar is a trademark of CBC Group. All part numbers and compatibility references are based on Zebra's published accessory documentation; confirm specific compatibility before ordering.