Optical Lens Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Converging and Diverging), By Application (AR/VR/Headsets or Mounted Display, Camera, Automotive, Smartphones, Medical Surgery, and Others), and Regional Forecasts, 2023-2030

The optical lens market size was valued at USD 16.88 billion in 2022. The market is projected to grow from USD 18.09 billion in 2023 to USD 32.68 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period. Asia Pacific dominated the global market with a share of 39.16% in 2022.

An optical lens is a transparent optical component with one or more curved surfaces that pass or transmit light. It can be utilized either uncoated or with an anti-reflective coating for a wide range of applications such as correction of optical aberrations, magnification, image projection, and image focusing. These optical components are usually made of transparent glass and polymers, acrylics, and minerals.

The significant optical lens market growth is majorly attributed to the increased demand for various consumer electronics products, including smartphones and digital cameras, and the rising use of diagnostic medical imaging. Increasing disposable income in developing countries, rapid technological advancements and the rise in e-commerce platforms are key factors contributing to the rising demand for various consumer electronics products worldwide. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), globally, 73% of the population aged 10 and over owned a mobile phone in 2022. Optical lens aids in capturing high-quality images and videos using a smartphone.    

Many smartphone manufacturers collaborate with lens manufacturers to meet the rising demand for smartphones offering image quality similar to DSLR and stay ahead of the competition. For instance,

• In February 2023, Xiaomi, a consumer electronics and smart manufacturing company, entered into a long-term partnership with Leica Camera AG, a manufacturer of cameras and sport optics. The objective of the partnership is to bring a high level of quality to smartphone photography using Leica’s imaging capabilities. 

COVID-19 IMPACT

Supply Chain Disruptions Coupled with Low R&D Investment during Pandemic Hampered Market Growth

The COVID-19 outbreak severely impacted the optical lens industry. The pandemic caused various challenges for supply chains concerning all aspects, from manufacturing to distribution. As per the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) “Review of Maritime Transport 2021” report, international maritime trade declined by 3.8% in 2020. As over 80% of the volume of international trade in goods is carried by sea, the decline in maritime trade significantly hampered various industries.

During the initial period of the outbreak, many optical stores and clinics worldwide were temporarily closed or operated with limited capacity, owing to social distancing and lockdown measures. This reduced demand for prescription glasses and contact lenses, resulting in lower sales and revenue for this market.

Moreover, manufacturers invest a substantial amount in R&D activities for new product development or to enhance the optical performance of optical lenses. However, during the pandemic, R&D investment by organizations was reduced significantly. This, in turn, severely hampered business research and innovation. 

However, as the global economy showed signs of a steady recovery in 2021, the optical lens industry started to recover. Post COVID-19, vehicle purchases have had a massive uptick, offering safety features such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). These systems highly rely on high-quality lenses, leading to an increased demand for automotive lenses that support these features.

LATEST TRENDS

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Rising Adoption of Machine Vision across Various Industries to Fuel Market Growth

Machine vision is a rapidly evolving technology that enables robots and other machines to see and understand their surroundings. The technology uses one or more video cameras and image processing software to boost production speed and yield, automate production, and improve the quality of end products. Lenses play a vital role in machine vision systems by capturing and focusing light onto image sensors, allowing the analysis of visual data. AI-based machine vision increasingly adds value to the manufacturing industry, with numerous benefits such as enhanced accuracy, flexibility, and cost reduction.   

OPTICAL LENS MARKET GROWTH FACTORS

Increasing Demand for Various Consumer Electronics Products Fuel Market Growth

There is a growing demand from consumers for various imaging lenses such as ultra-wide-angle, macro lenses, and telephoto for better photography experience. Interchangeable lenses are a crucial part of digital cameras. Technological innovations in lens manufacturing have improved lens performance, image quality, and optical capabilities. These advancements are expected to surge the demand for optical lenses in digital camera applications. Moreover, the rising demand for lenses in AR and Virtual Reality (VR) headsets is a major optical lens market trend.

Several leading players in the market are launching advanced lenses for digital cameras. For instance,

• In June 2023, Nikon Corporation, a manufacturer of optical instruments, introduced NIKKOR Z 70-180mm f/2.8, a compact and light telephoto zoom lens for the Nikon Z mount system. This telephoto zoom lens covers a wide range of focal lengths with a constant fast maximum aperture of f/2.8.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Glass Shortage to Hamper the Market Growth

Glass is an important material for numerous industries, including optics & optoelectronics, electronics, energy, biomedicine, information & communication, aerospace, and agriculture. The demand for glass has soared in the last decade due to the growth of these sectors. Various factors, such as labor shortages, energy costs, and supply chain issues, have severely affected the glass material’s production, transportation, and availability. Moreover, the shortage of raw materials, such as high-quality sand and soda ash, used in glass production is expected to hamper the market growth.

SEGMENTATION

By Type Analysis

Robust Demand from a Wide Range of Industries to Fuel the Demand for Converging Lenses

Based on type, the market is divided into converging and diverging. The converging segment is expected to hold the maximum market share. Converging lenses are used across numerous industries, including automotive, electronics, healthcare, and telecommunications. The increasing demand for these lenses in applications such as microscopy, medical imaging, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and autonomous vehicles is propelling market growth. Furthermore, continuous R&D activities in optics and lens technologies propel advancements in converging lenses. The investments made by companies and research institutions result in the development of advanced lens materials, designs, and fabrication techniques, further driving market growth.

Diverging segment is expected to show the fastest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to continued advancements in these lenses. Improvements in lens coatings, materials, and manufacturing processes are expected to produce higher-performing diverging lenses in the coming years.

By Application Analysis

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Increasing Demand for Optical Lenses from Smartphone Manufacturers Drives Growth

Based on application, the market is segmented into AR/VR/headsets or mounted display, camera, automotive, smartphones, medical surgery, and others.

The smartphones segment is anticipated to dominate the market during the forecast period. The growing popularity of social media platforms, such as Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook, resulted in increased interest in photography and videography. In the last decade, social media users almost tripled, from 970 million in 2010 to 4.48 billion in July 2021. Nowadays, people use smartphones to capture personal memories and share photos and videos on social media. This, in turn, has increased the demand for better camera performance, including improved lenses, to share visually appealing content.

In addition, the AR/VR/headsets or mounted display segment is expected to show the fastest CAGR during the forecast period as these technologies are rapidly gaining popularity globally. The demand for lenses in Augmented Reality (AR) and VR headsets is growing significantly as these technologies are gaining popularity worldwide. As the AR/VR headset demand continues to rise, the requirement for lenses that offer improved optics and customized solutions for different applications is expected to grow during the forecast period.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

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Geographically, the market is fragmented into five major regions, North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific. They are further categorized into countries.

Asia Pacific is expected to account for the largest market share during the forecast period on account of the presence of major players such as Tamron Co., Ltd., Sunny Optical Technology (Group) Company Limited, Canon Inc., FUJIFILM Corporation, SONY ELECTRONICS INC., Nikon Corporation, thereby rising demand for consumer electronics products and increasing automotive production. Several countries in the Asia Pacific region, such as Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and India, play an important role in the development of the optical lens industry. China and Japan have emerged as major manufacturing hubs for optical lenses due to the presence of the largest and well-known lens manufacturers in these nations.

The market in North America is driven by the increasing prevalence of vision disorders, the rising popularity of AR/VR headsets, and the rising integration of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in vehicles. ADAS demand is anticipated to grow rapidly in this region due to regulatory and consumer interest in safety systems that protect drivers and decrease accidents. Lenses and cameras play a crucial role in ADAS, acting as one of the main sensory inputs for decision-making and perception systems.

In South America, significant growth in various end-user industries such as healthcare, consumer electronics, and automotive is anticipated to augment the market growth. The increasing population and disposable income in this region have contributed to the expansion of the consumer electronics industry. This, in turn, is expected to augment the demand for optical lenses during the forecast period. 

In Europe, the rising sales of electric vehicles with ADAS features and the presence of major vehicle manufacturers are expected to drive market growth. Moreover, the demand for digital cameras and smartphones is anticipated to grow owing to increased tourism in this region. Germany is expected to maintain its leadership position due to a solid structure for the R&D of advanced technologies.

Growing population, rapid urbanization, and economic development drive market growth in the Middle East & Africa (MEA). The region has an increasing demand for consumer electronics and vision correction solutions.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Key Players Focus on Strengthening their Market Position with Continuous Developments

The global market is consolidated by leading players such as Tamron Co., Ltd., Sunny Optical Technology (Group) Company Limited, Canon Inc., FUJIFILM Corporation, SONY ELECTRONICS INC., and Nikon Corporation. These companies are expanding their operations by adopting strategies such as acquisitions, collaborations, mergers, partnerships, and product launches. For instance,

• In June 2022, SONY ELECTRONICS INC., a consumer electronics product manufacturer, unveiled three new E-mount lenses in India for their interchangeable mirrorless camera. These lenses include versatile G lens E 15mm F1.4 G (model SEL15F14G), Sony power zoom G lens E PZ 10-20mm F4 G (model SELP1020G), and the ultrawide prime E 11mm F1.8 (model SEL11F18).

List of Key Companies Profiled in Optical Lens Market:

• Sunny Optical Technology (Group) Company Limited (China)


• Tamron Co., Ltd. (Japan)


• Canon Inc. (Japan)


• Largan Precision Co., Ltd. (Taiwan)


• FUJIFILM Corporation (Japan)


• Nikon Corporation (Japan)


• Genius Electronic Optical (Taiwan)


• ZEISS International (Germany)


• SONY ELECTRONICS INC. (Japan)


• SIGMA CORPORATION (Japan)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• June 2023: Nikon Corporation, an optical instrument manufacturer company, plans to expand its Japan-based optics factory to increase the production capacity for lenses in cameras, microscopes, and semiconductor exposure equipment. The facility is anticipated to cost approximately USD 224 million, with operation starting in 2026.


• April 2023: SIGMA Corporation, a producer and distributor of digital cameras, interchangeable lenses, and photographic accessories, announced the launch of interchangeable lenses for the Nikon Z mount system.


• June 2022: SIGMA Corporation announced a new lens, SIGMA 16-28mm F2.8 DG DN. These lenses have a robust and lightweight body and are especially useful for landscape, wedding, and travel photography. 


• May 2022: Tamron Co., Ltd., an optics manufacturer company, launched compact φ29mm machine-vision lenses, compatible with models MA23F12V (focal length 12mm), MA23F16V (16mm), and MA23F50V (50mm) to meet the increasing demand for megapixel cameras required in substrate mounting equipment, test equipment, production equipment, and various engineering machines for inspection purposes.


• March 2022: Radiant Vision Systems, LLC announced an XRE lens solution with electronic focus for near-eye display testing. This solution comes with high-resolution ProMetric imaging colorimeters, photometers, and TT-ARVR Software to offer a fully automated visual inspection solution for XR display testing in R&D and production. 

REPORT COVERAGE

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The report offers qualitative and quantitative insights into the market and a detailed analysis of the size & growth rate for all possible segments in the market. It also provides an elaborative analysis of market dynamics, emerging trends, and the competitive landscape. The report also offers key insights, such as implementing automation in specific market segments, recent industry developments such as partnerships, mergers, funding, acquisitions, consolidated SWOT analysis of key players, business strategies of leading market players, macro and micro-economic indicators, and major industry trends. This detailed analysis provides a comprehensive view of the market and its potential for growth and development.

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