An auto-iris lens automatically adjusts the iris (or aperture) in order to regulate and optimize the amount of light or infrared energy a camera receives. This is ideal for outdoor video surveillance cameras, as they often have to deal with changing light conditions and high-contrast situations. The iris is not a digital image process but is a physical opening built into a lens that is controlled by a small servo motor and is frequently used in tandem with DSP image processing such as WDR; HLC and BLC. It allows security and surveillance cameras to adjust and optimize the image on the fly based on the changing light conditions.