Is it necessary to perform offset calibration when measuring liquid levels with the VL53L0X?

[till_1994_2025]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently using the VL53L0X sensor to measure the liquid level inside a container, and I have a question regarding the offset calibration procedure described in the documentation.

Is it really necessary to perform the offset calibration in this type of application, considering that I later apply a custom correction algorithm to compensate for systematic errors? I’d like to know if the calibration provides any meaningful improvement in accuracy when working with liquid surfaces, or if it would be redundant in my case.

Additionally, if the offset calibration is required, should it be performed with respect to the liquid surface itself, or should I follow the recommended method using a white target as described in the official documentation?

I’d appreciate any insights or experiences from anyone who has worked with ToF sensors in liquid level measurement setups.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: I am not using a cover glass with the sensor.

[Zhiyuan.Han]

Hi 

To be honest, L0CX is originally designed for Lambertian target, that's why we suggest white target at short distance for offset calibration, then the calibrated offset will be applied to ranging data. 

if your ranging target is water and have your own correction algo, then you can ignore the offset calibration. or you can try the offset calibration with your target liquid, this calibrated offset will fir your use case.

Br

Zhiyuan.Han