Abstract: Borescopes, such as chip-on-a-tip laparoscopes and endoscopes, having variable and/or active focus lenses. In some preferred embodiments, a chip-on-a-tip borescope may comprise a tip assembly having a fixed focus lens and an active or variable focus lens. The active lens may be part of an active lens assembly, which may comprise a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, along with an active lens unit that may be configured to receive electrical signals, such as voltage steps, that may be used to change the shape of the lens component of the unit to change the focal distance of the device. The substrate may be physically coupled to other elements of the scope and may be electrically coupled with other elements of the scope, such as a voltage driver that may be provided in a printed circuit board in the handle of the scope, for example.