The most striking feature in the lighthouse was the classical third-order rotating Fresnel Lens located in the lantern. This particular lens was manufactured around 1910 in Paris, France, by Barbier, Benard, et Turenne, the oldest lens making company in the world. This lens is made up of hand-ground prisms held in place by a cast brass frame. The prisms and frame represent an excellent example of the precision achieved by optical scientists and the lens making art in utilizing the known principles and properties of light. When it was active, the 1.1 million candlepower-beam had a nominal (clear weather) visible range of . Now removed from the lantern room, the lens will in the future be displayed at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center.