This invention provides a vision system housing having a front plate assembly that accommodates a plurality of lens mount types. The front plate includes a central aperture that is located at a predetermined axial (camera axis) distance from a plane of an image sensor. The aperture is stepped from a wider diameter adjacent to the front to a narrower diameter more adjacent to the sensor. This arrangement enables threaded mounting of a plurality of lens mount types, for example M12 and C-Mount. The exterior (front) surface of the front plate includes threaded holes and a removable spring clip arrangement constructed to accommodate a liquid lens positioned over the aperture with an associated lens assembly mounted within the aperture and in optical communication with the liquid lens. The lens is operated using an electrical connection provided by a cable that interconnects with a multi-pin socket positioned on the front plate.