A method for calibrating an endoscopic camera is described. The endoscopic camera includes an endoscope and a camera and the camera includes a camera head. The method includes receiving a lens descriptor associated with the endoscope, the lens descriptor including first calibration parameters indicating first characteristics of the endoscope independent of the endoscopic camera, with the endoscope installed in the endoscopic camera, acquiring an image frame using the endoscopic camera, detecting second characteristics of the image frame acquired using the endoscopic camera, calculating second calibration parameters using the lens descriptor and the second characteristics captured for the image frame, the second calibration parameters being different from the first calibration parameters, and at least one of storing and outputting the second calibration parameters to be used to operate the endoscopic camera.