By comparing the two images recorded in different configurations on the same object surface, two-dimensional digital image correlation (2D-DIC) method produces full-field displacement with sub-pixel accuracy and full-field strains in the recorded images. In a practical measurement, however, various deteriorative factors, such as small out-of-plane motion of the test object surface, small out-of-plane motion of the sensor target and geometric distortion of the imaging lens may seriously impair the originally assumed linear correspondence between images displacement and object motions. In certain cases, these disadvantages may lead to significant errors in measuring displacements and strains. The measurement errors of 2D-DIC due to the above three unavoidable deteriorative factors are first described briefly. Then, the performances of three typical imaging lenses, including a standard lens, an object-side telecentric lens and a bilateral telecentric lens, against these three deteriorative factors are investigated experimentally using easy-to-implement static, out-of-plane and in-plane rigid body translation tests. A detailed examination reveals that a high-quality bilateral telecentric lens is not only insensitive to out-of-plane motions of the test object and the self-heating of a camera being used, but also demonstrates negligible lens distortion. So the bilateral lens is highly recommended for high accuracy 2D-DIC measurement.