We aim at the intrinsic parameterization of a computational optical system applied in long-distance displacement measurement of large-scale structures. In this structural-monitoring scenario, the observation distance established between the digital camera and reference targets, which is composed of the computational optical system, can range from 100 up to 1000 m, requiring the use of long-focal length lenses in order to obtain a suitable sensitivity for the three-dimensional displacement measurement of the observed structure which can be of reduced magnitude. Intrinsic parameterization of long-focal length cameras is an emergent issue since conventional approaches applied for reduced focal length cameras are not suitable mainly due to ill-conditioned matrices in least squares estimation procedures. We describe the intrinsic parameterization of a long-focal length camera (600 mm) by the diffractive optical element method and present the obtained estimates and measurement uncertainties, discussing their contribution for the system's validation by calibration field test and displacement measurement campaigns in a long-span suspension bridge. (C) 2015 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)