IP Library Granted Patent US 7,443,607
Granted Patent B2
US 7,443,607 · App. 11/625,878 · Granted Oct 28, 2008

Zoom lens, and image-capturing apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,443,607
App. No.
11/625,878
Granted
Oct 28, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sufficiently compact zoom lens equipped with a vibration-control function is provided. The zoom lens includes, in sequence from an object, a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having positive refractive power. The first lens group includes, in sequence from the object, a lens group having positive refractive power and a bending optical system for bending an optical axis to essentially an angle of 90°. Moreover, the third lens group has a stationary lens group having positive refractive power and a movable lens group having positive refractive power. During zooming operation, the second lens group and the fourth lens group are moved along the optical axis. During vibration-control operation, the movable lens group of the third lens group is moved in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis.

Claims (20)

1. A zoom lens comprising: in sequence from an object, a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having positive refractive power, wherein

the first lens group includes, in sequence from the object, a lens group having positive refractive power and a bending optical system for bending an optical axis to essentially an angle of 90°;

the third lens group has a stationary lens group having positive refractive power and a movable lens group having positive refractive power;

the second lens group and the fourth lens group are moved along the optical axis during zooming operation; and

the movable lens group of the third lens group is moved in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis during vibration-control operation.

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein, provided that the focal length of the overall third lens group is taken as f3; that the focal length of the stationary lens group is taken as fa; and that an air spacing interval between a surface of the stationary lens group closest to the movable lens group and a surface of the movable lens group closest to the stationary lens group is taken as Dab,

1.4< fa/f 3<3.1 and

0.01< Dab/f 3<0.10 are satisfied.

3. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the movable lens group is formed from a single positive lens.

4. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the movable lens group is formed from only a cemented lens into which a positive lens having positive refractive power and a negative lens having negative refractive power are cemented together, in sequence from the object.

5. The zoom lens according to claim 4 , wherein, provided that an Abbe number of a positive lens forming the cemented lens of the movable lens group is taken as vb1 and that an Abbe number of a negative lens forming the same is taken as vb2, |vb1−vb2|>20 is acquired.

6. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the stationary lens group includes a cemented lens into which a positive lens having positive refractive power and a negative lens having negative refractive power are cemented together, in sequence from the object.

7. The zoom lens according to claims 6 , wherein the stationary lens group is formed from only a cemented lens into which a positive lens having positive refractive power and a negative lens having negative refractive power are cemented together, in sequence from the object.

8. The zoom lens according to claim 6 , wherein the stationary lens group includes a cemented lens into which a positive lens having positive refractive power, a positive lens having positive refractive power, and a negative lens having negative power are cemented together, in sequence from the object.

9. The zoom lens according to claim 6 , wherein, provided that an Abbe number of a positive lens forming the cemented lens of the stationary lens group is taken as va1 and that an Abbe number of a negative lens forming the same is taken as va2, |va1−va2|>5 is satisfied.

10. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the stationary lens group has a lens surface of aspherical shape whose action of converging a luminous flux becomes weaker with increasing distance from the optical axis to a periphery of the lens surface.

11. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein, provided that the maximum height of an image on an image surface is taken as “d” and that a focal length of an entire lens system achieved at a wide-angle end thereof is taken as fw, d/fw<0.22 is satisfied.

12. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the third lens group includes the stationary lens group and the movable lens group arranged in this sequence from the object.

13. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the third lens group includes the movable lens group and the stationary lens group arranged in this sequence from the object.

14. An image capturing apparatus having the zoom lens defined in any one of claim 1 .

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2023
From: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES FUND 83 LLC
To: MONUMENT PEAK VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 064599/0304 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2017
From: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES FUND 83 LLC
To: MONUMENT PEAK VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 041941/0079 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2013
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
To: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES FUND 83 LLC
Reel/Frame 030213/0245 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Feb 1, 2013
From: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC.; WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; EASTMAN KODAK INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL COMPANY, INC.; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER-PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC INC.; FPC INC.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; PAKON, INC.; QUALEX INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 029913/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2012
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; PAKON, INC.
To: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 028201/0420 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2007
From: KUSHIDA, TARO
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Reel/Frame 018857/0461 →