IP Library Granted Patent US 7,782,542
Granted Patent B2
US 7,782,542 · App. 12/315,870 · Granted Aug 24, 2010

Zoom lens and electronic imaging device having the same

Assignee: Olympus Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,782,542
App. No.
12/315,870
Granted
Aug 24, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A zoom lens includes a most object-side lens unit remaining fixed on the optical axis when the magnification of the zoom lens is changed and a focusing operation is performed; a most image-side lens unit remaining fixed when the focusing operation is performed; and a plurality of moving lens units lying between the most object-side lens unit and the most image-side lens unit, moved along the optical axis when the magnification is changed. The most object-side lens unit includes, in order from the object side, a negative lens component, a reflective optical component having a reflecting surface for bending the optical path, and a positive lens component. The most image-side lens unit has at least one aspherical surface. An electronic imaging device includes an electronic image sensor located on the image side of the zoom lens.

Claims (106)

1. An electronic imaging device comprising:

a zoom lens;

an electronic image sensor located on an image side of the zoom lens; and

a display monitor which displays an object image received by the electronic image sensor,

wherein the zoom lens comprises:

a fixed lens unit remaining fixed on an optical axis when a magnification of the zoom lens is changed and a focusing operation is performed;

a first moving lens unit lying on an image side of the fixed lens unit, moved along the optical axis when the magnification is changed; and

a second moving lens unit moved along the optical axis when the magnification is changed;

wherein the fixed lens unit comprises a reflective optical component having a reflecting surface for reflecting an optical path, and

wherein any medium on the optical path interposed between the zoom lens and the electronic image sensor is air or a non-crystalline medium.

2. The electronic imaging device according to claim 1 ,

further comprising a filter located on an object side of the electronic image sensor,

wherein the filter comprises a near-infrared cutoff coat having a multilayer film.

3. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the filter satisfies the following condition:

τ600/τ550≧0.8

where τ600 is a transmittance for a wavelength of 600 nm, and τ550 is a transmittance for a wavelength of 550 nm.

4. The electronic imaging device according to claim 3 ,

wherein the filter further satisfies the following condition:

τ700/τ550≦0.08

where τ700 is a transmittance for a wavelength of 700 nm.

5. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the electronic image sensor has a cover glass, and the filter is placed on an entrance-side surface of the cover glass.

6. An electronic imaging device comprising:

a zoom lens;

an electronic image sensor located on an image side of the zoom lens;

a filter located on an object side of the electronic image sensor; and

a display monitor which displays an object image received by the electronic image sensor,

wherein the zoom lens comprises:

a fixed lens unit remaining fixed on an optical axis when a magnification of the zoom lens is changed and a focusing operation is performed;

a first moving lens unit lying on an image side of the fixed lens unit, moved along the optical axis when the magnification is changed; and

a second moving lens unit moved along the optical axis when the magnification is changed;

wherein the fixed lens unit comprises a reflective optical component having a reflecting surface for reflecting an optical path, and

wherein the filter comprises a near-infrared cutoff coat having a multilayer film and satisfies the following conditions:

τ600/τ550≧0.8

τ700/τ550≦0.08

where τ600 is a transmittance for a wavelength of 600 nm, τ700 is a transmittance for a wavelength of 700 nm, and τ550 is a transmittance for a wavelength of 550 nm.

7. An electronic imaging device comprising:

a zoom lens;

an absorber or reflector arranged in an optical path;

an electronic image sensor located on an image side of the zoom lens; and

a display monitor which displays an object image received by the electronic image sensor,

wherein the zoom lens comprises:

a fixed lens unit remaining fixed on an optical axis when a magnification of the zoom lens is changed and a focusing operation is performed;

a first moving lens unit lying on an image side of the fixed lens unit, moved along the optical axis when the magnification is changed; and

a second moving lens unit moved along the optical axis when the magnification is changed;

wherein the fixed lens unit comprises a reflective optical component having a reflecting surface for reflecting the optical path, and

wherein the absorber or reflector satisfies the following condition:

τ400/τ550≧0.08

τ440/τ550≦0.4

where τ400 is a transmittance for a wavelength of 400 nm, τ440 is a transmittance for a wavelength of 440 nm, and τ550 is a transmittance for a wavelength of 550 nm.

8. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

further comprising an aperture stop that determines an F value at a wide-angle position of the zoom lens,

wherein the electronic imaging device satisfies the following condition:

F≧a /(1 μm)

where a is a horizontal pixel pitch of the electronic image sensor, and F is an open F value at the wide-angle position of the zoom lens.

9. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the electronic imaging device satisfies the following condition:

1.8<fT/fw

where fw is a focal length of an entire system at a wide-angle position of the zoom lens, and fT is a focal length of the entire system at a telephoto position of the zoom lens.

10. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein a total number of reflecting surfaces in the reflective optical component is one.

11. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein a total number of reflecting surfaces in the zoom lens is one.

12. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the second moving lens unit is laid on an image side of the first moving lens unit.

13. The electronic imaging device according to claim 12 ,

wherein a space on the optical path between the first moving lens unit and the second moving lens unit is free from another lens unit.

14. The electronic imaging device according to claim 12 ,

wherein the zoom lens further comprises a most image-side lens unit located at a most image-side position in the zoom lens,

wherein the first moving lens unit has negative refracting power, and

wherein the second moving lens unit has positive refracting power.

15. The electronic imaging device according to claim 14 ,

wherein the most image-side lens unit is fixed on the optical axis when a focusing operation is performed.

16. The electronic imaging device according to claim 14 ,

wherein the most image-side lens unit is fixed on the optical axis when the magnification is changed.

17. The electronic imaging device according to claim 12 ,

wherein the zoom lens further comprises:

a most image-side lens unit located at a most image-side position in the zoom lens; and

a lens unit interposed between the second moving lens unit and the most image-side lens unit and moved along the optical axis in focusing onto a shorter-distance object point.

18. The electronic imaging device according to claim 12 ,

wherein the second moving lens unit comprises, in order from an object side, a single lens and a cemented lens component, and

wherein a total number of lens elements included in the second moving lens unit is three.

19. The electronic imaging device according to claim 12 ,

wherein the second moving lens unit comprises, in order from an object side, a cemented lens component and a single lens, and

wherein a total number of lens elements included in the second moving lens unit is three.

20. The electronic imaging device according to claim 12 ,

wherein the second moving lens unit comprises a cemented triplet lens component.

21. The electronic imaging device according to claim 12 ,

wherein the fixed lens unit is located at a most object-side position.

22. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the fixed lens unit comprises, in order from an object side, a negative lens component, the reflective optical component, and a positive lens component.

23. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the first moving lens unit is shifted to an object side in focusing onto a shorter-distance object point.

24. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the first moving lens unit comprises, in order from an object side, a negative lens element and a positive lens element.

25. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein a horizontal pixel pitch of the electronic image sensor is 2.8 μm or less.

26. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein a horizontal pixel pitch of the electronic image sensor is 2.6 μm or less.

27. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein a horizontal pixel pitch of the electronic image sensor is 2.0 μm or less.

28. The electronic imaging device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the reflective optical component is a prism and satisfies the following condition:

1.55<npri

where npri is a refractive index, for d-line rays, of a medium of which the reflective optical component is made.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2021
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OM DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058329/0766 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 27, 2016
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039344/0502 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2010
From: MIHARA, SHINICHI
To: OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 024650/0475 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 8, 2010
From: OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD.
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024650/0545 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2002-138835 · May 14, 2002 · national
JP 2002-141234 · May 16, 2002 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 1178480800 · Apr 9, 2007
Division 1137401000 · Mar 14, 2006
Continuation 1042904300 · May 5, 2003
Related Publication 20090097130A1 · Apr 16, 2009