IP Library Granted Patent US 8,625,202
Granted Patent B2
US 8,625,202 · App. 13/234,867 · Granted Jan 7, 2014

Zoom lens system, lens barrel, interchangeable lens apparatus and camera system

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,625,202
App. No.
13/234,867
Granted
Jan 7, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Compact and lightweight zoom lens systems having less aberration fluctuation in association with focusing, lens barrels, interchangeable lens apparatuses, and camera systems are provided. The zoom lens system comprises: a first lens unit having positive optical power; a first focusing lens unit which is located on an image side relative to the first lens unit, has negative optical power, and moves along an optical axis in zooming and focusing; and a second focusing lens unit which is located on the image side relative to the first focusing lens unit, has positive optical power, and moves along the optical axis in the zooming and the focusing, and satisfies the condition: |d 2T /d 1T |<1.0 (d 1T : an amount of movement of the first focusing lens unit in focusing at a telephoto limit, d 2T : an amount of movement of the second focusing lens unit in focusing at a telephoto limit).

Claims (42)

1. A zoom lens system which comprises a plurality of lens units, and performs zooming from a wide-angle limit to a telephoto limit, and focusing from an infinity in-focus condition to a close-object in-focus condition, wherein

the plurality of lens units include:

a first lens unit having positive optical power;

a first focusing lens unit which is located on an image side relative to the first lens unit, has negative optical power, and moves along an optical axis in the zooming and the focusing; and

a second focusing lens unit which is located on the image side relative to the first focusing lens unit, has positive optical power, and moves along the optical axis in the zooming and the focusing, and

the following condition (1) is satisfied:

|d 2T /d 1T |<1.0  (1)

where

d 1T is an amount of movement of the first focusing lens unit in focusing at a telephoto limit, and

d 2T is an amount of movement of the second focusing lens unit in focusing at a telephoto limit, wherein the first lens unit has a constant distance from an image surface in both the zooming and the focusing.

2. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the following condition (2) is satisfied:

|d 1W /d 2W |<1.0  (2)

where

d 1W is an amount of movement of the first focusing lens unit in focusing at a wide-angle limit, and

d 2W is an amount of movement of the second focusing lens unit in focusing at a wide-angle limit.

3. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the first lens unit is located closest to an object side among the plurality of lens units,

the first focusing lens unit is the second closest to the object side among the plurality of lens units, and

the second focusing lens unit is the fourth closest to the object side among the plurality of lens units.

4. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the following conditions (3) and (4) are satisfied:

−1.5 <f 1f /f W <−0.35  (3)

0.5 <f 2f /f W <5.0  (4)

where

f 1f is a focal length of the first focusing lens unit,

f 2f is a focal length of the second focusing lens unit, and

f W is a focal length of the entire zoom lens system at a wide-angle limit

5. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

a lens unit, which is the third closest to an object side among the plurality of lens units, moves in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis to cause the position of an image to shift in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis.

6. A lens barrel comprising:

a zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1 ; and

a holder section for holding the zoom lens system.

7. An interchangeable lens apparatus comprising:

a lens barrel as claimed in claim 6 ; and

a mount which is detachably connected to a camera body.

8. A camera system comprising:

an interchangeable lens apparatus as claimed in claim 7 ; and

an image sensor which receives an optical image formed by the zoom lens system, and converts the optical image into an electric image signal.

9. A camera system comprising:

a lens barrel as claimed in claim 6 ; and

an image sensor which receives an optical image formed by the zoom lens system, and converts the optical image into an electric image signal.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056788/0362 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034194/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2011
From: YOSHINAGA, SHUNICHIRO; IZUHARA, ISAMU; MIYAZAKI, KYOICHI; IMAOKA, TAKUYA
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027272/0391 →