IP Library Granted Patent US 9,158,092
Granted Patent B2
US 9,158,092 · App. 14/157,900 · Granted Oct 13, 2015

Zoom lens system, interchangeable lens apparatus and camera system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,158,092
App. No.
14/157,900
Granted
Oct 13, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A zoom lens system comprising a plurality of lens units, wherein a lens unit located closest to an object side and a lens unit located closest to an image side are fixed with respect to an image surface in zooming from a wide-angle limit to a telephoto limit at a time of image taking, and at least three lens units among all the lens units are moving lens units that move along an optical axis in the zooming, at least one lens unit among the moving lens units is a focusing lens unit that moves along the optical axis in focusing from an infinity in-focus condition to a close-object in-focus condition, and the following condition: Σ(Tn)/H≦2.1 (Σ(Tn): the total of axial thicknesses of all the moving lens units, H: the maximum image height) is satisfied.

Claims (53)

1. A zoom lens system comprising a plurality of lens units, each lens unit having at least one lens element, wherein

the plurality of lens units includes a lens unit located closest to an object side and a lens unit located closest to an image side, that are fixed with respect to an image surface in zooming from a wide-angle limit to a telephoto limit at a time of image taking, and at least three lens units among all of the plurality of lens units other than the lens unit located closest to the object side and the lens unit located closest to the image side are moving lens units that move along an optical axis in the zooming,

at least one lens unit among the moving lens units is a focusing lens unit that moves along the optical axis in focusing from an infinity in-focus condition to a close-object in-focus condition, and

the following conditions (1) and (3) are satisfied:

Σ( Tn )/ H≦ 2.1  (1)

0.1 ≦T 1 /f W ≦1.5  (3)

where

Σ(Tn) is the total of axial thicknesses of all the moving lens units,

H is the maximum image height,

T 1 is an axial length from a most object side lens surface of the lens unit located closest to the object side to a most image side lens surface of the lens unit located closest to the object side, and

f W is a focal length on a d-line of the zoom lens system at a wide-angle limit.

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

at least two lens units among the moving lens units are focusing lens units that move along the optical axis in focusing from the infinity in-focus condition to the close-object in-focus condition.

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

at least two lens units among the moving lens units are each composed of one lens element.

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

the following condition (2) is satisfied:

Σ( Tn 2 )/ H≦ 0.5  (2)

where

Σ(Tn 2 ) is the total of axial thicknesses of all the moving lens units other than a moving lens unit having the largest axial thickness, and

H is the maximum image height.

5. An interchangeable lens apparatus comprising:

the zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1 ; and

a lens mount section which is connectable to a camera body including an image sensor for receiving an optical image formed by the zoom lens system and converting the optical image into an electric image signal.

6. A camera system comprising:

an interchangeable lens apparatus including the zoom lens system as claimed in claim 1 ; and

a camera body which is detachably connected to the interchangeable lens apparatus via a camera mount section, and includes an image sensor for receiving an optical image formed by the zoom lens system and converting the optical image into an electric image signal.

7. A zoom lens system comprising a plurality of lens units, each lens unit having at least one lens element, wherein

the plurality of lens units includes a lens unit located closest to an object side, a lens unit located closest to an image side, and a lens unit being composed of a plurality of lens elements and including an aperture diaphragm, that are fixed with respect to an image surface in zooming from a wide-angle limit to a telephoto limit at a time of image taking, and at least three lens units among all of the plurality of lens units other than the lens unit located closest to the object side, the lens unit located closest to the image side, and the lens unit being composed of the plurality of lens elements and including the aperture diaphragm are moving lens units that move along an optical axis in the zooming,

at least one lens unit among the moving lens units is a focusing lens unit that moves along the optical axis in focusing from an infinity in-focus condition to a close-object in-focus condition, and

the following conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied:

Σ( Tn )/ H≦ 2.1  (1)

Σ( Tn 2 )/ H≦ 0.5  (2)

where

Σ(Tn) is the total of axial thicknesses of all the moving lens units,

Σ(Tn 2 ) is the total of axial thicknesses of all the moving lens units other than a moving lens unit having the largest axial thickness, and

H is the maximum image height.

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

at least two lens units among the moving lens units are focusing lens units that move along the optical axis in focusing from the infinity in-focus condition to the close-object in-focus condition.

9. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein

at least two lens units among the moving lens units are each composed of one lens element.

10. The zoom lens system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein

the following condition (3) is satisfied:

0.1 ≦T 1 /f W ≦1.5  (3)

where

T 1 is an axial length from a most object side lens surface of the lens unit located closest to the object side to a most image side lens surface of the lens unit located closest to the object side, and

f W is a focal length on a d-line of the zoom lens system at a wide-angle limit.

11. An interchangeable lens apparatus comprising:

the zoom lens system as claimed in claim 7 ; and

a lens mount section which is connectable to a camera body including an image sensor for receiving an optical image formed by the zoom lens system and converting the optical image into an electric image signal.

12. A camera system comprising:

an interchangeable lens apparatus including the zoom lens system as claimed in claim 7 ; and

a camera body which is detachably connected to the interchangeable lens apparatus via a camera mount section, and includes an image sensor for receiving an optical image formed by the zoom lens system and converting 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 Apr 28, 2014
From: IZUHARA, ISAMU; MIYAZAKI, KYOICHI
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032764/0020 →