Methods and apparatus for implementing and/or using a camera device
Methods and apparatus for implementing a camera having a depth which is less than the maximum length of the outer lens of at least one optical chain of the camera are described. In some embodiments a light redirection device, e.g., a mirror, is used to allow a relatively long optical chain with a relatively large non-circular outer lens. In some embodiments the light redirection device has a depth, e.g., front of camera to back of camera dimension, which is less than the maximum length of the aperture of the outer lens in the aperture's direction of maximum extent. Multiple optical chains with non-circular outer lenses arranged in different directions may and in some embodiments are used to capture images with the captured images being combined to generate a composite image.
1. A camera device comprising:
a plurality of camera modules, the plurality of camera modules comprising a first camera module which does not comprise a mirror and a second camera module which comprises a first mirror,
wherein the first camera module comprises a first aperture positioned in a a first portion of a first surface of the camera device,
wherein the second camera module comprises the first mirror and a second aperture, the second aperture being positioned in a second portion of the first surface of the camera device, and
wherein the first mirror is configured to move such that light passing through the second aperture is redirected.
2. The camera device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third camera module comprising a second mirror, the third camera module further comprising a third aperture which is larger than the first aperture, the third aperture being positioned in a third portion of the first surface of the camera device at another location above or below the first aperture.
3. The camera device of claim 2 ,
wherein the second aperture is positioned above the first aperture, and
wherein the third aperture is positioned below the first aperture.
4. The camera device of claim 3 , wherein the second aperture is a different size than the third aperture.
5. The camera device of claim 2 , wherein the first camera module is part of a first set of camera modules which do not include mirrors, the first set of camera modules including multiple camera modules arranged in a row, the first camera module being one of the multiple camera modules.
6. The camera device of claim 5 , wherein the multiple camera modules are arranged in the row including three camera modules, the three camera modules including the first camera module, a fourth camera module, and a fifth camera module.
7. The camera device of claim 6 , wherein the fourth camera module and the fifth camera module have apertures which are a same size as the aperture of the first camera module.
8. The camera device of claim 7 , wherein the first set of camera modules includes a sixth camera module positioned above one of the fourth camera module or the fifth camera module.
9. The camera device of claim 8 , wherein the first set of camera modules includes a seventh camera module positioned below the one of the fourth camera module or the fifth camera module.
10. The camera device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first additional camera module including a mirror, the first additional camera module being positioned in the first surface of the camera device to the left or right of the first camera module.
11. The camera device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a second additional camera module including a mirror, the second additional camera module being positioned on a different side of the first surface of the camera device than the first additional camera module.
12. The camera device of claim 11 , wherein the first set of camera modules forms a cluster of camera modules at a location midway between a top portion of the first surface of the camera device and a bottom portion of the first surface of the camera device.
13. The camera device of claim 2 , wherein camera modules in the first set of camera modules have a smallest diameter of outer lenses of camera modules included in the camera device.
14. The camera device of claim 2 , wherein the camera device includes a greater number of camera modules with mirrors than camera modules without mirrors.
15. The camera device of claim 1 , wherein the first camera module is part of a cluster of physically adjacent camera modules which do not include mirrors.
16. The camera device of claim 15 , wherein the cluster of physically adjacent camera modules is positioned at a location midway between a top portion of the first surface of the camera device and a bottom portion of the first surface of the camera device.
17. The camera device of claim 15 , wherein the cluster of physically adjacent camera modules is surrounded on four sides of the first surface of the camera device by camera modules which include mirrors.
18. The camera device of claim 15 , wherein camera modules of the cluster of physically adjacent camera modules have a smallest diameter of outer lenses of camera modules included in the camera device.
19. The camera device of claim 1 ,
wherein the first aperture of the first camera module is circular and the second aperture of the second camera module is non-circular, and
wherein the non-circular second aperture of the second camera module approximates an oval or oblong shape.
20. The camera device of claim 19 , wherein the second camera module captures more detail along a direction of a longer dimension of the oval or oblong shape than along a direction of a shorter dimension of the oval or oblong shape.