IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,578,563
Granted Patent B2
US 12,578,563 · App. 17/788,214 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Zoom optical system, optical apparatus and method for manufacturing the zoom optical system

Inventor: Fumiaki Ohtake (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Nikon Corporation
G02B15/20G02B13/02G02B13/06H04N23/69
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,578,563
App. No.
17/788,214
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A variable-power optical system (ZL) is constituted by, in order from the object side and along the optical axis, the following: a first lens group (G 1 ) that has a positive refractive power; a second lens group (G 2 ); a third lens group (G 3 ) that has a negative refractive power; and a rear group (GR) that includes a plurality of lens groups. When power is varied from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the interval between the first lens group and the second lens group increases, the interval between the second lens group and the third lens group increases, and the interval between the third lens group and a lens group in the rear group positioned closest to the object decreases, thus satisfying the following conditional equation: 0.10< D 1/ D 2<1.80, where D1 is the length on the optical axis from the lens plane closest to the object of the first lens group to the lens plane closest to the image, and D2 is the length on the optical axis from the lens plane closest to the object of the second lens group to the lens plane closest to the image.

Claims (146)

1 . A zoom optical system essentially consisting of, in order from an object on an optical axis: a first lens group having a positive refractive power; a second lens group; a third lens group having a negative refractive power; and a rear group that includes a plurality of lens groups, wherein

upon zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group increases, a distance between the second lens group and the third lens group increases, and a distance between the third lens group and a lens group disposed closest to the object in the rear group decreases,

focusing is done by moving at least one of the plurality of lens groups included in the rear group in an optical axis direction, and

the following conditional expressions are satisfied:

0.10< D 1/ D 2<1.80

0.00< f 1/(− f 3)<1.00

where

D1: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to an image in the first lens group,

D2: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to the image in the second lens group,

f1: a focal length of the first lens group, and

f3: a focal length of the third lens group.

2 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the first lens group consists of two lenses or less.

3 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the second lens group consists of two or more lenses.

4 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the third lens group consists of two or more lenses.

5 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the following conditional expression is satisfied:

0.10<(−Δ d 1)/ TLw< 0.50

where

Δd1: an amount of movement of the first lens group upon zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end,

TLw: an entire length of the optical system in the wide angle end state, and

movement toward an image surface is chosen to be positive.

6 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

|Δ d 2/Δ d 1|<0.20

where

Δd1: an amount of movement of the first lens group upon zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end,

Δd2: an amount of movement of the second lens group upon zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, and

movement toward an image surface is chosen to be positive.

7 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

0.05<Δ d 3/ TLw< 0.25

where

Δd3: an amount of movement of the third lens group upon zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end,

TLw: an entire length of the optical system in the wide angle end state, and

movement toward an image surface is chosen to be positive.

8 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

2ω w< 36.0°

where

2ωw: a full angle of view upon focusing on an infinity object in the wide angle end state.

9 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein the following conditional expression is satisfied:

2ω t< 10.0° where

2ωt: a full angle of view upon focusing on an infinity object in the telephoto end state.

10 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

0.20< fw/fL 1<1.00

where

fw: a focal length of the entire zoom optical system in the wide angle end state, and

fL1: a focal length of a positive lens closest to the object.

11 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein all the lenses constituting the first lens group are lenses having positive refractive powers.

12 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

−1.00< f 1/ f 2<2.00

where

f1: the focal length of the first lens group, and

f2: a focal length of the second lens group.

13 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

−0.050< f 3/ f 2<0.500

where

f2: a focal length of the second lens group, and

f3: the focal length of the third lens group.

14 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein an Abbe number νd2 of at least one lens included in the second lens group satisfies the following conditional expression:

80.00<ν d 2.

15 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein a final lens group that is included in the rear group and disposed closest to the image is fixed in an optical axis direction upon zooming.

16 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

0.10< fR/fw< 2.00

where

fR: a focal length of a final lens group that is included in the rear group and disposed closest to the image, and

fw: a focal length of the entire zoom optical system in the wide angle end state.

17 . The zoom optical system according to claim 1 , wherein

the rear group includes, in order from the object: a first focusing lens group; and a second focusing lens group, and

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

0.20< fF 1/ fF 2<2.00

where

fF1: a focal length of the first focusing lens group, and

fF2: a focal length of the second focusing lens group.

18 . The zoom optical system according to claim 17 , in combination with an aperture stop, wherein

the first focusing lens group and the second focusing lens group are each disposed closer to the image than the aperture stop.

19 . An optical apparatus comprising the zoom optical system according to claim 1 .

20 . A method for manufacturing a zoom optical system consisting of, in order from an object on an optical axis: a first lens group having a positive refractive power; a second lens group; a third lens group having a negative refractive power; and a rear group that includes a plurality of lens groups,

the method comprising one of the following features A, B and C, wherein

the feature A comprises:

disposing the first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group and the rear group in a lens barrel in order from an object on an optical axis so that:

upon zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group increases, a distance between the second lens group and the third lens group increases, and a distance between the third lens group and a lens group disposed closest to the object in the rear group decreases,

focusing is done by moving at least one of the plurality of lens groups included in the rear group in an optical axis direction, and

the following conditional expressions are satisfied:

0.10< D 1/ D 2<1.80

0.00< f 1/(− f 3)<1.00

where

D1: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to an image in the first lens group,

D2: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to the image in the second lens group,

f1: a focal length of the first lens group, and

f3: a focal length of the third lens group,

the feature B comprises:

the rear group includes five lens groups,

the rear group has a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power which is placed closest to the object out of the five lens groups,

disposing the first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group and the rear group in a lens barrel in order from an object on an optical axis so that:

upon zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group increases, and a distance between the third lens group and the fourth lens group decreases,

out of the first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group and the five lens groups of the rear group,

two lens groups are stationary during zooming,

six lens groups move in an optical axis direction upon zooming,

one lens group out of the six lens groups moves so that a position at the wide angle end is closer to the object than a position at the telephoto end, and

five lens groups out of the six lens groups respectively move so that a position at the wide angle end is closer to an image than a position at the telephoto end, and

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

0.10< D 1/ D 2<1.80

where

D1: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to an image in the first lens group, and

D2: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to the image in the second lens group, and

the feature C comprises:

the rear group includes five lens groups,

the second lens group consists of two or more lenses,

disposing the first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group and the rear group in a lens barrel in order from an object on an optical axis so that:

upon zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, distances between adjacent lens groups change,

out of the first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group and the five lens groups of the rear group,

two lens groups are stationary during zooming, and

six lens groups move in an optical axis direction during zooming, and

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

0.10< D 1/ D 2<1.80

where

D1: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to an image in the first lens group, and

D2: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to the image in the second lens group.

21 . A zoom optical system essentially consisting of, in order from an object on an optical axis: a first lens group having a positive refractive power; a second lens group having a negative refractive power; a third lens group having a negative refractive power; and a rear group that includes five lens groups, wherein

the rear group has a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power which is placed closest to the

object out of the five lens groups, upon zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group increases, and a distance between the third lens group and the fourth lens group decreases,

out of the first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group and the five lens groups of the rear group,

two lens groups are stationary during zooming,

six lens groups move in an optical axis direction upon zooming,

one lens group out of the six lens groups moves so that a position at the wide angle end is closer to the object than a position at the telephoto end, and

five lens groups out of the six lens groups respectively move so that a position at the wide angle end is closer to an image than a position at the telephoto end, and

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

0.10< D 1/ D 2<1.80

where

D1: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to an image in the first lens group, and

D2: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to the image in the second lens group.

22 . A zoom optical system essentially consisting of, in order from an object on an optical axis: a first lens group having a positive refractive power; a second lens group having a negative refractive power; a third lens group having a negative refractive power; and a rear group that includes five lens groups, wherein

the second lens group consists of two or more lenses,

upon zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, distances between adjacent lens groups change,

out of the first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group and the five lens groups of the rear group,

two lens groups are stationary during zooming, and

six lens groups move in an optical axis direction during zooming, and

the following conditional expression is satisfied:

0.10< D 1/ D 2<1.80

where

D1: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to an image in the first lens group, and

D2: a length on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object to a lens surface closest to the image in the second lens group.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2022
From: OHTAKE, FUMIAKI
To: NIKON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060313/0931 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-231280 · Dec 23, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230038734A1 · Feb 9, 2023
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