IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,613,398
Granted Patent B2
US 12,613,398 · App. 18/530,290 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Zoom lens, image pickup apparatus, and image pickup system

Inventor: Naotoshi Ogawa (Tochigi, JP)
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G02B15/1431
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,613,398
App. No.
18/530,290
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A zoom lens includes a plurality of lens units, which consist of, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having positive refractive power, an intermediate group including a plurality of lens units, and a rear lens unit. A distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end. The first lens unit is fixed relative to an image plane for zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end. The first lens unit consists of a plurality of subunits in which a distance between adjacent subunits changes during focusing, and the plurality of subunits include, in order from the object side to the image side, a first subunit that does not move for focusing, a second subunit having positive refractive power that moves for focusing, and a third subunit having negative refractive power. A predetermined inequality is satisfied.

Claims (296)

1 . A zoom lens comprising a plurality of lens units, the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having positive refractive power, an intermediate group including a plurality of lens units, and a rear lens unit,

wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end,

wherein the first lens unit is fixed relative to an image plane for zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end,

wherein the first lens unit consists of a plurality of subunits in which a distance between adjacent subunits changes during focusing, and the plurality of subunits include, in order from the object side to the image side, a first subunit that does not move for focusing, a second subunit having positive refractive power that moves for focusing, and a third subunit having negative refractive power, and

wherein the following inequalities are satisfied:

0

.

1

⁢

0

<

(

f

⁢

1

+

Ok

⁢

1

)

/

f

⁢

1

<

0.8

1.

<

f

⁢

1

/

f

⁢

1

⁢

b

<

2

.

0

⁢

0

where f1 is a focal length of the first lens unit in an in-focus state at infinity, Ok1 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the first lens unit to an image-side principal point of the first lens unit in the in-focus state at infinity, and f1b is a focal length of the second subunit.

2 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following inequality is satisfied:

0

.

0

⁢

0

<

❘

"\[LeftBracketingBar]"

f

⁢

1

/

f

⁢

1

⁢

a

|

<

0

.

3

⁢

0

where f1a is a focal length of the first subunit.

3 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following inequality is satisfied:

-

1.

<

f

⁢

1

/

f

⁢

1

⁢

c

<

-

0.1

where f1c is a focal length of the third subunit.

4 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following inequality is satisfied:

0.4

<

L

⁢

11

/

f

⁢

1

<

0.9

where L11 is a distance on the optical axis from the lens surface closest to the object of the first lens unit to a lens surface closest to the image plane of the first lens unit in the in-focus state at infinity.

5 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following inequality is satisfied:

0.2

<

L

⁢

1

⁢

a

/

f

⁢

1

<

0.7

where L1a is a distance on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object of the first subunit to a lens surface closest to the image side of the first subunit.

6 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following inequality is satisfied:

0

.

0

⁢

1

<

L

⁢

1

⁢

ab

/

f

⁢

1

<

0.2

where L1ab is a distance on the optical axis from a lens surface closest to the image side of the first subunit to a lens surface closest to the object side of the second subunit in the in-focus state at infinity.

7 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following inequality is satisfied:

-

1

⁢

2

.

0

<

f

⁢

1

/

f

⁢

2

<

-

2.

where f2 is a focal length of a second lens unit located closest to the object in the intermediate group.

8 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following inequality is satisfied:

2

⁢

0

.

0

<

v

⁢

1

⁢

ap

-

v

⁢

1

⁢

an

<

4

⁢

0

.

0

where v1ap is an average value of Abbe numbers based on d-line of all positive lens materials included in the first subunit, and v1an is an average value of Abbe numbers based on the d-line of all negative lens materials included in the first subunit.

9 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following inequality is satisfied:

1.

<

f

⁢

1

/

f

⁢

1

⁢

bc

<

2

.

0

where f1bc is a combined focal length of the second subunit and the third subunit in the in-focus state at infinity.

10 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the first lens unit consists of, in order from the object side to the image side, the first subunit, the second subunit, and the third subunit.

11 . The zoom lens according to claim 10 , wherein the third subunit does not move for focusing.

12 . The zoom lens according to claim 10 , wherein the third subunit moves for focusing.

13 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of lens units in the intermediate group is movable.

14 . An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a zoom lens; and

an image sensor configured to capture an image formed by the zoom lens,

wherein the zoom lens includes a plurality of lens units, the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having positive refractive power, an intermediate group including a plurality of lens units, and a rear lens unit,

wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end,

wherein the first lens unit is fixed relative to an image plane for zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end,

wherein the first lens unit consists of a plurality of subunits in which a distance between adjacent subunits changes during focusing, and the plurality of subunits include, in order from the object side to the image side, a first subunit that does not move for focusing, a second subunit having positive refractive power that moves for focusing, and a third subunit having negative refractive power, and

wherein the following inequalities are satisfied:

0

.

1

⁢

0

<

(

f

⁢

1

+

Ok

⁢

1

)

/

f

⁢

1

<

0.8

1.

<

f

⁢

1

/

f

⁢

1

⁢

b

<

2

.

0

⁢

0

where f1 is a focal length of the first lens unit in an in-focus state at infinity, Ok1 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the first lens unit to an image-side principal point of the first lens unit in the in-focus state at infinity, and f1b is a focal length of the second subunit.

15 . An image pickup system comprising:

a zoom lens; and

a control unit configured to control the zoom lens during zooming,

wherein the zoom lens includes a plurality of lens unit, the plurality of lens units consisting of, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having positive refractive power, an intermediate group including a plurality of lens units, and a rear lens unit,

wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end,

wherein the first lens unit is fixed relative to an image plane for zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end,

wherein the first lens unit consists of a plurality of subunits in which a distance between adjacent subunits changes during focusing, and the plurality of subunits include, in order from the object side to the image side, a first subunit that does not move for focusing, a second subunit having positive refractive power that moves for focusing, and a third subunit having negative refractive power, and

wherein the following inequalities are satisfied:

0

.

1

⁢

0

<

(

f

⁢

1

+

Ok

⁢

1

)

/

f

⁢

1

<

0.8

1.

<

f

⁢

1

/

f

⁢

1

⁢

b

<

2

.

0

⁢

0

where f1 is a focal length of the first lens unit in an in-focus state at infinity, Ok1 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to an object of the first lens unit to an image-side principal point of the first lens unit in the in-focus state at infinity, and f1b is a focal length of the second subunit.

16 . The image pickup system according to claim 15 , wherein the control unit is configured separately from the zoom lens, and includes a transmission unit configured to transmit a control signal for controlling the zoom lens.

17 . The image pickup system according to claim 15 , wherein the control unit is configured separately from the zoom lens, and includes an operation unit configured to operate the zoom lens.

18 . The image pickup system according to claim 15 , further comprising a display unit configured to display information about zoom of the zoom lens.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2023
From: OGAWA, NAOTOSHI
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 065957/0343 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-206936 · Dec 23, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240219695A1 · Jul 4, 2024
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