IP Library Granted Patent US 12,730,286
Granted Patent B2
US 12,730,286 · App. 18/785,317 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus

Inventor: Makoto Nakahara (Tochigi, JP)
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G02B15/1425G02B15/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,730,286
App. No.
18/785,317
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A zoom lens includes a first lens unit having negative refractive power and disposed closest to an object, and a rear group including three or more lens units and disposed on an image side of the first lens unit. A distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming. The first lens unit moves toward the image side during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end. Predetermined inequalities are satisfied.

Claims (280)

1 . A zoom lens comprising:

a first lens unit having negative refractive power and disposed closest to an object; and

a rear group including three or more lens units and disposed on an image side of the first lens unit,

wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming,

wherein the first lens unit moves toward the image side during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, and

wherein in a case where a sign of a moving amount of a lens unit configured to move toward the image side during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end is set positive, the following inequalities are satisfied:

0.3

ML

1

/

TLt

0.9

-

0

.

8

0

fL

1

/

ft

-

0.4

where ML1 is a moving amount of the first lens unit during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, TLt is an overall optical length of the zoom lens at the telephoto end, fL1 is a focal length of the first lens unit, and ft is a focal length of the zoom lens at the telephoto end.

2 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , further comprising an aperture stop and an auxiliary aperture, each of which is disposed on the image side of the first lens unit L1.

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

-

3.

ML

1

/

fL

1

-

1.

.

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

0.1

Skw

/

ML

1

0.6

where Skw is a back focus of the zoom lens at the wide-angle end.

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

0

.

1

0

Skt

/

ML

1

0.7

where Skt is a back focus of the zoom lens at the telephoto end.

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

0.

2

0

TDL

1

/

ML

1

0

.

6

5

where TDL1 is a distance on an optical axis from a lens surface closest to the object of the first lens unit to a lens surface closest to an image plane of the first lens unit.

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

-

0

.

7

0

MLR

1

/

ML

1

-

0

.

0

2

where MLR1 is a moving amount toward an object side of a lens unit closest to the object of the rear group during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end.

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

-

0

.

7

0

MLR

1

/

ft

-

0

.

0

2

where MLR1 is a moving amount of a lens unit closest to the object of the rear group toward an object side during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end.

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

1.

50

ndG

1

2.

where ndG1 is a refractive index for d-line of a lens closest to the object in the zoom lens.

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

0.6

fG

1

/

fL

1

2.

where fG1 is a focal length of a lens closest to the object in the zoom lens.

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

3.

3

0

β

LRt

/

β

LRw

8.

where βLRt is a lateral magnification of the rear group at the telephoto end, and βLRw is a lateral magnification of the rear group at the wide-angle end.

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

-

1.6

Ymax_w

/

fL

1

-

0.2

where Ymax_w is a maximum image height of the zoom lens at the wide-angle end in an in-focus state on an object at infinity.

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

-

2

0

.

0

Dist_w

-

8.

where Dist_w is a distortion amount at a maximum image height of the zoom lens at the wide-angle end in an in-focus state on an object at infinity.

14 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the first lens unit includes two or more negative lenses and one or more positive lenses.

15 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the rear group includes:

an aperture stop; and

at least one focus lens unit configured to move during focusing, and disposed on the image side of the aperture stop.

16 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the rear group includes:

an aperture stop; and

an image stabilizing unit configured to move relative to an optical axis to reduce image blur, and disposed as at least a part of a single lens unit disposed on the image side of the aperture stop.

17 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the rear group includes three or more lens units in which distances change during zooming.

18 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the three or more lens units included in the rear group include, in order from an object side to the image side:

a second lens unit having positive refractive power;

a third lens unit having negative refractive power;

a fourth lens unit having positive refractive power;

a fifth lens unit having negative refractive power;

a sixth lens unit having negative refractive power; and

a seventh lens unit having positive refractive power.

19 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the three or more lens units included in the rear group include, in order from an object side to the image side:

a second lens unit having positive refractive power;

a third lens unit having negative refractive power;

a fourth lens unit having positive refractive power; and

a fifth lens unit having negative refractive power.

20 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the three or more lens units included in the rear group include, in order from an object side to the image side:

a second lens unit having negative refractive power;

a third lens unit having positive refractive power;

a fourth lens unit having negative refractive power;

a fifth lens unit having positive refractive power;

a sixth lens unit having negative refractive power; and

a seventh lens unit having positive refractive power.

21 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the three or more lens units included in the rear group include, in order from an object side to the image side:

a second lens unit having positive refractive power;

a third lens unit having negative refractive power;

a fourth lens unit having positive refractive power;

a fifth lens unit having negative refractive power; and

a sixth lens unit having positive refractive power.

22 . The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the three or more lens units included in the rear group include, in order from an object side to the image side:

a second lens unit having positive refractive power;

a third lens unit having positive refractive power;

a fourth lens unit having negative refractive power;

a fifth lens unit having positive refractive power;

a sixth lens unit having negative refractive power;

a seventh lens unit having positive refractive power; and

an eighth lens unit having positive refractive power.

23 . An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a zoom lens; and

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

wherein the zoom lens includes:

a first lens unit having negative refractive power and disposed closest to an object; and

a rear group including three or more lens units and disposed on an image side of the first lens unit,

wherein a distance between adjacent lens units changes during zooming,

wherein the first lens unit moves toward the image side during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, and

wherein in a case where a sign of a moving amount of a lens unit configured to move toward the image side during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end is set positive, the following inequalities are satisfied:

0.3

ML

1

/

TLt

0.9

-

0

.

8

0

fL

1

/

ft

-

0.4

 where ML1 is a moving amount of the first lens unit during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, TLt is an overall optical length of the zoom lens at the telephoto end, fL1 is a focal length of the first lens unit, and ft is a focal length of the zoom lens at the telephoto end.

24 . The image pickup apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein an effective image circle diameter at the wide-angle end is smaller than that at the telephoto end.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2024
From: NAKAHARA, MAKOTO
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 068375/0514 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2023-148485 · Sep 13, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250085519A1 · Mar 13, 2025
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