IP Library Granted Patent US 9,013,803
Granted Patent B2
US 9,013,803 · App. 14/045,304 · Granted Apr 21, 2015

Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus equipped with same

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,013,803
App. No.
14/045,304
Granted
Apr 21, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A zoom lens includes, in order from the object side to the image side along its optical path, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power and including a prism reflecting member, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens unit having a negative refractive power, and a fifth lens unit having a positive refractive power, wherein the distances between the lens units vary during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens unit and the third lens unit are located closer to the ray incidence side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end, the position of the second lens unit is fixed during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end.

Claims (122)

1. A zoom lens comprising, in order from the object side to the image side along its optical path:

a first lens unit having a positive refractive power;

a second lens unit having a negative refractive power and comprising a prism reflecting member having an entrance refracting surface, an exit refracting surface, and a reflecting surface disposed in the optical path between the entrance refracting surface and the exit refracting surface and oriented obliquely to the optical axis to bend the optical path;

a third lens unit having a positive refractive power;

a fourth lens unit having a negative refractive power; and

a fifth lens unit having a positive refractive power, wherein

the distances between the lens units vary during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end,

the first lens unit and the third lens unit are located closer to the ray incidence side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end,

the position of the second lens unit is fixed during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, and

the first lens unit consists of two lenses at most.

2. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following conditional expressions (2) and (3) are satisfied:

3< f 1 /f w <7.2  (2), and

3.5< d 1g /f w <7  (3),

where f w is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the wide angle end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity, and d 1g is the amount of displacement of the position of the first lens unit at the telephoto end from its position at the wide angle end.

3. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following conditional expression (4) is satisfied:

1.8< N 2r <2.3  (4),

where N 2r is the refractive index of the prism reflecting member in the second lens unit with respect to the d-line.

4. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the first lens unit consists, in order from the object side, of a negative lens and at least one positive lens having an Abbe constant with respect to the d-line larger than that of the negative lens and satisfies the following conditional expression (5):

70< v 1p   (5),

where v 1p is the Abbe constant with respect to the d-line of a positive lens among the at least one positive lens in the first lens unit, the Abbe constant v 1p being expressed by v 1p =(n d1p −1)/(n F1p −n C1p ), where n d1p is the refractive index of the positive lens with respect to the d-line, n C1p is the refractive index of the aforementioned positive lens with respect to the C-line, and n F1p is the refractive index of the aforementioned positive lens with respect to the F-line.

5. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the fourth lens unit moves toward the image side during focusing from infinity to a very short distance.

6. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following conditional expression (6) is satisfied:

11.0< f t /f w <40.0  (6),

where f t is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the telephoto end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity, and f w is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the wide angle end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity.

7. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the fourth lens unit consists of one negative lens.

8. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the second lens unit and the third lens unit are shifted toward the image side from their position at the wide angle end to allow the first lens unit to collapse into a space generated by the shift of the second lens unit.

9. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a zoom lens according to claim 1 ; and

an image pickup element that converts an image formed by the zoom lens into an electrical signal.

10. The zoom lens according to claim 1 , wherein the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied:

−10< f 1 /f 2 <−5  (1),

where f 1 is the focal length of the first lens unit, and f 2 is the focal length of the second lens unit.

11. A zoom lens comprising, in order from the object side to the image side along its optical path:

a first lens unit having a positive refractive power;

a second lens unit having a negative refractive power and comprising a prism reflecting member having an entrance refracting surface, an exit refracting surface, and a reflecting surface disposed in the optical path between the entrance refracting surface and the exit refracting surface and oriented obliquely to the optical axis to bend the optical path;

a third lens unit having a positive refractive power;

a fourth lens unit having a negative refractive power; and

a fifth lens unit having a positive refractive power, wherein

the distances between the lens units vary during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end,

the first lens unit and the third lens unit are located closer to the ray incidence side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end,

the position of the second lens unit is fixed during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, and

the following conditional expressions (1), (2), and (3) are satisfied:

−10< f 1 /f 2 <−5  (1),

3< f 1 /f w <7.2  (2), and

3.5< d 1g /f w <7  (3),

where f 1 is the focal length of the first lens unit, f 2 is the focal length of the second lens unit, f w is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the wide angle end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity, and d 1g is the amount of displacement of the position of the first lens unit at the telephoto end from its position at the wide angle end.

12. The zoom lens according to claim 11 , wherein the first lens unit comprises two lenses at most.

13. The zoom lens according to claim 11 , wherein the following conditional expression (4) is satisfied:

1.8< N 2r <2.3  (4),

where N 2r is the refractive index of the prism reflecting member in the second lens unit with respect to the d-line.

14. The zoom lens according to claim 11 , wherein the first lens unit consists, in order from the object side, of a negative lens and at least one positive lens having an Abbe constant with respect to the d-line larger than that of the negative lens and satisfies the following conditional expression (5):

70< v 1p   (5),

where v 1p is the Abbe constant with respect to the d-line of a positive lens among the at least one positive lens in the first lens unit, the Abbe constant v 1p being expressed by v 1p =(n d1p −1)/(n F1p −n C1p ), where n d1p is the refractive index of the positive lens with respect to the d-line, n C1p is the refractive index of the aforementioned positive lens with respect to the C-line, and n F1p is the refractive index of the aforementioned positive lens with respect to the F-line.

15. The zoom lens according to claim 11 , wherein the following conditional expression (6) is satisfied:

11.0< f t /f w <40.0  (6),

where f t is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the telephoto end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity, and f w is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the wide angle end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity.

16. The zoom lens according to claim 11 , wherein the fourth lens unit consists of one negative lens.

17. The zoom lens according to claim 11 , wherein the second lens unit and the third lens unit are shifted toward the image side from their position at the wide angle end to allow the first lens unit to collapse into a space generated by the shift of the second lens unit.

18. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a zoom lens according to claim 11 ; and

an image pickup element that converts an image formed by the zoom lens into an electrical signal.

19. A zoom lens comprising, in order from the object side to the image side along its optical path:

a first lens unit having a positive refractive power;

a second lens unit having a negative refractive power and comprising a prism reflecting member having an entrance refracting surface, an exit refracting surface, and a reflecting surface disposed in the optical path between the entrance refracting surface and the exit refracting surface and oriented obliquely to the optical axis to bend the optical path;

a third lens unit having a positive refractive power;

a fourth lens unit having a negative refractive power; and

a fifth lens unit having a positive refractive power, wherein

the distances between the lens units vary during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end,

the first lens unit and the third lens unit are located closer to the ray incidence side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end,

the position of the second lens unit is fixed during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end,

the fourth lens unit moves toward the image side during focusing from infinity to a very short distance, and

the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied:

−10< f 1 /f 2 <−5  (1),

where f 1 is the focal length of the first lens unit, and f 2 is the focal length of the second lens unit.

20. The zoom lens according to claim 19 , wherein the following conditional expressions (2) and (3) are satisfied:

3< f 1 /f w <7.2  (2), and

3.5< d 1g /f w <7  (3),

where f w is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the wide angle end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity, and d 1g is the amount of displacement of the position of the first lens unit at the telephoto end from its position at the wide angle end.

21. The zoom lens according to claim 19 , wherein the following conditional expression (4) is satisfied:

1.8< N 2r <2.3  (4),

where N 2r is the refractive index of the prism reflecting member in the second lens unit with respect to the d-line.

22. The zoom lens according to claim 19 , wherein the first lens unit consists, in order from the object side, of a negative lens and at least one positive lens having an Abbe constant with respect to the d-line larger than that of the negative lens and satisfies the following conditional expression (5):

70< v 1p   (5),

where v 1p is the Abbe constant with respect to the d-line of a positive lens among the at least one positive lens in the first lens unit, the Abbe constant v 1p being expressed by v 1p =(n d1p −1)/(n F1p −n C1p ), where n d1p is the refractive index of the positive lens with respect to the d-line, n C1p is the refractive index of the aforementioned positive lens with respect to the C-line, and n F1p is the refractive index of the aforementioned positive lens with respect to the F-line.

23. The zoom lens according to claim 19 , wherein the following conditional expression (6) is satisfied:

11.0< f t /f w <40.0  (6),

where f t is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the telephoto end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity, and f w is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the wide angle end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity.

24. The zoom lens according to claim 19 , wherein the first lens unit comprises two lenses at most.

25. The zoom lens according to claim 19 , wherein the fourth lens unit consists of one negative lens.

26. The zoom lens according to claim 19 , wherein the second lens unit and the third lens unit are shifted toward the image side from their position at the wide angle end to allow the first lens unit to collapse into a space generated by the shift of the second lens unit.

27. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a zoom lens according to claim 19 ; and

an image pickup element that converts an image formed by the zoom lens into an electrical signal.

28. A zoom lens comprising, in order from the object side to the image side along its optical path:

a first lens unit having a positive refractive power;

a second lens unit having a negative refractive power and comprising a prism reflecting member having an entrance refracting surface, an exit refracting surface, and a reflecting surface disposed in the optical path between the entrance refracting surface and the exit refracting surface and oriented obliquely to the optical axis to bend the optical path;

a third lens unit having a positive refractive power;

a fourth lens unit having a negative refractive power; and

a fifth lens unit having a positive refractive power, wherein

during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the distances between the lens units vary,

the first lens unit and the third lens unit are located closer to the ray incidence side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end,

the position of the second lens unit is fixed during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end,

the fourth lens unit moves toward the image side during focusing from infinity to a very short distance, and

the fourth lens unit consists of one negative lens.

29. The zoom lens according to claim 28 , wherein the following conditional expressions (2) and (3) are satisfied:

3< f 1 /f w <7.2  (2), and

3.5< d 1g /f w <7  (3),

where f w is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the wide angle end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity, and d 1g is the amount of displacement of the position of the first lens unit at the telephoto end from its position at the wide angle end.

30. The zoom lens according to claim 28 , wherein the following conditional expression (4) is satisfied:

1.8< N 2r <2.3  (4),

where N 2r is the refractive index of the prism reflecting member in the second lens unit with respect to the d-line.

31. The zoom lens according to claim 28 , wherein the first lens unit consists, in order from the object side, of a negative lens and at least one positive lens having an Abbe constant with respect to the d-line larger than that of the negative lens and satisfies the following conditional expression (5):

70< v 1p   (5),

where v 1p is the Abbe constant with respect to the d-line of a positive lens among the at least one positive lens in the first lens unit, the Abbe constant v 1p being expressed by v 1p =(n d1p −1)/(n F1p −n C1p ), where n d1p is the refractive index of the positive lens with respect to the d-line, n C1p is the refractive index of the aforementioned positive lens with respect to the C-line, and n F1p is the refractive index of the aforementioned positive lens with respect to the F-line.

32. The zoom lens according to claim 28 , wherein the following conditional expression (6) is satisfied:

11.0< f t /f w <40.0  (6),

where f t is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the telephoto end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity, and f w is the focal length of the entire zoom lens system at the wide angle end in the state in which the zoom lens is focused at infinity.

33. The zoom lens according to claim 28 , wherein the first lens unit comprises two lenses at most.

34. The zoom lens according to claim 28 , wherein the second lens unit and the third lens unit are shifted toward the image side from their position at the wide angle end to allow the first lens unit to collapse into a space generated by the shift of the second lens unit.

35. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a zoom lens according to claim 28 ; and

an image pickup element that converts an image formed by the zoom lens into an electrical signal.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2021
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OM DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058329/0766 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 27, 2016
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039344/0502 →
MERGER Recorded Aug 5, 2015
From: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036279/0239 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2013
From: MOROOKA, MASARU
To: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
Reel/Frame 031340/0320 →