Abstract: The present invention provides methods of obtaining panoramic images that appear most natural to the naked eye by executing a mathematically precise image processing operation on a wide-angle image acquired using a wide-angle lens that is rotationally symmetric about an optical axis, and devices using the methods. Imaging systems using this method can be used not only in security•surveillance applications for indoor and outdoor environments, but also in diverse areas such as video phones for apartment entrance doors, rear view cameras for vehicles, visual sensors for unmanned aerial vehicles and robots, and broadcasting cameras. Also, it can be used to obtain panoramic photographs using digital cameras.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fisheye lens comprised of the first through the seventh lens elements: wherein a field of view is larger than 180° a calibrated distortion is 10% or less, a relative illumination is 80% or more, all the refractive surfaces of the lens elements are spherical surfaces, the first lens element is a negative meniscus lens element having a convex surface facing an object side, the second lens element is a bi-concave lens element, the third lens element is a positive meniscus lens element having a convex surface facing an image side, a stop is located between the third and the fourth lens elements, the fourth lens element is a bi-convex lens element, the fifth lens element is a bi-concave lens element, the sixth and the seventh lens elements are bi-convex lens elements.

Abstract: The present invention provides new projection schemes for wide angle imaging lenses rotationally symmetric about optical axis wherein the field of view of lenses and the size of image sensors are directly reflected without any reference to the effective focal length of the lenses. This invention also provides explicit examples of wide-angle lenses implementing the newly developed projection schemes. According to the present invention, by providing new projection schemes explicitly reflecting the physical quantities of direct interest to the user for industrial applicability, namely, the field of view and the image sensor size, it is possible to realize wide-angle lenses providing the most satisfactory images.