Abstract: An endoscope includes a shaft having a distal end, an optical imaging device at the distal end of the shaft for producing a real image of an object observed by means of the endoscope and at least one of an image transfer device for transmitting the real image and an image sensor for capturing the real image. The imaging device has curved light-refracting interfaces, which are tilted in relation to one another.

Abstract: The invention concerns an optical system, and a video endoscope therefor, with at least one electronic active pixel image sensor with a progressive offset micro-lens array, and a lens system with a plurality of lenses in order to receive image light from an object field and direct it to the image sensor. The optical system has at least one interference filter coating located within the optical system, such that the angle of incidence of the image light on the filter coating is minimized, minimizing thereby the filtration characteristics of the coating that are angularly dependent. This minimization improves the reliability of fluorescence imaging with short optical systems. The location for the filter coating may be on a curved surface, such as a lens, or on a properly positioned flat element within the optical system.

Abstract: An observation device and method its operation is disclosed. The device includes an instrument with a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; objective optics disposed at the shaft and having a field of view; an imaging sensor arranged to capture image data, the imaging sensor having a sensor array of evenly distributed elements; and an image processing unit. The objective optics is arranged to capture a scene in the field of view on the imaging sensor. The objective optics define at least a central imaging region and a peripheral imaging region, where the differing focal lengths of the objective optics result in the central imaging region having a higher digital resolution than that of the peripheral region, resulting in more pixels dedicated to the region of interest, while the peripheral regions have adequate resolution to monitor the introduction of surgical tools and other valuable information.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a shaft having a distal end, an optical imaging device at the distal end of the shaft for producing a real image of an object observed by means of the endoscope and at least one of an image transfer device for transmitting the real image and an image sensor for capturing the real image. The imaging device has curved light-refracting interfaces, which are tilted in relation to one another.