Abstract: A zoom camera arrangement includes two or more sub-camera entities for funneling incoming light towards one or more associated digital image sensor chips for converting light into electric signal, each chip including a sensor area for capturing light funneled by at least one associated sub-camera entity of the two or more sub-camera entities, wherein each of the sub-camera entities includes a lens assembly incorporating a number of lenses disposed as one or more lens layers of the lens assembly, the number of lenses of the lens assembly being fixedly positioned relative to the at least one associated digital image sensor chip of the one or more digital image sensor chips, wherein the lens assemblies of the two or more sub-camera entities are selected so as to provide two or more different zoom steps, for enabling the imaging apparatus to provide optical zoom functionality via the selection of the sub-camera entity.

Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software product for optical focusing and stabilizing using a hydraulic component, called focusing stabilizer, in an image focusing module of the electronic devices. This focusing stabilizer is capable of doing focus adjustment and/or image stabilization. The focusing stabilizer can comprise two optical elements (e.g., two plates or prisms, two lenses, or one plate or prism and one lens) and a liquid between them. The refractive index and thickness of the liquid changes a length of the optical path from the object to the photosensitive surface such that the system focus shift depends on a liquid lens thickness in the direction of the optical axis. In addition, adjusting two optical components using a predetermined criterion provides a stabilization of the focused image.