Abstract: A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power. The fourth lens group includes a first sub-lens group having a positive refractive power, a second sub-lens group having a negative refractive power, and a third sub-lens group. During zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, the first lens group and the first and third sub-lens groups are stationary in an optical axis direction relative to the image plane, the second and third lens groups move in the optical axis direction, and the second sub-lens group moves in the direction of the optical axis. During focusing from an infinite-distance object to a close-range object, the second sub-lens group moves in the optical axis direction.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: a dimming device configured to adjust light quantity of incident image pickup light; an image pickup device configured to obtain an image pickup signal based on image pickup light emitted from the dimming device; and a color correction processing section configured to perform color correction on the image pickup signal that is obtained by the image pickup device, based on information relating to light quantity of the image pickup light emitted from the dimming device. The color correction processing section performs the color correction to allow a color balance value of the image pickup signal to be substantially constant independent of the light quantity of the image pickup light emitted from the dimming device.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power. The fourth lens group includes a first sub-lens group having a positive refractive power, a second sub-lens group having a negative refractive power, and a third sub-lens group. During zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, the first lens group and the first and third sub-lens groups are stationary in an optical axis direction relative to the image plane, the second and third lens groups move in the optical axis direction, and the second sub-lens group moves in the direction of the optical axis. During focusing from an infinite-distance object to a close-range object, the second sub-lens group moves in the optical axis direction.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: a dimming device configured to adjust light quantity of incident image pickup light; an image pickup device configured to obtain an image pickup signal based on image pickup light emitted from the dimming device; and a color correction processing section configured to perform color correction on the image pickup signal that is obtained by the image pickup device, based on information relating to light quantity of the image pickup light emitted from the dimming device. The color correction processing section performs the color correction to allow a color balance value of the image pickup signal to be substantially constant independent of the light quantity of the image pickup light emitted from the dimming device.

Abstract: An optical element includes a container including first and second end face walls, a side face wall, and an accommodating chamber inside the walls; first and second liquids enclosed in the chamber; a first electrode provided on a surface of the first end face wall; a second electrode provided on a surface of the second end face wall; an insulating film provided on a surface of the second electrode; and a unit configured to apply a voltage. The shape of an interface between the liquids is changed by a voltage application, and a light transmission path, the center of which is a virtual axis passing through the end face walls in the thickness direction of the container, is formed in a portion of the second liquid. An opening having a diameter the same as or larger than the maximum diameter of the transmission path is provided in the first electrode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal light adjusting device includes: a first liquid crystal layer on which light from one surface is incident; and a reflective film which reflects light transmitted through the first liquid crystal layer, wherein the first liquid crystal layer has adjacent alignment regions, and orientation directions of liquid crystal molecules in the adjacent alignment regions are different.

Abstract: There are provided an optical device including a dimming cell capable of performing low illumination imaging without varying an optical path length, and an imaging device using the optical device. The optical device includes a cell having a containing layer between a first transparent substrate disposed on a light incident side and a second transparent substrate which is disposed on a light emitting side and faces the first transparent substrate, a variable transmittance section provided in a first region of the containing layer and allowing light transmittance to be varied within a predetermined range, and a fixed transmittance section provided in a second region different from the first region as seen from the light incident side and having a light transmittance higher than that of the variable transmittance section.

Abstract: There is provided an image pickup apparatus that is capable of being reduced in size when a barrel unit including a dimming device is used. An image pickup apparatus 1 includes a barrel unit 2 that emits incident image-pickup light after bending the optical path of the image-pickup light, and an image pickup device 3 that detects the image-pickup light emitted from the barrel unit 2 to obtain an image pickup signal. The barrel unit 2 has a dimming device (a liquid crystal dimming device 26) in a bending region of the optical path of the image-pickup light. As compared with an existing image pickup apparatus in which the dimming device is disposed in a region (on an optical path between the bending region and the image pickup device 3) on the image pickup device 3 side in the barrel unit, a length of an optical path (a length of a lens) of the image-pickup light up to the image pickup device 3 is reduced by an amount of the installation space of the dimming device.

Abstract: An optical element includes a first liquid having polarity or electrical conductivity, a second liquid that is immiscible with the first liquid, a first substrate portion, a second substrate portion, a sidewall portion connecting the first substrate portion to the second substrate portion, and an accommodating portion constituted by the first substrate portion, the second substrate portion, and the sidewall portion and sealing the first liquid and the second liquid therein. The first substrate portion includes a first electrode, the second substrate portion includes a second electrode, and the sidewall portion includes a third electrode.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes: a sealing case having chambers partitioned by a partition wall; a polar liquid having polarity and a nonpolar liquid having no polarity which are respectively sealed in a predetermined amount in each of the chambers; and electrodes pulling the polar liquid by an electrowetting phenomenon upon application of a driving voltage. One of the polar liquid and the nonpolar liquid is colored with a color having a light-blocking property, and the other has a light-transmitting property, at least a part of the partition wall is positioned in an optically effective area including the optical axis, and when a driving voltage is applied to a predetermined electrode among the electrodes, the polar liquid is moved in the chamber between closed and open positions where the optically effective area is closed and open, respectively.

Abstract: An optical element includes a container including first and second end face walls, a side face wall, and an accommodating chamber inside the walls; first and second liquids enclosed in the chamber; a first electrode provided on a surface of the first end face wall; a second electrode provided on a surface of the second end face wall; an insulating film provided on a surface of the second electrode; and a unit configured to apply a voltage. The shape of an interface between the liquids is changed by a voltage application, and a light transmission path, the center of which is a virtual axis passing through the end face walls in the thickness direction of the container, is formed in a portion of the second liquid. An opening having a diameter the same as or larger than the maximum diameter of the transmission path is provided in the first electrode.

Abstract: There are provided an optical device including a dimming cell capable of performing low illumination imaging without varying an optical path length, and an imaging device using the optical device. The optical device includes a cell having a containing layer between a first transparent substrate disposed on a light incident side and a second transparent substrate which is disposed on a light emitting side and faces the first transparent substrate, a variable transmittance section provided in a first region of the containing layer and allowing light transmittance to be varied within a predetermined range, and a fixed transmittance section provided in a second region different from the first region as seen from the light incident side and having a light transmittance higher than that of the variable transmittance section.

Abstract: An optical element includes a container including first and second end face walls, a side face wall, and an accommodating chamber inside the walls; first and second liquids enclosed in the chamber; a first electrode provided on a surface of the first end face wall; a second electrode provided on a surface of the second end face wall; an insulating film provided on a surface of the second electrode; and a unit configured to apply a voltage. The shape of an interface between the liquids is changed by a voltage application, and a light transmission path, the center of which is a virtual axis passing through the end face walls in the thickness direction of the container, is formed in a portion of the second liquid. An opening having a diameter the same as or larger than the maximum diameter of the transmission path is provided in the first electrode.

Abstract: An optical element includes a container including first and second end face walls, a side face wall, and an accommodating chamber inside the walls; first and second liquids enclosed in the chamber; a first electrode provided on a surface of the first end face wall; a second electrode provided on a surface of the second end face wall; an insulating film provided on a surface of the second electrode; and a unit configured to apply a voltage. The shape of an interface between the liquids is changed by a voltage application, and a light transmission path, the center of which is a virtual axis passing through the end face walls in the thickness direction of the container, is formed in a portion of the second liquid. An opening having a diameter the same as or larger than the maximum diameter of the transmission path is provided in the first electrode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal light adjusting device includes: a first liquid crystal layer on which light from one surface is incident; and a reflective film which reflects light transmitted through the first liquid crystal layer, wherein the first liquid crystal layer has adjacent alignment regions, and orientation directions of liquid crystal molecules in the adjacent alignment regions are different.

Abstract: An optical element includes a container including first and second end face walls, a side face wall, and an accommodating chamber inside the walls; first and second liquids enclosed in the chamber; a first electrode provided on a surface of the first end face wall; a second electrode provided on a surface of the second end face wall; an insulating film provided on a surface of the second electrode; and a unit configured to apply a voltage. The shape of an interface between the liquids is changed by a voltage application, and a light transmission path, the center of which is a virtual axis passing through the end face walls in the thickness direction of the container, is formed in a portion of the second liquid. An opening having a diameter the same as or larger than the maximum diameter of the transmission path is provided in the first electrode.

Abstract: An optical element includes a container including first and second end face walls, a side face wall, and an accommodating chamber inside the walls; first and second liquids enclosed in the chamber; a first electrode provided on a surface of the first end face wall; a second electrode provided on a surface of the second end face wall; an insulating film provided on a surface of the second electrode; and a unit configured to apply a voltage. The shape of an interface between the liquids is changed by a voltage application, and a light transmission path, the center of which is a virtual axis passing through the end face walls in the thickness direction of the container, is formed in a portion of the second liquid. An opening having a diameter the same as or larger than the maximum diameter of the transmission path is provided in the first electrode.

Abstract: An optical element includes a first liquid; a second liquid that is immiscible with the first liquid and that has polarity or electrical conductivity; a first substrate portion; a second substrate portion; a sidewall portion; a second electrode disposed on one of the second substrate portion and the sidewall portion; and an accommodating portion constituted by the first substrate portion, the second substrate portion, and the sidewall portion and sealing the first liquid and the second liquid therein. The optical element further includes a first film disposed on the first substrate portion side of the accommodating portion and having high affinity with the first liquid, a second film disposed on the second substrate portion side of the accommodating portion and having high affinity with the second liquid, and a third film disposed at the center of the second film and having high affinity with the first liquid.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes: a sealing case having chambers partitioned by a partition wall; a polar liquid having polarity and a nonpolar liquid having no polarity which are respectively sealed in a predetermined amount in each of the chambers; and electrodes pulling the polar liquid by an electrowetting phenomenon upon application of a driving voltage. One of the polar liquid and the nonpolar liquid is colored with a color having a light-blocking property, and the other has a light-transmitting property, at least a part of the partition wall is positioned in an optically effective area including the optical axis, and when a driving voltage is applied to a predetermined electrode among the electrodes, the polar liquid is moved in the chamber between closed and open positions where the optically effective area is closed and open, respectively.

Abstract: An optical element includes a container including first and second end face walls, a side face wall, and an accommodating chamber inside the walls; first and second liquids enclosed in the chamber; a first electrode provided on a surface of the first end face wall; a second electrode provided on a surface of the second end face wall; an insulating film provided on a surface of the second electrode; and a unit configured to apply a voltage. The shape of an interface between the liquids is changed by a voltage application, and a light transmission path, the center of which is a virtual axis passing through the end face walls in the thickness direction of the container, is formed in a portion of the second liquid. An opening having a diameter the same as or larger than the maximum diameter of the transmission path is provided in the first electrode.