Abstract: Folded cameras and dual folded-upright cameras that reduce a mobile electronic device and specifically a smartphone bump footprint and height. In some examples, the bump footprint is reduced by reducing the height of a back focal plane section of the folded camera. In some examples, the bump footprint is reduced by reducing the height of a back focal plane section and a lens subsection of the folded camera.

Abstract: Systems comprising a Wide/Ultra-Wide camera, a folded Tele camera comprising an optical path folding element and a Tele lens module, a lens actuator for moving the Tele lens module for focusing to object-lens distances between 3.0 cm and 35 cm with an object-to-image magnification between 1:5 and 25:1, and an application processor (AP), wherein the AP is configured to analyze image data from the UW camera to define a Tele capture strategy for a sequence of Macro images with a focus plane slightly shifted from one captured Macro image to another and to generate a new Macro image from this sequence, and wherein the focus plane and a depth of field of the new Macro image can be controlled continuously.

Abstract: Multi-cameras in which two sub-cameras share a camera aperture. In some embodiments, a multi-camera comprises a first sub-camera including a first lens and a first image sensor, the first lens having a first optical axis, a second sub-camera including a second lens and a second image sensor, the second lens having a second optical axis, and an optical element that receives light arriving along a third optical axis into the single camera aperture and splits the light for transmission along the first and second optical axes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for obtaining a seamless, smooth transition between a Wide field of view (FOV) camera and a scanning Tele camera by correcting prism aberrations, matching Tele and Wide FOVs, localizing the associated Tele FOV, and zooming a Wide frame towards the localized Tele FOV.

Abstract: Digital camera comprising an upright Wide camera configured to provide a Wide image with a Wide image resolution and a folded Tele camera configured to provide a Tele image with a Tele image resolution higher than the Wide image resolution, the Wide and Tele cameras having respective Wide and Tele fields of view FOVW and FOVT and respective Wide and Tele image sensors, the digital camera further comprising a rotating OPFE operative to provide a folded optical path between an object or scene and the Tele image sensor, wherein rotation of the OPFE moves FOVT relative to FOVW. In some embodiments, a rectangular FOVT is orthogonal to a rectangular FOVW. When included in a host device having a user interface that displays FOVT within FOVW, the user interface may be used to position FOVT relative to FOVW, scan FOVT across FOVW and acquire, store and display separate Wide and Tele images, composite Wide plus Tele images and stitched Tele images.

Abstract: Dual-aperture digital cameras with auto-focus (AF) and related methods for obtaining a focused and, optionally optically stabilized color image of an object or scene. A dual-aperture camera includes a first sub-camera having a first optics bloc and a color image sensor for providing a color image, a second sub-camera having a second optics bloc and a clear image sensor for providing a luminance image, the first and second sub-cameras having substantially the same field of view, an AF mechanism coupled mechanically at least to the first optics bloc, and a camera controller coupled to the AF mechanism and to the two image sensors and configured to control the AF mechanism, to calculate a scaling difference and a sharpness difference between the color and luminance images, the scaling and sharpness differences being due to the AF mechanism, and to process the color and luminance images into a fused color image using the calculated differences.

Abstract: A dual-aperture zoom digital camera operable in both still and video modes. The camera includes Wide and Tele imaging sections with respective lens/sensor combinations and image signal processors and a camera controller operatively coupled to the Wide and Tele imaging sections. The Wide and Tele imaging sections provide respective image data. The controller is configured to output, in a zoom-in operation between a lower zoom factor (ZF) value and a higher ZF value, a zoom video output image that includes only Wide image data or only Tele image data, depending on whether a no-switching criterion is fulfilled or not.

Abstract: Systems comprising a Wide/Ultra-Wide camera, a folded Tele camera comprising an optical path folding element and a Tele lens module, a lens actuator for moving the Tele lens module for focusing to object-lens distances between 3.0 cm and 35 cm with an object-to-image magnification between 1:5 and 25:1, and an application processor (AP), wherein the AP is configured to analyze image data from the UW camera to define a Tele capture strategy for a sequence of Macro images with a focus plane slightly shifted from one captured Macro image to another and to generate a new Macro image from this sequence, and wherein the focus plane and a depth of field of the new Macro image can be controlled continuously.

Abstract: Mobile handheld electronic devices such as smartphones, comprising a Wide camera for capturing Wide images with respective Wide fields of view (FOVW), a Tele camera for capturing Tele images with respective Tele fields of view (FOVT) smaller than FOVW, and a processor configured to stitch a plurality of Wide images into a panorama image with a field of view FOVP>FOVW and to pin a Tele image to a given location within the panorama image to obtain a smart panorama image.

Abstract: A dual-aperture camera comprising a first camera having a first sensor and a first image signal processor (ISP), the first camera operative to output a first stream of frames, a second camera having a second sensor and a second ISP, the second camera operative to output a second stream of frames, and a synchronization and operation control module configurable to control operation of one camera in a fully operational mode and operation of the other camera in a partially operational mode and to output an output of the fully operational camera as a dual-aperture camera output, whereby the partially operational mode of the other camera reduces a dual-aperture camera the power consumption in comparison with a full operational mode of the other camera.

Abstract: Devices disclosed herein feature a Wide camera with a Wide field of view (FOVw), a folded Tele camera with a Tele field of view (FOVT) smaller than the FOVw and including an optical path folding element (OPFE). The device may be configured to rotate the OPFE to thereby shift FOVT relative to FOVw in response to recognition of an object or subject of interest detected in FOVw or FOVT. The device can have high resolution in this overlapping FOV either by fusing the Wide and Tele images or by capturing and saving the Tele image.

Abstract: Systems comprising a folded camera that includes a lens module with a native aperture, the lens module having a height HM, an adaptive aperture located between the native aperture and an optical path folding element, and an adaptive aperture forming mechanism for forming the adaptive aperture, wherein the adaptive aperture forming mechanism has a height HAA not larger than HM, and methods of using same. In various embodiments, the adaptive aperture forming mechanism includes an actuator and at least one pair of blades operative to be moved by the actuator to a plurality of positions to form the adaptive aperture.

Abstract: Dual-aperture digital cameras with auto-focus (AF) and related methods for obtaining a focused and, optionally optically stabilized color image of an object or scene. A dual-aperture camera includes a first sub-camera having a first optics bloc and a color image sensor for providing a color image, a second sub-camera having a second optics bloc and a clear image sensor for providing a luminance image, the first and second sub-cameras having substantially the same field of view, an AF mechanism coupled mechanically at least to the first optics bloc, and a camera controller coupled to the AF mechanism and to the two image sensors and configured to control the AF mechanism, to calculate a scaling difference and a sharpness difference between the color and luminance images, the scaling and sharpness differences being due to the AF mechanism, and to process the color and luminance images into a fused color image using the calculated differences.

Abstract: Methods for obtaining a shallow depth of field effect (DOF) and improved signal-to-noise (SNR) in an image through synthetically increase the camera aperture of a compact camera using at least one actuator included in such a camera for other known purposes, for example for providing optical image stabilization (OIS). The synthetically enlarged camera aperture enables to take a plurality of images at different aperture positions. The plurality of images is processed into an image with shallow DOF and improved SNR.

Abstract: Folded cameras and dual folded-upright cameras that reduce a mobile electronic device and specifically a smartphone bump footprint and height. In some examples, the bump footprint is reduced by reducing the height of a back focal plane section of the folded camera. In some examples, the bump footprint is reduced by reducing the height of a back focal plane section and a lens subsection of the folded camera.

Abstract: A zoom camera comprising an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding the light from a first optical path to a second optical path, a first lens having a first optical axis and a first effective focal length EFLL1, the first optical axis being along the second optical path, a collimating lens having a second optical axis, and an image sensor located on the second optical path, wherein the collimating lens is movable between at least a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state the collimating lens is positioned in the second optical path between the OPFE and the first lens such that light entering the first lens arrives only from the image side of the collimating lens, and wherein in the second state the collimating lens is positioned outside the first optical path such that light entering the first lens does not arrive from the image side of the collimating lens.

Abstract: A dual-aperture camera comprising a first camera having a first sensor and a first image signal processor (ISP), the first camera operative to output a first stream of frames, a second camera having a second sensor and a second ISP, the second camera operative to output a second stream of frames, and a synchronization and operation control module configurable to control operation of one camera in a fully operational mode and operation of the other camera in a partially operational mode and to output an output of the fully operational camera as a dual-aperture camera output, whereby the partially operational mode of the other camera reduces a dual-aperture camera the power consumption in comparison with a full operational mode of the other camera.

Abstract: Methods for obtaining a shallow depth of field effect (DOF) and improved signal-to-noise (SNR) in an image through synthetically increase the camera aperture of a compact camera using at least one actuator included in such a camera for other known purposes, for example for providing optical image stabilization (OIS). The synthetically enlarged camera aperture enables to take a plurality of images at different aperture positions. The plurality of images is processed into an image with shallow DOF and improved SNR.

Abstract: Systems comprising a folded camera that includes a lens module with a native aperture, the lens module having a height HM, an adaptive aperture located between the native aperture and an optical path folding element, and an adaptive aperture forming mechanism for forming the adaptive aperture, wherein the adaptive aperture forming mechanism has a height HAA not larger than HM, and methods of using same. In various embodiments, the adaptive aperture forming mechanism includes an actuator and at least one pair of blades operative to be moved by the actuator to a plurality of positions to form the adaptive aperture.

Abstract: Folded digital cameras comprising a lens system with a lens and an image sensor, the lens having N?6 lens elements Li, an effective focal length (EFL) and a total track length (TTL), wherein each lens element has a respective focal length fi and wherein a first lens element L1 faces an object side, and an optical path folding element (OPFE) for providing a folded optical path between an object and the lens. In some embodiments, the lens system has a focusing range that covers object-lens distances from infinity to a minimal object distance (MIOD), wherein MIOD/EFL is smaller than 20 or even 7. In some embodiments, the ratio of a maximal chief ray angle to a field of view of the folded camera Max CRA/FOV is smaller than 0.25 or even 0.15 when the camera is focused at infinity.