Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide an illuminator device including a light source for emitting light to be irradiated to an irradiation plane; a first optical system provided between the light source and the irradiation plane to make the light emitted from the light source into collimated light; and a second optical system provided between the first optical system and the irradiation plane to converge the collimated light to the irradiation plane such that aberration occurs on an image of the collimated light in a predetermined region of the irradiation plane.

Abstract: An illuminating apparatus includes at least two solid light-emitting elements including a first solid light-emitting element and a second solid light-emitting element; a polarized-light combining unit that combines a first polarized light of a first oscillation direction and a second polarized light of a second oscillation direction substantially perpendicular to the second oscillating direction to guide the first polarized light and the second polarized light to an illumination direction by transmitting or reflecting the first polarized light and reflecting or transmitting the second polarized light; and a phase modulating element that converts a polarized light from the polarized-light combining unit into either of the first polarized light and the second polarized light.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention can provide an illuminating device and the like capable of efficiently supplying polarized light in a particular oscillation direction and suitable for a projector having a liquid crystal type spatial light modulator. The device can include a light source that supplies light, a collimating optical system that collimates the light from the light source into a substantially parallel light, and a reflecting type polarizing plate that transmits polarized light in a particular oscillation direction in the light from the collimating optical system and reflects polarized light in an oscillation direction different from the particular oscillation direction. The light source can include a reflecting portion that reflects light reflected by the reflecting type polarizing plate and advancing in the direction of the light source toward the collimating optical system.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention can provide an illuminator and others, which are able to supply polarized light having a certain oscillating direction as well as a certain wavelength range with high efficiency, and are suitable for a single-plate type projector using an LCD type spatial light modulator. The illuminator can include a light source, a rod integrator, a reflective polarizing plate, and a color filter. A reflecting mirror reflects polarized light, which has been reflected by the reflective polarizing plate, got injected into the rod integrator again through an emitting end, and progresses in the direction toward an injection end, in the direction toward the emitting end.

Abstract: A vari-focal image pickup optical system for endoscopes comprising, in order from the object side, a first focusing lens unit which is capable of adjusting a diopter within a range covering positive and negative values, and has a positive refractive power, a second variator lens unit which has a vari-focal function and a negative refractive power, and a third compensator lens unit which maintains an image at a constant location by correcting a deviation of an image location caused by changing a magnification, wherein magnifications of the second lens unit and the third lens unit are changed around a magnification level of -1.times., wherein a magnification of the optical system is changed from that at a wide position to that at a tele position by moving the second lens unit from the object side toward the image side and moving the third lens unit from the image side toward the object side, and wherein the third lens unit is set at the magnification level of -1.times.