Abstract: The present invention has as its object to obtain a zoom lens having a high variable power ratio, and having high optical performance which can sufficiently cope with even the use, for example, of a solid state image pickup element having a wide angle of field. In a zoom lens having, in succession from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit L1 of negative optical power, a second lens unit L2 of positive optical power and a third lens unit L3 of positive optical power, wherein the interval between adjacent ones of the lens units is changed to thereby effect focusing, the first lens unit has a negative lens and a positive lens, the second lens unit has a positive lens and a negative lens, the third lens unit has a positive lens, and the object side and image side surfaces of the negative lens G11 of the first lens unit which is most adjacent to the object side are of an aspherical shape.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from the object side, the first lens unit consisting of one negative lens component in which a plurality of lens components are cemented to one another and the second lens unit including one negative lens component and having positive refracting power as a whole. In this case, the zoom lens satisfies the following condition: 0.15<t1/fw<0.6 where t1 is the thickness, measured along the optical axis, of the first lens unit and fw is the focal length of the entire system at the wide-angle position of the zoom lens.

Abstract: A zoom lens is disclosed which has a macro mode wherein the magnifying power is higher than 0.5. The zoom lens includes a first positive lens group, a second negative lens group movable upon power variation, and a plurality of movable lens groups cooperable with the second group to form a macro lens group, disposed in order from an object side. The movable lens groups include a single focusing group, and an additional negative lens group disposed further on the image side. The zoom lens has a macro mode in which it can be focused at a shorter distance than an ordinary region by moving the macro lens group integrally from a telephoto end position toward the object side while the first lens group is fixed at the telephotograph end.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes a first lens band having a positive focal length, a second lens band having a negative focal length, and at least third to fifth lens bands having positive focal lengths. An aperture diaphragm is located in the vicinity of the third lens band. When magnification i.e., zooming is performed from short to long focal point ends, the second lens band smoothly moves toward the third lens band and the fourth lens band simultaneously moves from the fifth lens band side toward a long focal point end so as to share a magnification function together with the second lens band.

Abstract: A focus lens and a zoom lens group having a first zoom lens and a second zoom lens are controlled separately from one another in an internal-focus camera. The positions of the focus lens and the second zoom lens in the zoom lens group are tracked, and are controlled to approach no closer to one another than a minimum safe distance to avert collisions between the focus lens and the second zoom lens.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes cam ring which is rotated about an optical axis to move a lens group in the optical axis direction, and a rotational ring which transfers a rotational motion to the cam ring. The rotational ring includes a rotation-transmission arm extending in the optical axis direction. The cam ring includes a bottomed engaging recess which is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cam ring. The rotation-transmission arm is slidably inserted to be movable in the optical axis direction. The rotation-transmission arm and the engaging recess include a guide groove which extends parallel to the optical axis and a guide projection which is engaged in the guide groove, respectively or vice versa, the rotational ring transferring rotational motion thereof to the cam ring via engagement of the guide groove with the guide projection.

Abstract: A focus lens and a zoom lens group having a first zoom lens and a second zoom lens are controlled separately from one another in an internal-focus camera. The positions of the focus lens and the second zoom lens in the zoom lens group are tracked, and are controlled to approach no closer to one another than a minimum safe distance to avert collisions between the focus lens and the second zoom lens.

Abstract: A portable telephone 1 is provided with a body 2 and a camera unit 3. In the camera unit 3, photography is switched to macro photography by pressing a macro button 22 on the body 2. In this way, the convenience of the portable telephone 1 is improved because an object in the very near distance can be photographed. The camera unit 3 is constructed so as to be freely rotatable in a direction Rc on a shaft of a connector C. Accordingly, a user can freely modify the photography direction of the camera unit 3, thereby increasing the freedom of photography and providing greater improvement in the convenience of the portable terminal.

Abstract: A variable focal length lens system comprises, from the object side, a positive first lens group, a positive second lens group and a negative third lens group. The lens groups are moved toward the object side such that, when changing from wide angle to telephoto, distance between the first lens group and the second lens group is increased and distance between the second lens group and the third lens group is decreased. An aperture stop disposed in the vicinity of the second lens group moves together with the second lens group; the third lens group is composed of a positive lens with the convex surface facing the image side and a negative lens disposed away from the positive lens toward the image side and having the concave surface facing the object side; and the positive lens is a double aspherical lens and satisfies predetermined conditions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fast macro lens that is well corrected for aberrations even at close range, and a camera comprising the macro lens. The macro lens comprises, in order from its object side, a first lens group G1 having positive power and a second lens group G2 having positive power. In the first lens group G1 a negative meniscus lens component concave on its object side is located nearest to the object side of the macro lens. Upon focusing from an object point at infinity to the closest object point, the first G1 and the second lens group G2 move independently toward the object side of the macro lens while the spacing between them varies.

Abstract: A dioptric projection optical system which projects an image of a first surface onto a second surface includes lens components formed of at least two types of fluorides, and is constituted by, in order from a first surface side, a first lens group having a negative refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, a third lens group having a negative refractive power, a fourth lens group having an aperture stop within an optical path, and a fifth lens group having a positive refractive power. An clear aperture of a light beam in the projection optical system is at a maximum within the second lens group, is at a minimum within the third lens group, is at a maximum within the third, fourth, or fifth lens group, and has only one significant minimum between the first surface and the second surface.

Abstract: An image pickup lens unit includes, as viewed from an object side, a retainer having an aperture stop, an image pickup lens, and a holder. The retainer having an aperture stop and the image pickup lens are united with each other. The holder assumes a substantially cylindrical shape and accommodates the image pickup lens such that the image pickup lens is united with the holder in a manner movable in relation to the holder, whereby movement of the retainer having an aperture stop causes the image pickup lens to move in relation to the holder to thereby carry out focus adjustment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a compact two-group zoom optical system which has an angle of view of 70° or greater at the wide-angle end and satisfactory image-formation capability all over the zoom range while maintaining a zoom ratio of 3 or greater. The zoom optical system comprises a first lens group G1 having positive refracting power and a second lens group G2 having negative refracting power. For zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the respective lens groups move toward the object side while the spacing between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2 becomes narrow. The first lens group G1 consists of a first lens unit U1 having negative refracting power, a second lens unit U2 having positive refracting power and a third lens unit U3 having positive refracting power. Each lens unit consists of a single lens or a doublet.

Abstract: In a zoom lens device, the mechanism for guiding lens groups for achieving a composite focal length for the zoom lens function is used also for positioning the lens groups for the macro lens function. In particular, the position for the macro lens function is defined in a region near the wide end of the zoom lens function so that the interference with the convenience of the zoom lens function may be minimized. The mechanism for the zoom lens function can be thereby used additionally for the macro lens function so that the mechanism for achieving the two functions can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be minimized. This device is suitable for use in compact cameras.

Abstract: An image pickup lens unit includes, as viewed from an object side, a retainer having an aperture stop, an image pickup lens, and a holder. The retainer having an aperture stop and the image pickup lens are united with each other. The holder assumes a substantially cylindrical shape and accommodates the image pickup lens such that the image pickup lens is united with the holder in a manner movable in relation to the holder, whereby movement of the retainer having an aperture stop causes the image pickup lens to move in relation to the holder to thereby carry out focus adjustment.

Abstract: A macro zoom lens system includes at least three lens groups, such as, a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, and a positive third lens group, in this order from the object. Upon zooming, at least two lens groups are made moveable. On the other hand, upon focusing at any focal length in the focal-length range defined by the short focal length extremity and the long focal length extremity, any one of the lens groups other than the first lens group is made moveable. Furthermore, at the shortest object-to-image distance, an image magnification of more than ½ is obtained at the long focal length extremity.

Abstract: A zoom lens system which includes a first lens unit having negative refractive power, a second lens unit having positive refractive power and a third lens unit having positive refractive power, and is configured to change a magnification from a wide-angle position to a telephoto position by moving the second lens unit along an optical axis on the object side and moving the third lens unit along the optical axis in which said second lens unit consists of four lens elements including, in order from the object side, two positive lens elements and a negative lens element, and which can be focused by moving a third lens unit, and in which each lens unit is thin and which is thin as a whole, and an image pickup apparatus which uses this zoom lens system and has a shallow depth.

Abstract: A zoom lens mechanism includes a switching lens group frame supporting a first sub-lens group frame and a second sub-lens group frame which support first and second sub-sub-lens groups, respectively; a lens group shift mechanism for causing the first and second sub-lens group frames to linearly move to a mutually close position or a mutually distant position, with respect to the optical axis direction, in accordance with relative rotation between the first sub-lens group frame and the second sub-lens group frame; and a focusing mechanism which integrally moves the first sub-lens group frame and the second sub-lens group frame in the optical axis direction while maintaining a distance therebetween after the first and the second sub-lens group frames are moved to one of the mutually close position and the mutually distant position by the lens group shift mechanism.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes front and rear sub-lens groups; front and rear sub-lens group frames for supporting the front and rear sub-lens groups, respectively; a lens frame shift mechanism for causing the front sub-lens group frame and the rear sub-lens group frame to move relative to each other to obtain the mutually close position and the mutually distant position; a first lens group positioning surface provided on the front sub-lens group frame for positioning the front sub-lens group by contacting with a portion of a rear surface of the front sub-lens group; and a second lens group positioning surface provided on the rear sub-lens group frame for positioning the front sub-lens group by contacting with a portion of a front surface of the rear sub-lens group.

Abstract: A lens drive mechanism includes first and second sub-lens group frames for supporting first and second sub-lens groups; a support frame for supporting the first and second sub-lens group frames; a first linear guide mechanism which linearly guides the first sub-lens group frame and prevents rotation thereof; a second linear guide mechanism which linearly guides the second sub-lens group frame, while limiting rotation thereof, at two extremities of rotation thereof; a lens frame shift mechanism for causing the first and second sub-lens group frames to move to the mutually close or distant position; and a linear displacement mechanism which integrally moves the first and second sub-lens group frames in the optical axis direction, in the mutually close or distant position. A linear guide clearance of the first linear guide mechanism is larger than a linear guide clearance of the second linear guide mechanism.

Abstract: A zoom lens having both manual mode and auto focus mode of focus adjustment. The zoom lens includes, in order from the object side, a focus portion, a zoom portion, and a main portion. Zooming is accomplished by moving some or all of the lens elements in the zoom portion along the optical axis. What would otherwise be a fluctuation of the image surface with change of object distance is corrected in manual mode by manually moving some or all of the lens elements of the focus portion along the optical axis based on visual observation of the object through the zoom lens as the adjustment is made. In auto focus mode, what would otherwise be a fluctuation of the image surface with change of object distance is corrected by micro-vibrating some or all of the lens elements of a lens group in the light path following the focus portion.

Abstract: In a short-focal-length side zooming range, a moveable sub-lens group of a zoom lens system is made stationary at one of the object-side and the image-side end. At the intermediate switching focal length, the moveable sub-lens group is moved to the other of the object-side and the image-side end.

Abstract: A TV camera lens device includes a flange back length control signal for moving a master lens group to a position of the proper flange back length in accordance with the operation of a flange back length control. It further includes a macro control signal generating device for outputting a macro control signal for moving the master lens group to a preset macro position where the master lens group is to be positioned during the macro-shooting. Then, either one of the flange back length control signal and the macro control signal is made to take preference in accordance with the operation of a selector switch, and the selected control signal is input to a control circuit. Incidentally, the macro position may be relatively defined as referenced from the position of the proper flange back length.

Abstract: A zoom lens system capable of macro-photography having, in the order from the object side, a first lens unit that has positive optical power and is fixed during zooming; a second lens unit that has negative optical power and moves along the optical axis during zooming; a third lens unit that has positive optical power and is fixed during zooming; and a fourth lens unit that has positive optical power and moves along the optical axis during zooming.

Abstract: A zoom lens system capable of macro-photography having, in the order from the object side, a first lens unit that has positive optical power and is fixed during zooming; a second lens unit that has negative optical power and moves along the optical axis during zooming; a third lens unit that has positive optical power and is fixed during zooming; and a fourth lens unit that has positive optical power and moves along the optical axis during zooming.

Abstract: A macro lens system includes a positive first lens group, an aperture and a negative second lens group arranged in the order from an object side. The driving mechanism drives the lens groups and the aperture to move independently along an optical axis for focusing. When the lens groups are moved toward the object side, the aperture is also moved to the object side. The moving amount of the aperture is determined to control increasing of an effective F-number. The moving amount of the aperture is smaller than that of the first lens group and is larger than that of the second lens group.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for the adjustment of the focal position of an opto-electronic apparatus including a transmitter element which transmits light and a lens for the focusing of the light transmitted by the transmitter element. The apparatus includes a pivotal lever for receiving the transmitter element or the lens, which is pivotable via a positioning element about a pivot joint for the adjustment of the spacing between the transmitter element and the lens and thus for the adjustment of the focal position. The pivotal lever is formed as a two-armed pivotal lever, with the one arm of the pivotal lever being formed to receive the lens or the transmitter element, and with the positioning element acting on a section of the other arm of the pivotal lever lying on the other side of the pivot joint. Furthermore, a variant is described in which the positioning element extends along the longitudinal extent of the pivotal lever, as well as an opto-electronic apparatus with such an adjustment device.

Abstract: A zoom lens system has from an object side a first lens group of a positive refractive power, a second lens group of a positive refractive power and a third lens group of a negative refractive power. The second lens group has from the object side a lens unit and a positive lens element convex to the object side. Focusing for a close object is performed by moving the lens unit toward the object side. In the zoom lens, the following condition is fulfilled: ##EQU1## where r1 is a radius of curvature of an object side surface of the positive lens element and r2 is a radius of curvature of an image side surface of the positive lens element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a zoom lens system having stable performance and a high magnification, which comprises a first lens group G1 having positive refracting power, a second lens group G2 having negative refracting power, a third lens group G3 having positive refracting power and a fourth lens group G4 having negative refracting power. For zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end of a zooming area having a continuous zooming action, an intergroup space of each lens group is varied. At least one group of the four lens groups is moved to define an extended wide-angle point SW that is a discontinuous zooming point at a position where a focal length thereof becomes shorter than the wide-angle end of the zooming area. At least one lens group of the four lens groups is moved to define an extended telephoto point ST that is a discontinuous zooming point at a position where a focal length thereof becomes longer than the telephoto end of the zooming area.

Abstract: A zoom lens comprises a plurality of lens units movable along an optical axis for zooming and a lens unit movable along the optical axis for focusing, wherein the focusing lens unit moves integrally with one lens unit of the plurality of lens units in at least one zooming zone, and, in another zooming zone, moves while varying a separation thereof relative to the one lens unit.

Abstract: A high-performance, long-focal length macrolens system is provided which is easy-to-operate and is capable of photographing an object at an infinitely far distance and an object at a close distance without changing the overall length of the macrolens system. The system is configured in order from the object side, having:a first lens group G1, which includes a negative lens and has a positive overall refractive power,a second lens group G2, which includes a compound lens and has a negative overall refractive power,a third lens group G3, which includes a compound lens and has a negative overall refractive power, anda fourth lens group G4, which has a positive refractive power, and the system fulfills at least three preselected conditions.

Abstract: A zoom lens structured so that a substantially constant amount of movement of a focusing lens group is required for focusing on objects at the same distance regardless of the zoom position even when an inner focusing method is implemented. The zoom lens includes in order from an object side, a first lens group which has a negative refractive power and a second lens group which has a positive refractive power, wherein zooming is executed by changing a distance between the first lens group and the second lens group, wherein the second lens group includes, in order from the object side, a front group which has a positive refractive power and a rear group which has a positive refractive power, and wherein focusing from an object at a far distance to an object at a close distance is executed by moving the front group towards an image side.

Abstract: A small zoom lens makes possible short distance focusing with a high zoom ratio and high performance using a simple lens barrel. A focusing second lens unit moves along the optical axis during focusing to the short distance object; a first lens unit is adjacent to and on the object side of the focusing lens unit; and a third lens unit is adjacent to and on the image side of the focusing lens unit. The second unit lens and the third lens unit move integrally together during zooming between a maximum wide-angle state and a maximum telephoto state. The focusing lens unit moves in conjunction with and relative to the second and third lens units. The first or the third lens unit has a positive focal length and the other has a negative focal length. Additionally, the first and third lens units satisfies the following condition:-0.6<(fa +fb)/(fa-fb)<0.4wherefa=focal length of the first lens unit, andfb=focal length of the third lens unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photographic lens system capable of close-up photography in which various aberrations such as spherical aberration and coma, and curvature of field are concurrently corrected in a well-balanced state and which is relatively bright as expressed by an F-number of about 2.8, and is characterized by comprising a first lens group G.sub.1 which includes a front sub-group G.sub.1F having positive refracting power and a rear sub-group G.sub.1R having negative refracting power and has positive refracting power in its entirety, a second lens group G.sub.2 having positive refracting power in its entirety, and a third lens group G.sub.3 having positive refracting power in its entirety, the lens of the front sub-group G.sub.1F nearest to the image side being concave on the image side and the lens of the rear sub-group G.sub.

Abstract: A zoom lens system, with both zooming and focusing functions, has a plurality of lens groups including at least two focusing lens groups which move differently from each other either in zooming or in focusing, wherein when a certain movement trace for zooming is expressed with a variable of rotation angle of a rotating barrel for defining a displacement amount of a lens group along an optical axis, a movement trace of the first focusing lens group is formed by a combination of a first focus cam with a first compensating zoom cam, a movement trace of an n-th focusing lens group is formed by a combination of an n-th focus cam with an n-th compensating zoom cam, and a movement trace of each movable non-focusing lens group taking no part in focusing is formed by a combination of one of the first to n-th compensating zoom cams with a zoom cam for the non-focusing lens group.

Abstract: An optical apparatus has a lens for zooming movable to a zoom area and a macro area, and a stopper operable to be changed over to a first state in which the movement of the lens from the zoom area to the macro area is prohibited and a second state in which the prohibition is released. A locking portion is provided so that the second state by the stopper can be maintained.

Abstract: A macro lens comprises first to third lens groups having positive powers and an aperture stop disposed the first and second lens groups. The first lens group, aperture stop and second lens group remain fixed with respect to one another and movable as one unit relative to the third lens group for focusing. The third lens group is stationary with respect to an image plane of the macro lens.

Abstract: A lens hood assembly is provided for use with a zoom lens having a group of variable power lenses for varying focal length, the assembly comprising a lens hood which is adapted to be moved along the optical axis direction of the zoom lens and which is provided, on its front end, with an incident light restriction wall with a center opening through which incident light passes into the zoom lens, said lens hood being associated with the zooming operation of the zoom lens, wherein the lens hood is adapted to be moved forwardly and rearwardly at the long focal length and the short focal length of the zoom lens, respectively.

Abstract: A zoom lens with a close-up lens has first to fifth lens groups arranged in this order from the object side. Each of the first, second and fifth lens groups has a positive power and each of the third and fourth lens groups has a negative power. The first to fifth lens groups are arranged so that the spaces between the second to fifth lens groups change when the zoom lens is zoomed from a shortest focal length to a longest focal length and at the same time the first lens group can be moved along the optical axis in response to change in the optical length between an object point and the first lens group so that the object side focal point of the first lens group coincides with the object point.

Abstract: A zoom lens system comprising a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a positive refractive power and a third lens unit having a negative refractive power, and is modifiable into a macro optical system for photographing an object located at an exceptionally short distance with favorable optical performance by varying the airspaces reserved among the lens units in a manner different from that for zooming.

Abstract: A zoom lens comprising, from front to rear, a focusing lens group, a variator lens group, a compensator lens group and a relay lens group, the relay lens group consisting of a front part and a rear part with a longest air spacing therebetween, and the rear part including a first movable lens component arranged upon setting of macro photography made to move along an optical axis, and a second movable lens component arranged upon setting of tracking adjustment made to move along the optical axis.

Abstract: A vari-focal lens system comprising, in the order from the object side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power and a fourth lens unit; adapted to perform variation of focal length by moving the second lens unit and the third lens unit along the optical axis; and adapted to perform focusing by moving the second lens unit toward the object side.

Abstract: The present invention provides a zoom lens system comprising, in the order from the object side, a first lens unit having positive refractive power, a second lens unit having positive refractive power and a third lens unit having negative refractive power, and adapted so as to perform zooming by varying the airspaces reserved between the lens units and permit photographing at an expanded tele position providing a focal length longer than that of the zoom lens system as a whole at the tele position by setting the airspace reserved between the second lens unit and the third lens unit at a width smaller than that at the tele position.

Abstract: A lens control system is disclosed, which comprises a focusing lens drive for driving a focusing lens for focus control, a zooming lens drive for driving a zooming lens for zooming, a focusing lens position detector for detecting the position of the focusing lens, a zooming lens position detector for detecting the position of the zooming lens, and a control circuit for controlling, when the zooming lens position detector detects that the zooming lens is in a macro region, the focusing lens drive to stop the focusing lens at a predetermined position.

Abstract: A zoom lens barrel is disclosed with includes a stationary barrel. A rotatable cam ring is supported by the stationary barrel and is adapted to move along an optical axis direction in association with rotation of the rotatable cam ring. A lens guide ring is adapted to move together with the cam ring along the optical axis direction, and the cam ring is adapted to rotate relative to the lens guide ring, in association with axial movement of the cam ring. Cam grooves are provided for guiding the movement of at least two movable front and rear lens groups, with at least one groove being formed on the cam ring. Lens guide grooves are formed on the lens guide ring and are adapted to correspond to the cam grooves of the cam ring. At least one guide pin is provided which is adapted to extend through an associated cam groove and an associated lens guide groove.