Optical system capable of extreme close up photography

Claim 2

A variable focus optical system capable of extreme closeup photography comprising: a first optical means for focussing said optical system on an object located at different distances within a selected normal range, said first optical means being movable along the optical axiS of said optical system a second optical means arranged on the optical axis of said optical system to vary the focal length of said optical system, said second optical means being operable independently of said first optical means, and having a first lens group and a second lens group which are mutually displaceable along said optical axis in a predetermined relationship for varying the focal length of said optical system an extreme closeup mechanism for focussing said optical system on an object located at a distance closer than the normal range, said extreme closeup mechanism comprising means for displacing both said first and second optical means in fixed relationship to each other along the optical axis of said optical system during operation of said extreme closeup mechanism, said second optical means also being operable independently of said extreme closeup mechanism for zooming said second optical means during the closeup operation.

Claim 3

An optical system according to claim 1 wherein said optical system further comprises a third optical means located at a fixed position for forming images.

Claim 4

An optical system according to claim 1 wherein said extreme closeup mechanism comprises: a carrying means connected operatively with said first and second optical means, an operating means for actuating said carrying means so as to subject the locations of said first and second optical means to be varied integrally along the optical axis of said optical system.

Claim 5

An optical system according to claim 1 wherein the first lens group of said second optical means is a variator lens group, and the second lens group of said second optical means is a compensator lens group.

Claim 6

An optical system according to claim 3 wherein said extreme closeup mechanism further comprises a means for guiding said carrying means along the optical axis of said optical system.

Claim 7

An optical system according to claim 1 wherein said second optical means further comprises a guide means for subjecting said first and second lens groups to be mutually displaceable along the optical axis of said optical system under a predetermined relationship for varying the focal length of said optical system.

Claim 8

A variable focus optical system capable of extreme closeup photography comprising: a focusing means for subjecting said optical system to focus on an object located within a normal focusing range, said means being provided with a focusing lens means movable along the optical axis of said optical system a zooming means operable independently of said focusing means to vary the focal length of said optical system, said zooming means being composed of a variator lens means located on the optical axis of said optical system, a compensator lens means located on the optical axis of said optical system, and a guide means for subjecting said variator lens means and compensator lens means to be mutually displaceable along said optical axis under a predetermined relationship for varying the focal length of said optical system an extreme closeup mechanism for subjecting said optical system to focus on an object located at a distance closer than the normal focusing range, said mechanism being connected operatively with said focusing means and said zooming means so as to be capable of displacing integrally said focusing lens means, said variator lens means and said compensator lens means along said optical axis, said zooming means being further operable independently of said closeup mechanism to achieve a different focal length of said optical system during the closeup operation.

Claim 9

A variable focus optical system capable of extreme closeup photography comprising: a focusing means for subjecting said optical system to focus on an object located within a normal focusing range, said means being provided with a focusing lens means movable along the optical axis of said optical system a zooming means operable independently of said focusing means to vary the focal length of said optical system, said zooming means being composed of a variator lens means located on the optical axis of said optical system, a compensator lens means located on the optical axis of said optical system, and a guide means for subjecting said variator lens means and compensator lens means to be mutually displaceable along said optical axis under a predetermined relationship for varying the focal length of said optical system an extreme closeup mechanism for subjecting said optical system to focus on an object located at a distance closer than the normal focusing range, said mechanism being connected operatively with said focusing means and said zooming means so as to be capable of displacing integrally said focusing lens means, said variator lens means and said compensator lens means along said optical axis, said zooming means being further operable independently of said closeup mechanism to achieve a different focal length of said optical system during the closeup operation.

Claim 10

A variable focus optical system capable of extreme closeup photography comprising: a focusing optical means arranged on the optical axis of said optical system for subjecting said optical system to focus on an object located at a distance varying from an infinitely long distance to a selected short focus distance a normal focusing mechanism for displacing said focusing optical means along sAid optical axis so as to subject said optical system to focus on said object a zooming optical means arranged on the optical axis of said optical system for varying the focal length of said optical system, said optical means being composed of a variator lens means and a compensator lens means a zooming mechanism for varying the length of said optical system by placing said zooming optical means on the optical axis independently of said optical means, said mechanism comprising means for subjecting said variator and compensator lens means to be mutually displaceable along said optical axis under a predetermined relationship for varying the focal length of the optical system an extreme closeup mechanism for subjecting said optical system to focus on an object at a distance closer than said usual distance, said mechanism being connected operably to said focusing optical means and zooming optical means so as to be displace said two optical means together along the axis of said optical system, said zooming mechanism being further movable independently of said closeup mechanism to achieve a different focal length of the optical system during the closeup operation.

Claim 11

A variable focus optical system capable of extreme closeup photography comprising: a focusing optical means arranged on the optical axis of said optical system for subjecting said optical system to focus on an object located at a distance varying from an infinitely long distance to a selected short focus distance a normal focusing mechanism for displacing said focusing optical means along sAid optical axis so as to subject said optical system to focus on said object a zooming optical means arranged on the optical axis of said optical system for varying the focal length of said optical system, said optical means being composed of a variator lens means and a compensator lens means a zooming mechanism for varying the length of said optical system by placing said zooming optical means on the optical axis independently of said optical means, said mechanism comprising means for subjecting said variator and compensator lens means to be mutually displaceable along said optical axis under a predetermined relationship for varying the focal length of the optical system an extreme closeup mechanism for subjecting said optical system to focus on an object at a distance closer than said usual distance, said mechanism being connected operably to said focusing optical means and zooming optical means so as to be displace said two optical means together along the axis of said optical system, said zooming mechanism being further movable independently of said closeup mechanism to achieve a different focal length of the optical system during the closeup operation.

Claim 12

A variable focus optical system capable of extreme closeup photography comprising: a focal lens means arranged on the optical axis of said optical system a normal focusing mechanism for displacing said focusing lens means along said optical axis so as to subject said optical system to focus on an object located within a normal focusing range a zooming lens means arranged on the optical axis of said optical system, said zooming lens means comprising a variator lens group and a compensator lens group a zooming mechanism for displacing said zooming lens means along said optical axis independently of said focusing lens means so as to vary the focal length of said optical system, said mechanism comprising a first carrying means for holding said variator lens group a second carrying means for holding said compensator lens group, and a guide means operatively connected with said first and second carrying means so as to subject said variator lens group as well as said compensator lens group to be mutually displaceable along said optical axis under a predetermined relationship for varying the focal length of said optical system an extreme closeup mechanism for displacing said focusing lens means and said zooming lens means integrally along said optical axis so as to subject said optical system to focus on an object located at a distance closer than said normal focusing range, said mechanism comprising a third carrying means for supporting said focal lens means as well as said zooming lens means integrally and being movable linearly along the optical axis of said optical system, and an operating means for displacing said third carrying means along said optical axis so as to change the locations of said focusing lens means as well as said zooming lens means integrally on said optical axis, said zooming mechanism being further operable independently of said closeup mechanism to achieve a different focal length of said optical system during the closeup operation.

Claim 13

A variable focus optical system capable of extreme closeup photography comprising: a focal lens means arranged on the optical axis of said optical system a normal focusing mechanism for displacing said focusing lens means along said optical axis so as to subject said optical system to focus on an object located within a normal focusing range a zooming lens means arranged on the optical axis of said optical system, said zooming lens means comprising a variator lens group and a compensator lens group a zooming mechanism for displacing said zooming lens means along said optical axis independently of said focusing lens means so as to vary the focal length of said optical system, said mechanism comprising a first carrying means for holding said variator lens group a second carrying means for holding said compensator lens group, and a guide means operatively connected with said first and second carrying means so as to subject said variator lens group as well as said compensator lens group to be mutually displaceable along said optical axis under a predetermined relationship for varying the focal length of said optical system an extreme closeup mechanism for displacing said focusing lens means and said zooming lens means integrally along said optical axis so as to subject said optical system to focus on an object located at a distance closer than said normal focusing range, said mechanism comprising a third carrying means for supporting said focal lens means as well as said zooming lens means integrally and being movable linearly along the optical axis of said optical system, and an operating means for displacing said third carrying means along said optical axis so as to change the locations of said focusing lens means as well as said zooming lens means integrally on said optical axis, said zooming mechanism being further operable independently of said closeup mechanism to achieve a different focal length of said optical system during the closeup operation.

Claim 14

An optical system according to claim 9 wherein said extreme closeup mechanism further comprises a means for admitting said third carrying means to move only the direction along the optical axis of said optical system.

Claim 15

An optical system according to claim 9 wherein said extreme closeup mechanism further comprises a motor-drive means for actuating said operating means.

Claim 16

An optical system according to claim 9 wherein the third carrying means of said extreme closeup mechanism is connected with said normal focusing mechanism, and said normal focusing mechanism is capable of operating independently of said extreme closeup mechanism.

Claim 17

An optical system according to claim 9 wherein the guide means of said zooming mechanism is mounted on the third carrying means of said extreme closeup mechanism. 14. In a variable focus optical system including a focusing lens means to focus said optical system on an object in a normal range a normal range focusing mechanism to move said focusing lens means along the optical axis of said optical system a variator lens means and a compensator lens means to vary the focal length of said optical system a zooming mechanism to move said variator lens means and said compensator lens means along said optical axis in a predetermined relationship of relative movement to vary the focal length of said optical system, and a relay lens means fixedly positioned on said optical axis, the improvement comprising: an extreme closeup mechanism for subjecting said optical system to focus on an object located at a distance closer than a normal range, said mechanism being connected operatively with said focusing lens means, said variator lens means and said compensator lens means so as to displace said three lens means integrally along said optical axis, said zooming mechanism being operable independently of said closeup mechanism, thereby permitting the zooming effect to be achieved during the closeup operation.