Front projection system embodying a single lens

Claim 1

An improved front projection system comprising: an image projecting device having a light source and an image projecting plane where an image producing device is located, means for focusing said light source, an image capturing device having an image capturing plane where an image capturing medium is located, a generally semi-reflective/semi-transparent element, and a common lens having front and rear surfaces for use with both said image projecting device and said image capturing device; said image projecting and capturing devices, said semi-reflective/semi-transparent element and said common lens being perpendicular to a mounting surface with the axis of said projecting and capturing devices and said common lens coinciding in a common plane and intersecting approximately at the center of said semi-reflective/semi-transparent element; said semi-reflective/semi-transparent element being disposed behind said rear surface of said common lens at an angle of about 45° with respect thereto; the planes of said image projecting and capturing devices being generally perpendicular to each other and each of the planes being at about a 45° angle with respect to said semi-reflective/semi-transparent element and with said element positioned so that light projected on the surface of said element is reflected to said rear surface of said common lens; the distance from the centers of the planes of said image projecting and capturing devices to the center of said semi-reflective/semi-transparent element being equal; and lens moving means for focusing said common lens; whereby said image projecting device and said image capturing device are used simultaneously for composite photography, commonly known as front projection.