Zoom lens system

Claim 2

A zoom lens system comprising: a first lens group including at least two sub-groups with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; a focusing lens group located at the image side of the first lens group and shiftable along the optical axis for focusing; and second lens group located at the image side of the focusing lens group including at least two sub-groups with another variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the second lens group being variable in accordance with the change in its variable air space during zooming.

Claim 3

A zoom lens system comprising: a first lens group of a negative refractive power including a frontmost positive sub-group and a negative sub-group with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; and a focusing lens group of a positive refractive power located at the image side of the first lens group including a pair of positive sub-groups with another variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the focusing lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space of the focusing lens group during zooming, wherein the focusing lens group is shiftable along the optical axis toward the image side for focusing to a closer object with the variable air space of the focusing lens group maintained.

Claim 4

A zoom lens system comprising: a first lens group of a negative refractive power including a frontmost positive sub-group and a negative sub-group with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; and a focusing lens group of a positive refractive power located at the image side of the first lens group including a pair of positive sub-groups with another variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the focusing lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space of the focusing lens group during zooming, wherein the focusing lens group is shiftable along the optical axis toward the image side for focusing to a closer object with the variable air space of the focusing lens group maintained.

Claim 5

A zoom lens system comprising: a first lens group of a negative refractive power including a frontmost positive sub-group and a negative sub-group with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; and a focusing lens group of a positive refractive power located at the image side of the first lens group including a first positive sub-group, a second negative sub-group and third positive sub-group with two variable air spaces, one between the first and second sub-groups and the other between the second and third sub-groups, the total focal length of the focusing lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the two variable air spaces of the focusing lens group during zooming, wherein the focusing lens group is shiftable along the optical axis toward the image side for focusing to a closer object with its two variable air spaces maintained.

Claim 6

A zoom lens system comprising: a first lens group of a negative refractive power including a frontmost positive sub-group and a negative sub-group with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; and a focusing lens group of a positive refractive power located at the image side of the first lens group including a first positive sub-group, a second negative sub-group and third positive sub-group with two variable air spaces, one between the first and second sub-groups and the other between the second and third sub-groups, the total focal length of the focusing lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the two variable air spaces of the focusing lens group during zooming, wherein the focusing lens group is shiftable along the optical axis toward the image side for focusing to a closer object with its two variable air spaces maintained.

Claim 7

A zoom lens system comprising: a first lens group including at least two sub-groups with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; and a focusing lens group located at the image side of the first lens group with an air space variable during zooming between the first lens group and the focusing lens group, the focusing lens group being shiftable along the optical axis for focusing, the lateral magnification, β F with respect to the focusing lens group being continuously variable during zooming with a condition, |β.sub.F |>1 always fulfilled so that |β F | is increased in accordance with the increase of the focal length of the whole lens system.

Claim 8

A zoom lens system comprising: a first lens group including at least two sub-groups with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; and a focusing lens group located at the image side of the first lens group with an air space variable during zooming between the first lens group and the focusing lens group, the focusing lens group being shiftable along the optical axis for focusing, the lateral magnification, β F with respect to the focusing lens group being continuously variable during zooming with a condition, |β.sub.F |>1 always fulfilled so that |β F | is increased in accordance with the increase of the focal length of the whole lens system.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 4, wherein the focusing lens group is movable along the optical axis during zooming to continuously change the lateral magnification, β F with respect to the focusing lens group.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 4 further comprising another lens group located at the image side of the focusing lens group, wherein the another lens group is movable along the optical axis during zooming to continuously change the lateral magnification, β F with respect to the focusing lens group.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 4, wherein the focusing lens group includes at least two sub-groups with another variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the focusing lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space of the focusing lens group during zooming.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 4, wherein the lens system fulfills the following condition: 1<|β.sub.FW |<2 wherein: β FW represents the lateral magnification with respect to the focusing lens group at the shortest focal length of the whole lens system in zooming when the lens system is focused in infinity.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 4, wherein the first lens group is of a negative refractive power in total and includes a frontmost positive sub-group, and the focusing lens group is of a positive refractive power in total to converge the light pencil at the image side of the focusing lens group and includes three sub-groups with two variable air spaces respectively defined therebetween, the total focal length of the focusing lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the two variable air spaces of the focusing lens group during zooming, while the two variable air spaces of the focusing lens group being maintained upon the shift of the focusing lens group toward the image side for focusing a closer object, and wherein the lens system fulfills the following condition: -2<β.sub.FW ≦-1.05 wherein: β FW represents the lateral magnification with respect to the focusing lens group at the shortest focal length of the whole lens system in zooming when the lens system is focused in infinity.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 9, wherein the three sub-groups in the focusing lens group consists, from the object to the image side, of a first positive sub-group, a second negative sub-group and a third positive sub-group.

Claim 15

The zoom lens system of claim 4 wherein the first lens group has a negative refractive power and includes a frontmost positive sub-group and a negative sub-group with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; and the focusing lens group has positive refractive power and is located at the image side of the first lens group and movable during zooming, wherein the focusing lens group is further shiftable along the optical axis toward the image side for focusing to a closer object.

Claim 16

The lens system of claim 4 wherein the first lens group has a positive refractive power and includes a frontmost negative sub-group and a positive sub-group with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; and the focusing lens group has a negative refractive power and is located at the image side of the first lens group and is movable during zooming with an air space between the first lens group and the focusing lens group varied, wherein the focusing lens group is further shiftable along the optical axis toward the image side for focusing to a closer object.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 1, wherein the first lens group is of a negative refractive power and the focusing lens group is of a positive refractive power.

Claim 18

A zoom lens system comprising: a first lens group including at least two sub-groups with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; and a focusing lens group located at the image side of the first lens group with an air space variable during zooming between the first lens group and the focusing lens group, the focusing lens group being shiftable along the optical axis for focusing, the lateral magnification, β F with respect to the focusing lens group being continuously variable during zooming with a condition, |β.sub.F |>1 always fulfilled so that |β F | is increased in accordance with the increase of the focal length of the whole lens system and the following value is maintained substantially constant during zooming, ##EQU16## wherein f A represents the total focal length of the first lens group.

Claim 19

A zoom lens system comprising: a first lens group including at least two sub-groups with a variable air space therebetween, the total focal length of the first lens group being variable in accordance with the change in the variable air space during zooming; and a focusing lens group located at the image side of the first lens group with an air space variable during zooming between the first lens group and the focusing lens group, the focusing lens group being shiftable along the optical axis for focusing, the lateral magnification, β F with respect to the focusing lens group being continuously variable during zooming with a condition, |β.sub.F |>1 always fulfilled so that |β F | is increased in accordance with the increase of the focal length of the whole lens system and the following value is maintained substantially constant during zooming, ##EQU16## wherein f A represents the total focal length of the first lens group.

Claim 20

The invention of a lens system comprising the following design parameters: ______________________________________ f = 35.9˜70.0˜102.7 F.sub.NO. = 4.1 Radius of Axial Refractive Abbe Curvature Distance Index(Nd) Number(νd) ______________________________________ r.sub.1 -421.934 d.sub.1 1.000 N.sub.1 1.80518 ν.sub.1 25.43 r.sub.2 95.238 d.sub.2 6.000 N.sub.2 1.69100 ν.sub.2 54.75 r.sub.3 -125.494 d.sub.3 0.150 r.sub.4 44.007 d.sub.4 3.800 N.sub.3 1.78831 ν.sub.3 47.32 r.sub.5 92.826 d.sub.5 1.000˜17.474˜21.529 r.sub.6 50.831 d.sub.6 1.200 N.sub.4 1.75450 ν.sub.4 51.57 r.sub.7 15.535 d.sub.7 4.348 r.sub.8 -121.921 d.sub.8 1.200 N.sub.5 1.62135 ν.sub.5 61.28 r.sub.9 39.172 d.sub.9 0.500 r.sub.10 24.167 d.sub.10 2.800 N.sub.6 1.84666 ν.sub.6 23.88 r.sub.11 87.082 d.sub.11 3.000 r.sub.12 -29.809 d.sub.12 1.200 N.sub.7 1.62135 ν.sub.7 61.28 r.sub.13 -279.569 d.sub.13 17.679˜7.212˜1.500 r.sub.14 137.815 d.sub.14 3.500 N.sub.8 1.51680 ν.sub.8 64.12 r.sub.15 -51.858 d.sub.15 0.150 r.sub.16 44.253 d.sub.16 3.700 N.sub.9 1.53241 ν.sub.9 51.54 r.sub.17 -54.054 d.sub.17 1.200 N.sub.10 1.80518 ν.sub.10 25.43 r.sub.18 1432.541 d.sub.18 11.781˜3.891˜1.000 r.sub.19 25.986 d.sub.19 4.150 N.sub.11 1.60565 ν.sub.11 37.81 r.sub.20 177.655 d.sub.20 5.116 r.sub.21 -69.722 d.sub.21 4.600 N.sub.12 1.80741 ν.sub.12 31.59 r.sub.22 29.064 d.sub.22 2.800 r.sub.23 -466.446 d.sub.23 3.431 N.sub.13 1.51728 ν.sub.13 69.56 r.sub.24 -27.993 d.sub.24 0.200 r.sub.25 41.201 d.sub.25 5.721 N.sub.14 1.51763 ν.sub.14 53.47 r.sub.26 -470.241 Σ.sub.d = 91.226˜89.344˜84.796 ______________________________________

Claim 21

The invention of a lens system comprising the following design parameters: ______________________________________ f = 35.9˜70.0˜102.7 F.sub.NO. = 4.1 Radius of Axial Refractive Abbe Curvature Distance Index(Nd) Number(νd) ______________________________________ r.sub.1 -421.934 d.sub.1 1.000 N.sub.1 1.80518 ν.sub.1 25.43 r.sub.2 95.238 d.sub.2 6.000 N.sub.2 1.69100 ν.sub.2 54.75 r.sub.3 -125.494 d.sub.3 0.150 r.sub.4 44.007 d.sub.4 3.800 N.sub.3 1.78831 ν.sub.3 47.32 r.sub.5 92.826 d.sub.5 1.000˜17.474˜21.529 r.sub.6 50.831 d.sub.6 1.200 N.sub.4 1.75450 ν.sub.4 51.57 r.sub.7 15.535 d.sub.7 4.348 r.sub.8 -121.921 d.sub.8 1.200 N.sub.5 1.62135 ν.sub.5 61.28 r.sub.9 39.172 d.sub.9 0.500 r.sub.10 24.167 d.sub.10 2.800 N.sub.6 1.84666 ν.sub.6 23.88 r.sub.11 87.082 d.sub.11 3.000 r.sub.12 -29.809 d.sub.12 1.200 N.sub.7 1.62135 ν.sub.7 61.28 r.sub.13 -279.569 d.sub.13 17.679˜7.212˜1.500 r.sub.14 137.815 d.sub.14 3.500 N.sub.8 1.51680 ν.sub.8 64.12 r.sub.15 -51.858 d.sub.15 0.150 r.sub.16 44.253 d.sub.16 3.700 N.sub.9 1.53241 ν.sub.9 51.54 r.sub.17 -54.054 d.sub.17 1.200 N.sub.10 1.80518 ν.sub.10 25.43 r.sub.18 1432.541 d.sub.18 11.781˜3.891˜1.000 r.sub.19 25.986 d.sub.19 4.150 N.sub.11 1.60565 ν.sub.11 37.81 r.sub.20 177.655 d.sub.20 5.116 r.sub.21 -69.722 d.sub.21 4.600 N.sub.12 1.80741 ν.sub.12 31.59 r.sub.22 29.064 d.sub.22 2.800 r.sub.23 -466.446 d.sub.23 3.431 N.sub.13 1.51728 ν.sub.13 69.56 r.sub.24 -27.993 d.sub.24 0.200 r.sub.25 41.201 d.sub.25 5.721 N.sub.14 1.51763 ν.sub.14 53.47 r.sub.26 -470.241 Σ.sub.d = 91.226˜89.344˜84.796 ______________________________________