Changeable magnification optical system

Claim 2

A changeable magnification optical system comprising: a plurality of optical paths, each of which conducts light from an object to an image receiving surface; optical path selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of optical paths; switch optical means switchable between said plurality of optical paths for causing the magnification to change in cooperation with selection of the optical path by said optical path selecting means; and second optical means arranged in at least one of said plurality of optical paths to receive light transmitted through the first optical means when said first optical means is in one of said optical paths.

Claim 3

An optical system according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the optical path by said optical path selecting means is coordinated with the switching of said first optical means.

Claim 4

An optical system according to claim 1, wherein when said first optical means is set in one of said optical paths, the first final image magnification by optical means existing on that optical path is different from the second final image magnification by optical means existing on another optical path when said first optical means is set in said another optical path.

Claim 5

An optical system according to claim 3, wherein said second final image magnification is the composite image magnification by said first optical means and said second optical means.

Claim 6

An optical system according to claim 4, wherein said first optical means has a positive power.

Claim 7

An optical system according to claim 4, wherein said second optical means has a negative power.

Claim 8

An optical system according to claim 4, wherein said first optical means has a positive power and said second optical means has a negative power.

Claim 9

An optical system according to claim 3, wherein said first final image magnification is the image magnification of said first optical means.

Claim 10

An optical system according to claim 1, wherein said first optical means is movable along the optical path to effect focusing.

Claim 11

An optical system according to claim 1, wherein said optical path selecting means is arranged in a position of convergence of the optical paths.

Claim 12

An optical system according to claim 10, wherein said optical path selecting means is a movable mirror.

Claim 13

An optical system according to claim 11, wherein said mirror is tiltable.

Claim 14

An optical system according to claim 1, wherein said first optical means has a positive power.

Claim 15

A changeable magnification optical system comprising: a first image forming optical path, and a second image forming optical path partly superimposed on said first image forming optical path; movable reflecting means for selecting one of said first and second image forming optical paths; first optical means switchable between said first image forming optical path and said second image forming optical path in coordination with the selecting operation of said reflecting means; and second optical means arranged in said first image forming optical path, whereby the image magnification differs when said first image forming optical path is selected and when said second image forming optical path is selected and in the first image forming path the light flux is relayed between said first optical means and said second optical means without forming an image.

Claim 16

A changeable magnification optical system comprising: a first image forming optical path, and a second image forming optical path partly superimposed on said first image forming optical path; movable reflecting means for selecting one of said first and second image forming optical paths; first optical means switchable between said first image forming optical path and said second image forming optical path in coordination with the selecting operation of said reflecting means; and second optical means arranged in said first image forming optical path, whereby the image magnification differs when said first image forming optical path is selected and when said second image forming optical path is selected and in the first image forming path the light flux is relayed between said first optical means and said second optical means without forming an image.

Claim 17

An optical system according to claim 14, wherein said first optical means has a positive power.

Claim 18

A changeable magnification optical system comprising: a first image forming optical path, and a second image forming optical path partly superimposed on said first image forming optical path; movable reflecting means for selecting one of said first and second image forming optical paths; first optical means switchable between said first image forming optical path and said second image forming optical path in coordination with the selecting operation of said reflecting means; and second optical means arranged in said first image forming optical path, whereby the image magnification differs between when said first image forming optical path is selected and when said second image forming optical path is selected wherein said second optical means has a negative power.

Claim 19

A changeable magnification optical system comprising: a first image forming optical path, and a second image forming optical path partly superimposed on said first image forming optical path; movable reflecting means for selecting one of said first and second image forming optical paths; first optical means switchable between said first image forming optical path and said second image forming optical path in coordination with the selecting operation of said reflecting means; and second optical means arranged in said first image forming optical path, whereby the image magnification differs between when said first image forming optical path is selected and when said second image forming optical path is selected wherein said second optical means has a negative power.

Claim 20

An optical system according to claim 16, wherein the distance from said first optical means when set in said first image forming optical path to an image plane is predetermined to be longer than the distance from said first optical means when set in said second image forming optical path to the image plane.

Claim 21

An optical system according to claim 16, wherein said first optical means moves along the optical path for focusing purposes.

Claim 22

An optical system according to claim 16, wherein said reflecting means is a tiltable mirror, being obliquely positioned with said second image forming optical path when said first optical means is set in said first image forming optical path, and being retracted from said second image forming optical path when said first optical means is set in said second image forming optical path.

Claim 23

A camera comprising: (a) image receiving means for receiving an image of an object; (b) first reflecting means; (c) second reflecting means movable between a first position and a second position; (d) a first image forming optical path passing through said first and said second reflecting means to said image receiving means when said second reflecting means lies in the first position; (e) a second image forming optical path reaching said image receiving means when said second reflecting means lies in the second position; (f) movable optical means switchable between said first image forming optical path and said second image forming optical path in response to movement of said reflecting means; and (g) stationary optical means provided in siad first image forming optical paths.

Claim 24

A camera comprising: (a) image receiving means for receiving an image of an object; (b) first reflecting means; (c) second reflecting means movable between a first position and a second position; (d) a first image forming optical path passing through said first and said second reflecting means to said image receiving means when said second reflecting means lies in the first position; (e) a second image forming optical path reaching said image receiving means when said second reflecting means lies in the second position; (f) movable optical means switchable between said first image forming optical path and said second image forming optical path in response to movement of said reflecting means; and (g) stationary optical means provided in siad first image forming optical paths.

Claim 25

A camera according to claim 20, wherein when said movable optical means is set in said first image forming optical path, said second reflecting means occupies the first position and, when said movable optical means is set in said second image forming optical path, said second reflecting means occupies the second position.

Claim 26

A camera according to claim 20, wherein said movable optical means has a positive power.

Claim 27

A camera according to claim 20, wherein said stationary optical means is provided in said first image forming optical path and has a negative power.

Claim 28

A camera according to claim 23, wherein said stationary optical means includes positive, negative and positive lenses, respectively.

Claim 29

A camera according to claim 20, wherein said moveable optical means along the optical path for focusing purposes.