Variable-magnification image-forming optical system

Claim 2

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system comprising a first lens unit having at least one lens; a second lens unit disposed on an image side of said first lens unit; a third lens unit disposed on an image side of said second lens unit; and a fourth lens unit disposed on an image side of said third lens unit, wherein when zooming from a wide-angle end of said optical system to a telephoto end of said optical system is performed, a spacing between said first lens unit and said second lens unit and a spacing between said second lens unit and said third lens unit are varied, and wherein said fourth lens unit includes a decentered optical system having at least one curved reflecting surface and a non-rotationally symmetric curved surface operating to correct non-rotationally symmetric aberrations produced by a decentering action of said curved reflecting surface.

Claim 3

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 1, wherein said non-rotationally symmetric curved surface is formed on a transmitting surface disposed closer to said third lens unit than said curved reflecting surface.

Claim 4

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 1, wherein said non-rotationally symmetric curved surface is formed on a transmitting surface disposed closer to an image side of said optical system than said curved reflecting surface.

Claim 5

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 1, wherein said non-rotationally symmetric curved surface is formed on a reflecting surface disposed closer to said third lens unit than said curved reflecting surface.

Claim 6

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 1, wherein said non-rotationally symmetric curved surface is formed on a reflecting surface disposed closer to an image side of said optical system than said curved reflecting surface.

Claim 7

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 1, wherein said non-rotationally symmetric curved surface is formed on said curved reflecting surface.

Claim 8

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 1, wherein said non-rotationally symmetric curved surface is formed on a surface operating as both a reflecting surface and a transmitting surface.

Claim 9

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 7, wherein said surface operating as both a reflecting surface and a transmitting surface performs a reflecting action by total reflection.

Claim 10

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said fourth lens unit includes a prism member having an entrance surface, a reflecting surface, and an exit surface, which are disposed to face each other across a medium having a refractive index (n) larger than 1.3 (n>1.3), and said non-rotationally symmetric curved surface is formed on said prism member.

Claim 11

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 9, wherein said non-rotationally symmetric curved surface is an anamorphic surface.

Claim 12

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 9, wherein said non-rotationally symmetric curved surface is a toric surface.

Claim 13

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 9, wherein said non-rotationally symmetric curved surface is a three-dimensional surface having only one plane of symmetry.

Claim 14

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 9, wherein said first lens unit has a positive power; said second lens unit has a negative power; and said third lens unit has a positive power.

Claim 15

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 9, further comprising a fifth lens unit disposed closer to an object side of said variable-magnification image-forming optical system than said fourth lens unit.

Claim 16

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 14, wherein said fifth lens unit is disposed between said third lens unit and said fourth lens unit.

Claim 17

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 14, wherein said fifth lens unit is disposed between said second lens unit and said third lens unit.

Claim 18

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 14, wherein said fifth lens unit is disposed between said first lens unit and said second lens unit.

Claim 19

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a plane of symmetry of said rotationally asymmetric surface is approximately coincident with a plane of decentration of each decentered surface constituting said decentered optical system.

Claim 20

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, assuming that a light ray emanating from a center of an object point and passing through a center of a pupil to reach a center of an image is defined as an axial principal ray, said rotationally asymmetric surface is tilted with respect to said axial principal ray.

Claim 21

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, assuming that a light ray emanating from a center of an object point and passing through a center of a pupil to reach a center of an image is defined as an axial principal ray, and that a Y-axis is taken in a plane of decentration of each decentered surface, and an X-axis is taken in a direction perpendicularly intersecting the Y-axis, and further that an axis constituting an orthogonal coordinate system in combination with the X- and Y-axes is defined as a Z-axis, the following condition is satisfied: 0.00001<|DY|<0.1 (2-1) where DY denotes a difference between a value of a tangent of a line normal to at least one rotationally asymmetric surface in a YZ-plane at a position where a principal ray at a maximum field angle in a direction of the X-axis impinges on said surface and a value of a tangent of a line normal to said surface in a YZ-plane at a position where the axial principal ray impinges on said surface.

Claim 22

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, assuming that a Y-axis is taken in a plane of decentration of each decentered surface, and an X-axis is taken in a direction perpendicularly intersecting the Y-axis, and that an axis constituting an orthogonal coordinate system in combination with the X- and Y-axes is defined as a Z-axis, one of the following conditions (3-1) and (3-2) is satisfied: 0<|Cxn|<1 (3-1) 1<|Cxn|<10 (3-2) where Cxn denotes a ratio between a curvature in an X-axis direction of a portion of at least one rotationally asymmetric surface at which a principal ray at a maximum field angle in a positive direction of the Y-axis in the plane of decentration (YZ-plane) impinges on said surface and a curvature in the X-axis direction of a portion of said surface at which a principal ray at a maximum field angle in a negative direction of the Y-axis impinges on said surface.

Claim 23

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which satisfies the following condition: 0.01<|Fg1/Fg2|<100 (4-1) where Fg1 is a focal length of said first lens unit, and Fg2 is a focal length of said second lens unit.

Claim 24

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which satisfies the following condition: 0.01<|Fg1/Fg3|<100 (5-1) where Fg1 is a focal length of said first lens unit, and Fg3 is a focal length of said third lens unit.

Claim 25

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which satisfies the following condition: 0.01<|Fg1/Fx|<100 (6-1) where Fg1 is a focal length of said first lens unit, and Fx is a focal length of said variable-magnification image-forming optical system with respect to a light ray in an X direction which is perpendicular to a plane of decentration of each decentered surface.

Claim 26

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which satisfies the following condition: 0.001<|Fg2/Fx|<1000 (7-1) where Fg2 is a focal length of said second lens unit, and Fx is a focal length of said variable-magnification image-forming optical system with respect to a light ray in an X direction which is perpendicular to a plane of decentration of each decentered surface.

Claim 27

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which satisfies the following condition: 0.01<|Fg3/Fx|<1000 (8-1) where Fg3 is a focal length of said third lens unit, and Fx is a focal length of said variable-magnification image-forming optical system with respect to a light ray in an X direction which is perpendicular to a plane of decentration of each decentered surface.

Claim 28

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, assuming that a light ray emanating from a center of an object point and passing through a center of a pupil to reach a center of an image is defined as an axial principal ray, and that a Y-axis is taken in a plane of decentration of each decentered surface, and an X-axis is taken in a direction perpendicularly intersecting the Y-axis, and further an axis constituting an orthogonal coordinate system in combination with the X- and Y-axes is defined as a Z-axis, and further that said axial principal ray and a light ray which is parallel to said axial principal ray at a slight distance d in an X-axis direction are made to enter said variable-magnification image-forming optical system from an entrance side thereof, and a sine of an angle formed between said two rays as projected on an XZ-plane at an exit side of said variable-magnification image-forming optical system is denoted by NA'X, and further that a value obtained by dividing said NA'X by said distance d between said parallel rays is denoted by Px, and a power in the X-axis direction of that portion of said rotationally asymmetric surface on which said axial principal ray strikes is denoted by Pxn, the following condition is satisfied: 0.0001<|Pxn/Px|<1000 (9-1).

Claim 29

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 27, wherein said Pxn/Px satisfies the following condition: 0.001<|Pxn/Px|<100 (9-2).

Claim 30

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 28, wherein said Pxn/Px satisfies the following condition: 0.001<|Pxn/Px|<10 (9-3).

Claim 31

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, assuming that a light ray emanating from a center of an object point and passing through a center of a pupil to reach a center of an image is defined as an axial principal ray, and that a Y-axis is taken in a plane of decentration of each decentered surface, and an X-axis is taken in a direction perpendicularly intersecting the Y-axis, and further an axis constituting an orthogonal coordinate system in combination with the X- and Y-axes is defined as a Z-axis, and further that said axial principal ray and a light ray which is parallel to said axial principal ray at a slight distance d in a Y-axis disaid variableade to enter said variable-magnification image-forming optical system from an entrance side thereof, and a sine of an angle formed between said two rays as projected on a YZ-plane at an exit side of said variable-magnification image-forming optical system is denoted by NA'Y, and further that a value obtained by dividing said NA'Y by said distance d between said parallel rays is denoted by Py, and a power in the Y-axis direction of that portion of said rotationally asymmetric surface on which said axial principal ray strikes is denoted by Pyn, the following condition is satisfied: 0.0001<|Pyn/Py|<1000 (10-1).

Claim 32

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 30, wherein said Pyn/Py satisfies the following condition: 0.001<|Pyn/Py|<100 (10-2).

Claim 33

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 31, wherein said Pyn/Py satisfies the following condition: 0.001<|Pyn/Py|<10 (10-3).

Claim 34

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, assuming that a light ray emanating from a center of an object point and passing through a center of a pupil to reach a center of an image is defined as an axial principal ray, and that a Y-axis is taken in a plane of decentration of each decentered surface, and an X-axis is taken in a direction perpendicularly intersecting the Y-axis, and further an axis constituting an orthogonal coordinate system in combination with the X- and Y-axes is defined as a Z-axis, and further that said axial principal ray and a light ray which is parallel to said axial principal ray at a slight distance d in an X-axis direction are made to enter said variable-magnification image-forming optical system from an entrance side thereof, and a sine of an angle formed between said two rays as projected on an XZ-plane at an exit side of said variable-magnification image-forming optical system is denoted by NA'X, and further that a value obtained by dividing said NA'X by said distance d between said parallel rays is denoted by Px, and further that said axial principal ray and a light ray which is parallel to said axial principal ray at a slight distance d in a Y-axis direction are made to enter said variable-magnification image-forming optical system from the entrance side thereof, and a sine of an angle formed between said two rays as projected on a YZ-plane at the exit side of said variable-magnification image-forming optical system is denoted by NA'Y, and further that a value obtained by dividing said NA'Y by said distance d between said parallel rays is denoted by Py, the following condition is satisfied: 0.1<Px/Py<10 (11-1).

Claim 35

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 33, wherein said Px/Py satisfies the following condition: 0.5<Px/Py<2 (11-2).

Claim 36

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 34, wherein said Px/Py satisfies the following condition: 0.8<Px/Py<1.2 (11-3).

Claim 37

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said decentered optical system comprises only a first reflecting surface, wherein light rays are reflected by said first reflecting surface in a direction different from a direction in which the light rays are incident thereon.

Claim 38

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said decentered optical system comprises a first reflecting surface and a first transmitting surface, wherein light rays enter said decentered optical system through said first transmitting surface and are reflected by said first reflecting surface to exit from said decentered optical system through said first transmitting surface in a direction different from a direction in which the light rays are incident on said first transmitting surface.

Claim 39

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said decentered optical system comprises a first reflecting surface, a first transmitting surface, and a second transmitting surface, wherein light rays enter said decentered optical system through said first transmitting surface and are reflected by said first reflecting surface to exit from said decentered optical system through said second transmitting surface in a direction different from a direction in which the light rays are incident on said first transmitting surface.

Claim 40

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said decentered optical system comprises a first reflecting surface, a second reflecting surface, and a first transmitting surface, wherein light rays enter said decentered optical system through said first transmitting surface and are reflected by said first reflecting surface and then reflected by said second reflecting surface to exit from said decentered optical system through said first transmitting surface.

Claim 41

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said decentered optical system comprises a first reflecting surface, a second reflecting surface, a first transmitting surface, and a second transmitting surface, wherein light rays enter said decentered optical system through said first transmitting surface and are reflected by said first reflecting surface and then reflected by said second reflecting surface to exit from said decentered optical system through said second transmitting surface.

Claim 42

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 40, wherein said first and second reflecting surfaces are disposed such that principal rays and reflected rays thereof substantially intersect each other in said decentered optical system.

Claim 43

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 40, wherein said first and second reflecting surfaces are disposed such that principal rays and reflected rays thereof do not substantially intersect each other.

Claim 44

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 42, wherein said first transmitting surface and second reflecting surface of said decentered optical system are an identical surface.

Claim 45

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 42, wherein said first reflecting surface and second transmitting surface of said decentered optical system are an identical surface.

Claim 46

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said decentered optical system comprises a first reflecting surface, a second reflecting surface, a third reflecting surface, a first transmitting surface, and a second transmitting surface, wherein light rays enter said decentered optical system through said first transmitting surface and are reflected successively by said first reflecting surface, said second reflecting surface and said third reflecting surface to exit from said decentered optical system through said second transmitting surface in a direction different from a direction in which the light rays are incident on said first transmitting surface.

Claim 47

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 45, wherein said first transmitting surface and second reflecting surface of said decentered optical system are an identical surface.

Claim 48

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 45, wherein said first reflecting surface and third reflecting surface of said decentered optical system are an identical surface.

Claim 49

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to claim 45, wherein said second transmitting surface and second reflecting surface of said decentered optical system are an identical surface.

Claim 50

A variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is used in a camera finder.

Claim 51

An optical system for a camera finder using a variable-magnification image-forming optical system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.