Zoom optical system

Claim 2

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification varying airspaces reserved between the lens units, and wherein said fourth lens unit is composed of a single lens element and satisfies the following condition (8): 0≦y/f.sub.1 ≦0.14 (8) wherein the reference symbol y represents 1/2 of a diagonal length of an image surface and the reference symbol f 1 designates a focal length of the first lens unit.

Claim 3

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, wherein an aperture stop is disposed on the image side of a first lens element of said second lens unit and on the object side of said third lens unit.

Claim 4

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens units and satisfy the following conditions (1) and (8): 0.03<ΣD.sub.4 /y<0.25 (1) 0≦y/f.sub.1 ≦0.14 (8) wherein the reference symbol ΣD 4 represents a structural length of the fourth lens unit and the reference symbol y designates 1/2 of a diagonal length of an image surface and the reference symbol f 1 denotes a focal length of the first lens unit.

Claim 5

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens units and satisfy the following conditions (1) and (8): 0.03<ΣD.sub.4 /y<0.25 (1) 0≦y/f.sub.1 ≦0.14 (8) wherein the reference symbol ΣD 4 represents a structural length of the fourth lens unit and the reference symbol y designates 1/2 of a diagonal length of an image surface and the reference symbol f 1 denotes a focal length of the first lens unit.

Claim 6

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens units, be composed of lens elements in a number not exceeding twice a number of movable lens units and satisfy the following condition (8): 0≦y/f.sub.1 ≦0.14 (8) wherein the reference symbol y represents 1/2 of a diagonal length of an image surface and the reference symbol f 1 designates a focal length of the first lens unit.

Claim 7

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens units, be composed of lens elements in a number not exceeding twice a number of movable lens units and satisfy the following condition (8): 0≦y/f.sub.1 ≦0.14 (8) wherein the reference symbol y represents 1/2 of a diagonal length of an image surface and the reference symbol f 1 designates a focal length of the first lens unit.

Claim 8

A zoom optical system according to claim 4, wherein the number of the lens elements does not exceed 7.

Claim 9

A zoom optical system according to claim 5, wherein the first lens unit is composed of two lens elements, the second lens unit is composed of two lens elements, the third lens unit is composed of two lens elements and the fourth lens unit is composed of a single lens element.

Claim 10

A zoom optical system according to claim 5, wherein the first lens unit is composed of two lens elements, the second lens unit is composed of a single lens element, the third lens unit is composed of three lens elements and the fourth lens unit is composed of a single lens unit.

Claim 11

A zoom optical system according to claim 5, wherein the first lens unit is composed of two lens elements, the second lens unit is composed of a single lens element, the third lens unit is composed of two lens elements and the fourth lens unit is composed of two lens elements.

Claim 12

A zoom optical system according to claim 4, wherein the number of the lens elements does not exceed 6.

Claim 13

A zoom optical system according to claim 9, wherein the first lens unit is composed of two or a smaller number of lens elements, the second lens unit is composed of a single lens element and the third lens unit is composed of two or a smaller number of lens elements.

Claim 14

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens units, wherein an aperture stop is disposed on the image side of a first lens element of said second lens unit and on the object side of said third lens unit, and wherein said zoom optical system satisfies the following condition (10): 0.10≦E(W)/f.sub.W ≦0.30 (10) wherein the reference symbol E (W) represents a distance on an optical axis as measured from a vertex of a first surface to an entrance pupil of the optical system at a wide position and the reference symbol f W designates a focal length of the optical system as a whole at the wide position.

Claim 15

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens units, wherein an aperture stop is disposed on the image side of a first lens element of said second lens unit and on the object side of said third lens unit, and wherein said zoom optical system satisfies the following condition (10): 0.10≦E(W)/f.sub.W ≦0.30 (10) wherein the reference symbol E (W) represents a distance on an optical axis as measured from a vertex of a first surface to an entrance pupil of the optical system at a wide position and the reference symbol f W designates a focal length of the optical system as a whole at the wide position.

Claim 16

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens units, wherein an aperture stop is disposed between the second lens unit and the third lens unit, wherein the second lens unit and the aperture stop are moved as an integral unit for the magnification change, and wherein said zoom optical system satisfies the following condition (8): 0≦y/f.sub.1 ≦0.14 (8) wherein the reference symbol y represents 1/2 of a diagonal length of an image surface and the reference symbol f 1 designates a focal length of the first lens unit.

Claim 17

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens units, wherein an aperture stop is disposed between the second lens unit and the third lens unit, wherein the second lens unit and the aperture stop are moved as an integral unit for the magnification change, and wherein said zoom optical system satisfies the following condition (8): 0≦y/f.sub.1 ≦0.14 (8) wherein the reference symbol y represents 1/2 of a diagonal length of an image surface and the reference symbol f 1 designates a focal length of the first lens unit.

Claim 18

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens units, wherein an aperture stop is disposed-between the second lens unit and the third lens unit and is moved independently for the magnification change, and wherein said zoom optical system satisfies the following condition (8): 0≦y/f.sub.1 ≦0.14 (8) wherein the reference symbol y represents 1/2 of a diagonal length of an image surface and the reference symbol f 1 designates a focal length of the first lens unit.

Claim 19

A zoom optical system comprising in order from the object side: a first lens unit which has a positive power or is powerless; a second lens unit which has a positive power; a third lens unit which has a positive power; and a fourth lens unit which has a negative power, wherein said zoom optical system is configured to change its magnification by varying airspaces reserved between the lens units, wherein an aperture stop is disposed-between the second lens unit and the third lens unit and is moved independently for the magnification change, and wherein said zoom optical system satisfies the following condition (8): 0≦y/f.sub.1 ≦0.14 (8) wherein the reference symbol y represents 1/2 of a diagonal length of an image surface and the reference symbol f 1 designates a focal length of the first lens unit.

Claim 20

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 satisfying the following condition (2): -1.20<(r.sub.F +r.sub.R)/(r.sub.F -r.sub.R)<0 (2) wherein the reference symbols r F and r R represent radii of curvature on an object side surface and an image side surface respectively of the fourth lens unit.

Claim 21

A zoom optical system according to claim 14 satisfying the following condition (12): 0<D.sub.0 (i)/D.sub.min (i)<2 (12) wherein the reference numeral D 0 (i) (i=1, 2, 3 or 4) represents an airspace reserved between the lens units in the collapsed condition; D 0 (1) being an airspace reserved between the first lens unit and the second lens unit, D 0 (2) being an airspace reserved between the second lens unit and the third lens unit, D 0 (3) being an airspace reserved between the third lens unit and the fourth lens unit and D 0 (4) being an airspace reserved between the fourth lens unit and the image surface; and the reference symbol D min (i) designates a minimum value of each airspace which is variable in the entire zooming region; D min (1) being a minimum value of the airspace reserved between the first lens unit and the second lens unit, D min (2) being a minimum value of the airspace reserved between the second lens unit and the third lens unit, D min (3) being a minimum value of the airspace reserved between the third lens unit and the fourth lens unit and D min (4) being a minimum value of the airspace reserved between the fourth lens unit and the image surface.

Claim 22

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4 2, 11, 12 or 13 satisfying the following condition (4-1): 1.5<β.sub.4T /β.sub.4W <6.0 (4-1) wherein the reference symbols β 4W and β 4T represent lateral magnifications of the fourth lens unit at the wide position and the tele position respectively.

Claim 23

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 satisfying, in place of the condition (8), the following condition (8-1): 0≦y/f.sub.1 <0.07 (8-1).

Claim 24

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 satisfying the following condition (6): 0.5<|f.sub.4 /f.sub.W |<0.9 (6) wherein the reference symbol f 4 represents a focal length of the fourth lens unit and the reference symbol f W designates a focal length of the zoom optical system as a whole at the wide position.

Claim 25

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 satisfying the following condition (5): 0.1<f.sub.BW /f.sub.W <0.5 (5) wherein the reference symbol f BW represents a back focal length at the wide position and the reference symbol f W designates a focal length of the zoom optical system as a whole at the wide position.

Claim 26

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 wherein an aspherical surface is disposed at least in the fourth lens unit.

Claim 27

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 wherein an aspherical surface is disposed at least in the third lens unit.

Claim 28

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 to be focused with said third lens unit.

Claim 29

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 to be focused with said second lens unit and said third lens unit.

Claim 30

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 satisfying the following condition (3): ν.sub.R >50 (3) wherein the reference symbol ν R represents an Abbe's number of a negative lens element disposed in the fourth lens unit.

Claim 31

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 satisfying the following condition (6): 0.5<|f.sub.4 /f.sub.W |<0.9 (6) wherein the reference symbol f 4 represents a focal length of the fourth lens unit and the reference symbol f W designates a focal length of the zoom optical system as a whole at the wide position.

Claim 32

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 satisfying the following condition (7): |β.sub.3T |<0.9 (7) wherein the reference symbol β 3T represents a magnification of the third lens unit at the tele position.

Claim 33

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 11, 12 or 13 satisfying the following condition (11): |f.sub.T /f.sub.1 |≦0.6 (11) wherein the reference symbol f 1 represents a focal length of the first lens unit and the reference symbol f T designates a focal length of the zoom optical system as a whole at the tele position.

Claim 34

A zoom optical system according to claim 27 satisfying, in place of said condition (11), the following condition (11-1): |f.sub.T /f.sub.1 |≦0.4 (11-1). 29.

Claim 35

A zoom optical system according to claim 1, 3, 4, 2, 12 or 13 satisfying the following condition (9): 0.5<|f.sub.4 |/y<1.0 (9) wherein the reference symbol y represents 1/2 of a diagonal length of an image surface and the reference symbol f 4 designates a focal length of the fourth lens unit.

Claim 36

A zoom optical system according to claim 11 satisfying, in place of said condition (10), the following condition (10-1): 0.10≦E(W)/f.sub.W ≦0.24 (10-1).